Food is like medicine. What is good for one health condition
is not necessarily good for you living with Diabetes or Metabolic syndrome.
These food that spike your blood sugar would also worsen
insulin resistance which is the root cause of metabolic syndrome. We shall cover those foods and suggest alternatives, are you ready?
1 1. FRUIT JUICE.
Be
it organic, homemade, natural or what have you. Fruit juice is basically fruit
sugar and water. Yes,even real fruit juice. Fruit sugar is also known as
fructose and this form of sugar is notorious for worsening insulin resistance.
The alternative that is okay for you would
be eating a small quantity of the real fruit, whole. This means instead of
apple juice, you can take 1(one) small apple.
2. BASMATI RICE:
Basmati rice has been made popular by many health
professionals who often recommend it because the long grain variety has a low
glycemic index. This is often not so true. First and foremost, it is only the
long grain variety that has a reduced glycemic index. Most brands in Nigerian
markets are not long grain.
Secondly, basmati rice has a medium glycemic index of 58,
while brown rice is 56. Short grain white rice , like most local Nigerian rice,
is up to 72.
What to do, if you must eat rice, any type of rice, then go
for small quantities like ¼ to ½ cup of the cooked rice. Fill up the
other space in your plate with vegetables. Thank God, this season, veggies are
in abundance.
3 3. Swallows like millet flour swallow, wheat
swallow, semovita or oat flour swallow.
Wait a minute, what do you then want us to eat?
The above swallows are basically carbohydrates. Processing
them into flour greatly increases their glycemic index. This means they would
spike your blood sugar and worsen insulin resistance.
So what should you do?
- · If you must eat them, be very physically active. This means that if you have lost a limb ( to amputation) or can’t walk up to 10,000 to 12,000 steps a day, then say good bye to them.
- · If you must eat them, note that to get good control, you may need increased dose of your medication.
- · Replace them with low carb (vegetable) swallows like garden egg/aubergine/cabbage swallow.
- · Eat very small quantities, the size of your fist. You can add tigernut flour to increase the fiber content and size of the swallow on your plate. This increased fiber content would help reduce the rise in your blood sugar.
- Which of the following options appeal to you? Do what you can sustain. Next week, we shall look at the recipes.
4 4. Red wine/non-alcoholic wines/stout.
This season of eating and drinking, there
may be a temptation to indulge in your favourite red wine. After all, “they
said it is good for the heart”. Wait a minute, have you read the label before?
These wines contain sugar. Yes stout has a lot of carbohydrate.
Wines are supposed to be shared and sipped
on slowly. Share a 750 ml bottle with at least 5 other persons and sip slowly
while you enjoy the conversation and time with friends.
5 5. Frozen yoghurt.
I am an advocate of the health benefits of
yoghurts. However, the commercial brands are simply loaded with sugar to take
away the sour taste of the yoghurt. This is especially so with the low fat
varieties. Many low fat foods, are loaded with sugar.
You can make your Greek yoghurt at home or
get from a trusted source, and top with a handful of berries OR chopped apples
/ kiwi fruit / watermelon OR cocoa powder OR nuts. Enjoy as breakfast. P/S: The
high protein content makes it very filling.
I wish you
a very merry Christmas with great health numbers.
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