By Imelda A. Agdeppa, Ph.D.
FNRI-DOST S & T Media Service
Recent studies on
large numbers of people with diabetes show that those who keep their blood
sugar under tight control best avoid the complications of diabetes like heart
disease, blindness, kidney failure, and lower extremity amputations. Experts
agree that what works best for people with diabetes—and everyone for that
matter—is regular exercise, little saturated and trans fatty acids, and a
high–fiber diet. Carbohydrates break quickly during digestion and can raise the
blood sugar to dangerous levels.
Glycemic index (GI) ranks foods on
how they affect our blood sugar levels. This index measures how much our blood
sugar increases after we eat. When diabetic patients make use of the glycemic
index to prepare healthy meals, it keeps their blood sugar levels and weight
under control. Many carbohydrate-rich foods have high glycemic indexes, and
they certainly are not good in any substantial quantity for people with
diabetes. Other carbohydrates like complex carbohydrates and dietary fiber
break down more slowly, releasing glucose gradually into our blood streams and
are said to have lower glycemic indexes which are good for diabetic patients.
Studies on glycemic indexes by
experts showed that many of the starchy foods we eat a lot produce the highest
glycemic response. These are white bread, some breakfast cereals, e.g.
cornflakes, rice and baked potatoes but complex carbohydrates present in
potatoes are digestible. Low glycemic foods include beans,
barley, pasta, oats, apples, oranges, peaches, peanuts, strawberries, sweet
corn and carrots. Likewise, vinegar, and lemon juice help reduce glycemic load,
the amount of carbohydrate in a serving of a particular food.
Many foods have few available
carbohydrates in a standard serving. We call these the “free foods” because
they are essentially free of any impact on your blood sugar. These foods
contain less than 5 grams of available carbohydrate in a 100-gram portion. The
rest of the portion is protein, fat, fiber, ash and water. Examples of these foods are: (1) vegetables—asparagus,
beans, cabbage, broccoli, cucumber, eggplant, lettuce, okra, mushrooms,
tomatoes, radishes, spinach, turnips and peppers; (2) fruits—avocados,
raspberries, strawberries; (3) eggs and dairy—cheese, milk, eggs, yogurt plain;
(4) beverages—coffee, diet soda, tea and water.
The glycemic index should not,
however, be the only criterion when selecting what to eat. The total amount of
carbohydrate, the amount and type of fat, and the fiber and salt content are
also important. Consider also, that, factors such as variety, cooking, and
processing may affect a food’s glycemic index.
The Nutritional Guidelines for
Filipinos developed by the Technical Working Group led by the Food and
Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology
(FNRI-DOST) recommends eating a variety of foods everyday in order to have a
well balance diet.
For more information on food and nutrition, contact Dr. Mario V.
Capanzana, Director, Food and Nutrition Research Institute, Department of
Science and Technology, General Santos Avenue, Bicutan, Taguig City, E-Mail: mvc@fnri.dost.gov.ph or mar_v_c@yahoo.com, Telefax: (02) 8372934, (02) 8273164, or call (02) 8372071 local 2296 or
visit our website: http:www.fnri.dost.gov.ph
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