Xiaomei loves to eat cakes and drink milk tea, which is very sweet, but she is always told by her mother to remind her that eating too many sweets will lead to diabetes. Xiaomei found a lot of information on the Internet and told her mother that eating sweets was not the cause of diabetes.

To this end, my mother took Xiaomei to consult a doctor friend. He told Xiaomei that although eating sweets is not the direct cause of diabetes, poor eating habits may induce high blood sugar, and long-term high blood sugar may also lead to diabetes. So, which eating habits may lead to diabetes, and which foods should not be eaten too much? The doctor told Xiaomei the influence of the three major nutrients on blood sugar, and the dietary tips to avoid high blood sugar.

What is the relationship between diet and blood sugar?

Blood sugar fluctuates up and down with our diet, exercise, mood, and stress, with diet having the biggest impact. Generally speaking, 5-10 minutes after you start eating, the carbohydrates in the food will be decomposed into small molecules of glucose, which will enter the blood, increase the blood sugar concentration, and reach the peak in about 1 hour . Of course, the peak time of blood sugar should also be discussed with people. The gastrointestinal function is related to the diet. For example, if the gastrointestinal function is good and the diet is easy to digest, the blood sugar peak time is short, which may be reached within 30 minutes.

At the same time as the blood sugar rises, the pancreas begins to secrete insulin, which brings the glucose into the liver, muscles and fat cells for use and storage. Therefore, about 2-3 hours after eating, the blood sugar will drop and return to the same level as before the meal. .

The process of falling blood sugar may involve more conditions, which is also the reason for the occurrence of hyperglycemia and diabetes.

The effect of three main nutrients on blood sugar

The three major nutrients, carbohydrates (sugars), proteins and lipids in food, have different effects on the speed and degree of blood sugar rise depending on the time it takes to be digested and decomposed:

1. Carbohydrates

Digestion and absorption are fast, and are the nutrients that most directly affect the rise of blood sugar. It will rise to the peak about 1 hour after eating.

2. Protein

The digestion speed is slow, and the blood sugar will reach the peak in about three hours, which will not cause the blood sugar to fluctuate violently.

3. Fat

It does not affect the rise of blood sugar very much, and the change range is small, but the digestion is the slowest. At the beginning, the rapid rise of blood sugar cannot be seen, and after 4-5 hours, it will be found that the blood sugar still cannot fall.

Through the above understanding, we will find that the higher the proportion of carbohydrates in the food, the greater the increase in blood sugar; on the contrary, if the food contains complex foods of sugar, protein and fat at the same time, the increase in blood sugar will be gentler .

Which foods can easily make blood sugar too high?

According to the relevant healthy dietary standards, the diet is divided into six categories: whole grains, whole grains, beans, fish, eggs, meat, vegetables, fruits, dairy products, oils, and nuts.

Among them, whole grains, fruits and dairy products contain more carbohydrates, which can easily increase blood sugar after eating; while vegetables also contain carbohydrates, but they are mainly dietary fibers that are not easily digested, so it is not easy. cause blood sugar fluctuations.

In addition to the six categories of food, cakes, snacks, sugar-sweetened beverages and other foods are often added with a lot of refined sugar. Because of the relatively small structure, this sugar molecule is quickly absorbed by the body, resulting in a higher and more severe blood sugar rise. , If you eat too many sweets, it may cause violent fluctuations in blood sugar and cause a certain burden to the body!

What is the normal range for blood sugar fluctuations?

Generally speaking, for a normal person, blood sugar fluctuations will fall between 3.8-7.8mmol/L, and occasionally it may increase more due to eating too much sugar, stress, etc., although there is currently no treatment for non-diabetic patients. However, if the blood sugar after meals exceeds 11.1mmol/L, or the difference between blood sugar before and after meals exceeds 3.33mmol/L, it means that the fluctuations are too severe. In this case, it means that the blood sugar fluctuates greatly, and the damage to the blood vessels, especially the microvessels, is relatively large. Although it may not have entered the stage of diabetes, the possibility of complications in the future is also relatively large.

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you should adjust the control target according to your personal situation, age of onset, etc., but it is recommended that the blood sugar gap between pre-meal and post-prandial should be controlled within 3.33mmol/L, which can help reduce the risk of diabetes complications. .

In addition, many patients may not pay attention to blood sugar fluctuations. They mainly focus on low blood sugar indicators. They think that as long as blood sugar does not exceed 11.1mmol/L, it will be fine. In fact, large fluctuations in blood sugar may sometimes cause more harm to patients or normal people than to normal people. Simple hyperglycemia is more serious, and you must not be careless.

Tips for Avoiding Severe Blood Sugar Fluctuations

Blood sugar fluctuates too violently. In addition to feeling tired easily and the body synthesizes more fat, it will also cause burden on the pancreas and blood vessel damage in the long run, increasing the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and pancreatic disease. Therefore, it is very important to stabilize blood sugar fluctuations. The following Here are a few tips for more stable blood sugar fluctuations:

1. Eat a balanced diet

If you only eat simple carbohydrates such as bread and steamed bread, your blood sugar will easily rise rapidly, but if you eat it with soy milk, tea eggs, vegetables, etc., in addition to balanced nutrition, fiber, protein, and fat also help for blood sugar stability.

2. Pay attention to the order of eating

Protein digestion takes a long time, and vegetables rich in dietary fiber can also delay gastric emptying. Therefore , if you eat proteins and vegetables with a slower glycemic rate first, and carbohydrates last, even if you eat the same food It can also make blood sugar more stable, and avoid the situation of starvation after meals due to drastic fluctuations in blood sugar.

3. Don’t eat too fast

Eating too fast is equivalent to eating a larger amount of carbohydrates in a short period of time, and blood sugar will rise more violently. So remember to chew slowly when eating. It is recommended to eat more than 15 minutes each time you eat.

4. Reduce refined sugar intake

Sugar-sweetened beverages or sugar-sweetened pastries are often added with a lot of refined sugar. Because the molecule is small and easily absorbed by the body, it will also cause more severe blood sugar fluctuations. It is recommended to reduce the consumption of delicate desserts and beverages. Drinks can be replaced with sugar-free tea.

5. After-dinner activities

In addition to helping digestion, walking after meals and proper activities also help to increase the utilization of glucose by muscle cells and reduce the rise in blood sugar. After eating, it is recommended to get up and take a walk for 10-15 minutes, which can help stabilize blood sugar.

Whether it’s adjusting the order of eating or cutting down on processed foods, these small daily behavior changes can help people maintain blood sugar stability, and start developing good eating and living habits to prevent diabetes!