Diabetes mellitus is a disease in which how you eat at every meal is important. “It is most important to eat regularly at the same time every day,” said Joo Ji-young (Ah Hyun-jae Oriental Clinic), a high-dac oriental medicine consultant. Below is a guide on how to consume carbohydrates, proteins, and fats in diabetic patients.
carbohydrate
Koreans consume 65-70% of their daily energy from carbohydrates. Diabetics should reduce their carbohydrate intake. The amount of intake varies depending on the patient’s condition, but usually 55 to 65% of the total energy is consumed as carbohydrates.
Director Joo Ji-young said, “It is very important to eat high-quality carbohydrates.” That is, you should consume carbohydrates in the form of whole grains, vegetables, legumes, fruits, and dairy products. These foods are not broken down by digestive enzymes in the body, so they are rich in fiber excreted in the feces and are excellent for regulating blood sugar levels. Hidak nutrition consultant Im Soo-yeon, nutritionist, explained, “In particular, multigrain rice contains 2-3 times more fiber than rice. This reduces the absorption of glucose and cholesterol from the intestines following a meal, thereby lowering the rise in blood sugar and cholesterol.”
Sugar intake should be minimized. Director Ju Ji-young emphasized, “Never eat bread, candy, carbonated drinks, or juice drinks.” If you eat drinks or foods that contain refined sugars, such as sugar, digestion and absorption are quicker, and your blood sugar rises sharply. In addition, fruits with a lot of sugar, such as mango and watermelon, can raise blood sugar, so you should not eat too much. People with high blood sugar levels following consuming fruit should reduce their fruit intake.
protein
Koreans consume 13-15% of their daily energy from protein. Director Joo Ji-young said, “It is good for diabetics to consume protein at 10 to 35% of total calories.”
High-protein meals should be avoided. Hydak Nutrition Counselor Hyemi Lee, a nutritionist, advised, “Do not consume high-protein foods such as animal protein.” As for the reason, “Protein is metabolized and produces ammonia decomposition products, which are toxic in the body. To eliminate this toxicity, the liver converts ammonia into urea. Consuming a lot of high-protein animal protein foods produces ammonia. It increases the burden on the liver and kidneys.”
Fat
Director Joo Ji-young said, “Fat intake should not exceed 20-35% of total daily calories.” “Trans fat should be reduced to a minimum and saturated fat should be controlled to less than 7% of total calories,” he added.
What is more important in fat intake is the form of fat rather than the absolute amount or percentage. Avoid eating fatty meats, eggs, processed meats, intestines, and seafood that contain a lot of saturated fat and trans fat, and eat foods rich in unsaturated fats. Dietitian Lim Su-yeon said, “Among the fats, omega-3 fatty acids, which are unsaturated fatty acids, lower triglycerides, a type of cholesterol, and prevent cardiovascular diseases. good,” he said.
Help = Hidak Consulting Doctor Joo Ji-young (Ah Hyun-jae Oriental Medical Clinic), Hidak Nutrition Consulting Lee Hye-mi (nutritionist), Hidak Nutrition Consulting Lim Su-yeon (nutritionist)