Nutritional Immunology

Before we touch on what kind of food is more desirable for a diabetic person, we should understand a bit of the Glycemic Index (GI).

Glycemic Index (GI) is a ranking of carbohydrate foods and is a measure of how fast a food raises your blood glucose levels. This index may help in better management of blood glucose levels. Carbohydrate foods that are rapidly broken down during digestion have the highest glycemic loads, while carbohydrate foods that are broken down slowly and release glucose gradually into the bloodstream have low glycemic loads. Glycemic Index may seem to make meal-planning easier and improve after-meal blood glucose levels but GI is dependent on the following few factors too:

(A) The GI of a food is dependent on the ripeness of the food, the time it was stored and  how the food is cooked. That means a fully ripen banana has a higher GI than a green banana.

(B) The GI of a food is expressed as a single value when eaten alone but may differ when eaten with other foods as part of a complete meal.

Now, let’s look into how we can choose the best dialy foods from the 3 different category of food: Carbohydrate, Protein and Fat.

Carbohydrates include the starch and sugar in foods. Simple carbohydrates in candies, cookies, etc are responsible, in a huge way, for any increase in blood glucose levels. Choose more complex carbohydrate sources such as oat, bran, whole-wheat products, cereals are rich in fiber and slow down the passage of absorption of carbohydrates, thus releasing glucose at a slower pace and helps control bloood glucose levels.

Protein is digested at a slower rate than carbohydrates. However, it is recommended to choose protein sources from plants instead of animals, as plant protein sources are generally cholesterol-free and low in fat. Soy protein is beneficial in keeping blood sugar levels under control. Soy also contains soluble fiber, the kind of fiber that helps t lower blood sugar levels.

Fat is a concentrated form of energy. It is digested at the slowest rate amongst the three main nutrients, so it is important to have an appropriaate combination of the three nutrients (carbohydrate, protein & fat) at every meal. Healthier fat options are best recommended. Examples include fatty fishes (salmon, tuna, etc), nuts, seeds and use of cooking oils such as olive or canola oils.

Lastly, not forgeting one very important necessity in our food, Fiber, especially of soluble fiber has been shown to help reduce blood sugar levels and facilitates blood sugar management. Some examples of foods rich in soluble fiber are chickpeas, guava, oatmeal, psyllium husk and barley.

My special recommendation ~ Ginseng Berry

The ginseng plant’s tiny red berries contain a powerful phytochemical called ginsenoside Re. Researchers have proven that ginsenoside Re is a reliable appetite suppressant that can also help to counter diabetes and obesity. This, in turn, helps us to fight other diseases like heart disease and high blood pressure. Ginseng berry also contains isoflavones, antioxidants, estriol, estrone, beta-estradiol, saponins, amide, tannins, resins, folic acid and vitamins A, B, C, E and K — making it a potent protector against high cholesterol, fatigue and other ailments.

Tags

healthy living

Posted on December 3rd, 2007 by Jacklyn
Filed under: healthy living