Many people question whether or not you can eat sugar directly when you have type 2 diabetes.
The answer is basically that sugar on its own isn't the evil item many make it out to be, however like most foods, it should be consumed in moderation.
Sugar (as in cane sugar) will convert to glucose in the blood stream much like glucose will go directly into the blood stream.
It all comes down to the rate at which it enters into your blood stream, causing the relevant spike in blood sugar levels.
In the past, many people referred to diabetes as being 'sugar diabetes' and were under the false impression diabetics were 'OK' if they didnt eat sugar or sugar products.
Whilst those initial beliefs were a little off target with today's understanding and awareness, it is imperative to keep to the philosophy that (cane) sugar is not a desirable ingredient in a diabetics diet.
It must be remembered that here are many other forms of sugar that also need to be taken into account such as fructose (from fruit) lactose (from milk) to name a couple.
However, in the last decade or so, a reasonably new tool has come about which is of great assistance to diabetics, and that is the glyceminc index scale.
The glycemic index measures foods against a relative standard.
The standard used is pure glucose and this is provided with a GI rating of 100.
All other foods are measured against this relative 100 reading, and typically any foods that are around the 100 or more reading are considered poor choices for diabetics since the foods will almost certainly convert to glucose in the blood stream very quickly, resulting in the unwanted spikes in blood sugar levels.
Other foods in the 60 to 100 range are food to be eaten with caution for diabetics, as the conversion to glucosed in the body will add to the glycemic load causing unnecessary blood sugar level spikes.
The food choices appropriate for diabetics when they go shopping should be foods with a GI of 50 or less, and these should become the stable food items in a diabetic's food pantry at home.
These smart choices for food, mean that they will digest much more slowly, thereby providing a consistent amount of energy over a longer period, and also helping to keep the blood sugars within the normal range without the dangerous spikes in blood sugar levels.
Another thing you do with the glycemic index is to combine certain foods so as to average out the GI level, this means the overall glycemic load on the body by combining say 3 low GI foods with a moderate to high GI one are averaged out and dont have the same adverse impact as if you'd eaten the higher GI food on its own.
The answer is basically that sugar on its own isn't the evil item many make it out to be, however like most foods, it should be consumed in moderation.
Sugar (as in cane sugar) will convert to glucose in the blood stream much like glucose will go directly into the blood stream.
It all comes down to the rate at which it enters into your blood stream, causing the relevant spike in blood sugar levels.
In the past, many people referred to diabetes as being 'sugar diabetes' and were under the false impression diabetics were 'OK' if they didnt eat sugar or sugar products.
Whilst those initial beliefs were a little off target with today's understanding and awareness, it is imperative to keep to the philosophy that (cane) sugar is not a desirable ingredient in a diabetics diet.
It must be remembered that here are many other forms of sugar that also need to be taken into account such as fructose (from fruit) lactose (from milk) to name a couple.
However, in the last decade or so, a reasonably new tool has come about which is of great assistance to diabetics, and that is the glyceminc index scale.
The glycemic index measures foods against a relative standard.
The standard used is pure glucose and this is provided with a GI rating of 100.
All other foods are measured against this relative 100 reading, and typically any foods that are around the 100 or more reading are considered poor choices for diabetics since the foods will almost certainly convert to glucose in the blood stream very quickly, resulting in the unwanted spikes in blood sugar levels.
Other foods in the 60 to 100 range are food to be eaten with caution for diabetics, as the conversion to glucosed in the body will add to the glycemic load causing unnecessary blood sugar level spikes.
The food choices appropriate for diabetics when they go shopping should be foods with a GI of 50 or less, and these should become the stable food items in a diabetic's food pantry at home.
These smart choices for food, mean that they will digest much more slowly, thereby providing a consistent amount of energy over a longer period, and also helping to keep the blood sugars within the normal range without the dangerous spikes in blood sugar levels.
Another thing you do with the glycemic index is to combine certain foods so as to average out the GI level, this means the overall glycemic load on the body by combining say 3 low GI foods with a moderate to high GI one are averaged out and dont have the same adverse impact as if you'd eaten the higher GI food on its own.
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