If you are living with diabetes, which is a disease ‘that causes higher than normal blood sugar levels,’ then you know that particular foods can be problematic for your condition and are considered no-no’s. Many times, people don’t realize how serious diabetes can be and how important a strict and proper diet is for those living with this disease. The reason why certain foods cannot be eaten by diabetics is because they lack the ability to create or react properly to insulin. And when this happens, they cannot digest the food and make it into workable energy, or glucose, so it ends up raising blood sugar levels instead. People need carbohydrates, which is a macronutrient that includes sugar, starches and fiber, in order to make energy to fuel their activities. But with diabetes, when too many carbs are consumed, the body is unable to make enough insulin to breakdown these carbs enough, ending up in a rise in blood sugar levels.
According to certified diabetes educator and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Diabetes, Vendana Sheth, RD, “No food needs to be completely banned from your diet. However, some foods make it easier to manage your diabetes compared to others.” And while patients dealing with either Type 1 or Type 2 diabetes react differently to their carb intake, there are still some common types of food that all diabetics should avoid, if not completely remove from their diet, depending on how serious their case is.
Here are 18 types of food to avoid if you have diabetes.
1. Bagels, Breads and Donuts
Being a diabetic takes a lot of work, especially if you are already insulin dependent. But even if you are only required to take medication to handle it, you still need to watch what you put in your mouth. While sugar can honestly put a diabetic’s life at risk, carbohydrates can be the true culprit. According to a certified diabetes educator for the Center for Diabetes and Endocrinology at the University of Maryland, Angela Ginn-Meadow, “If you’re going out to eat, the bread basket should go right back to the kitchen.” That’s because all these processed types of bread have way more carbs than a diabetic’s body can handle, which will wreak major havoc on your blood sugar. So the next time you find yourself looking for a piece of bread, opt for keto bread if available, since they are usually low carb and contain zero amounts of refined sugar.
