She warns that carbohydrate-rich foods increase the level of blood sugar significantly.
“People need to look at the nutritional information on the back of the bread plastic. The fibre needs to be minimum 6 gram or more per 100 gram of a loaf of bread. This is how you know it is a good bread. Be careful of false advertising. Bakers falsely use the words “low GI or wholewheat” on the bread package to make it seem healthy.
“You don’t know what the fibre is. The white flour that is used to make bread or schwama has zero fibre. It pushes the sugar through the roofs. So literally white bread as a staple food is not good to be consumed or eaten. We urge people living with diabetes to avoid it”, said Catsicas.
Healthy eating tips for diabetics from ADSA
1. Combine your meals with healthy protein (beans, lentil, nuts, seeds, dairy, eggs and meat) and fat from nut, seeds, dairy, eggs and meat.
2. It is also important to add colourful high fibre vegetables such as tomato, onion, cucumber, morogo/ imfino, spinach, beetroot leaves, lettuce, cabbage, brinjal, broccoli, cauliflower and green beans to your meals. Fibre slows the digestion of meals and release of carbohydrates. These should be at least half your plate.
3. Eat a variety of whole foods. They are high in fibre, nutrients and phytonutrients for blood sugar control and overall health. Add spices and herbs to your meals. .
4. Fruits are healthy, but do impact your blood sugar levels because they are sweet (they contain carbohydrates). Eat whole fruits, instead of juice.
Molemane is also a senior journalist at KayaFM
White bread and white rice a no-go for person with diabetes
Dietitians warn against the consumption of foods high in carbs for diabetic patients
White rice and white bread are food staples that are not good for people living with diabetes.
These food items are high in carbohydrates with very little protein and insignificant amounts of fat. Sadly many people consume them more often in every meal on daily basis unaware that they spike the levels of sugar in the blood.
After white rice is consumed, it is broken down into simple molecules. During the digestion process carbohydrates are broken down into sugar. The sugar then enters the blood stream thereby increasing the level of sugar in the blood.
The Association for Dietetics in S A (ADSA) says rice can be part of a diabetic diet, but it requires careful consideration due to its high carbohydrate content that impacts the blood sugar levels.
With different types of rice such as brown rice, basmati, wild rice and processed white rice, the impact of sugar depends on the type, portion and what else is in the meal.
“Brown, basmati and wild rice are digested slower [have lower glycemic index] because the fibre that is not removed helps to slow down release of sugar into the blood sugar. Processed white rice is digested very quickly because the fibre is removed, therefore it increases the blood sugar levels very quickly, which is not ideal for a person living with diabetes”, said registered dietitian and spokesperson of ADSA Mpho Tshukudu.
But when white rice is cooked, then cooled its starch molecule changes and becomes a little difficult to digest, therefore it will give a slower release of sugars than when it is freshly cooked and hot.
Tshukudu is advising people living with diabetes to add protein like beans and lentils to white rice to lower the rate at which the sugars are released. She stressed that portion sizes are important and that white rice should be eaten in smaller portions once in a while.
Dietitian Ria Catsicas is also concerned about white bread as it increases the level of blood sugar.
According to Catsicas white bread is not suitable for people living with diabetes because it has a high GI. Catsicas pointed that this type of bread is quickly digested and absorbed, leading to larger spikes in blood sugar.
She warns that carbohydrate-rich foods increase the level of blood sugar significantly.
“People need to look at the nutritional information on the back of the bread plastic. The fibre needs to be minimum 6 gram or more per 100 gram of a loaf of bread. This is how you know it is a good bread. Be careful of false advertising. Bakers falsely use the words “low GI or wholewheat” on the bread package to make it seem healthy.
“You don’t know what the fibre is. The white flour that is used to make bread or schwama has zero fibre. It pushes the sugar through the roofs. So literally white bread as a staple food is not good to be consumed or eaten. We urge people living with diabetes to avoid it”, said Catsicas.
Healthy eating tips for diabetics from ADSA
1. Combine your meals with healthy protein (beans, lentil, nuts, seeds, dairy, eggs and meat) and fat from nut, seeds, dairy, eggs and meat.
2. It is also important to add colourful high fibre vegetables such as tomato, onion, cucumber, morogo/ imfino, spinach, beetroot leaves, lettuce, cabbage, brinjal, broccoli, cauliflower and green beans to your meals. Fibre slows the digestion of meals and release of carbohydrates. These should be at least half your plate.
3. Eat a variety of whole foods. They are high in fibre, nutrients and phytonutrients for blood sugar control and overall health. Add spices and herbs to your meals. .
4. Fruits are healthy, but do impact your blood sugar levels because they are sweet (they contain carbohydrates). Eat whole fruits, instead of juice.
Molemane is also a senior journalist at KayaFM