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Nutrient Excesses and Deficiencies

Strangely enough, the high-sugar diet that contributes to the onset of diabetes can also lead to deficiencies of other nutrients. As Sally Fallon and Mary Enig, in their book Nourishing Traditions, remark, “In 1821, the average intake of sugar was 10 lbs/year. Today it is 170 lbs, which is one quarter of the caloric intake. Another large portion of total calories comes from white flour and refined vegetable oils. Therefore, less than half our diet must provide all nutrients to a body that is under constant stress from its intake of sugar; white flour; rancid and hydrogenated oils. This, then, can be seen as the root cause of the vast increase in degenerative diseases that plague modern America.” This is true for prediabetics and diabetics. Although the total caloric intake in the diet of many North Americans is generally well above adequate levels, the diet is deficient in many nutrients that healthy people need to prevent diabetes and that diabetics need to maintain or improve their current health.
The processed foods many people are used to eating not only have fewer nutrients, they also often require more nutrients just to help our bodies digest them. These processed foods can be a drain on our nutrient levels, acting like scavengers, damaging these nutrients or increasing their excretion from the body. Some experts consider diabetes to be a nutrient deficiency disease because many essential nutrients are deficient in diabetics, including vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin B-1, B-2, and B-6, folic acid, chromium, magnesium, calcium, zinc, manganese, and the amino acids cysteine, taurine, and arginine.
By eating the proper diet, the dietary excesses that contribute to high glucose levels and insulin resistance can be eliminated. Eating nutrient-dense foods will also help restore nutrient levels and forestall the deterioration of tissues that may continue despite normal blood sugar levels being attained through insulin injection or prescribed drugs.

Free Radicals and Antioxidants

Diabetics need to eat a nutrient-dense diet to minimize or prevent the damage from free radicals caused by their faulty metabolism. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules that create oxidative stress and damage cell membranes, thus promoting disease and accelerating the aging process. They are countered in the body by antioxidants, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, and selenium. Free radical production, which naturally occurs during the process of metabolism, is magnified for anyone dealing with diabetes. Thus, it is crucial for diabetics to receive high levels of antioxidants, both in their foods and in the form of supplements.

Key Terms
Glycemic Index (GI): A ranking of foods based on how they affect our blood glucose levels. This index measures how much your blood glucose increases in the 1 to 2 hours after eating the particular food. The higher the glycemic index numerical value, the higher the blood sugar is raised. The glycemic index can be considered as a measure of the quality of foods, especially carbohydrates, with a lower number being more desirable.

Glycemic Load (GL): Calculated by multiplying the amount of carbohydrate in a serving by that food’s glycemic index in decimal form. In other words, glycemic load takes into account not only the quality of the carbohydrate but also the quantity of carbohydrate in a particular food.

Glycemic Index of Common Foods

Foods that are high in glycemic index tend to increase blood sugar and insulin levels quickly. For a diabetic, foods over 50 on the index should be avoided at all times, except for the occasional cheating. Adding high fiber foods, supplements, or protein tends to modulate the glycemic index of foods, so this is encouraged.
Glycemic index does not necessarily correlate with the amount of carbohydrate levels. For example, orange juice has a higher glycemic index than apple juice, but apple juice has higher carbohydrate levels. Thus, a diabetic should consider glycemic index and carbohydrate levels. Foods that are high in carbohydrates, like flours, grains, tubers, and some fruits, should be limited.