Does protein control blood sugar levels?
Fish has protein and I was wondering if it lowers blood sugar if I take more protein foods with my normal meals
Ok, here is the jaz on nutrition and how it affects your daily bg levels.
1. Simple carbohydrates = Sugars and anything else that is easily broken down and absorbed. chocolate, powdered sugar, all candies, cokes, and juices. These contain a sugar called dextrose or some other type of fast absorbing sugar. They can cause a quick spike in your blood sugar and cause problems.
2. Complex Carbohydrates/Proteins = Breads, Pastas, starches in potatoes, steaks are a great source of protein and so is beef jerky. These are absorbed slowly into your blood stream causing a slower and longer rise in blood sugar over time.
Here is what can happen.
It is what i like to call Primary Spike / Secondary Spike.
Your simple carbs are absorbed first and boom there is your first fast hard hitting spike that will affect you adversely, you will more than likely feel that one in like fifteen to thirty minutes depending on the intensity of the spike. Then when that spike has concluded, enough time has elapsed for your slow steady spike to begin…BOOM SECONDARY SPIKE! You see? Protein doesn’t control your bg levels nor do high glycemic index foods. They just delay the inevitable. You will spike regardless.
Granted there are foods that you do eat that will spike your bg less. Wheat, whole grains, fish…etc. You can control your bg better by ingesting healthier foods. I have always suggested that any diabetic become a semi vegetarian in the manner that you should eat 75% more vegetables relative to a normal human being and then eat 25% of what you normally ingested before you were diagnosed as a diabetic. In this way you will have more of what won’t hurt you and less of what will. A good way to do this is to cover 75% of your plate with vegetables then take the other 25% and put whatever you want on it.
Remember though, no food is 100% safe when you are diabetic. All foods technically become your worst enemy so watch what you eat and monitor your bg levels to see what spikes are the worst and at what times its at its worst.
Primary w/ Secondary spikes are killer on the system.
But there is something else you should know. Just because you are diabetic doesn’t mean that you can’t just splurge every now and again. Don’t allow anyone to tell you otherwise. Yes it’s dangerous, yes it may agitate your condition. But who cares for one day out of the month? Select a day out of the month and eat whatever you want that day only and it will help you take the edge off the arduous task of controlling your diabetes and help you keep your sanity.
October 08 2009 03:34 pm | blood sugar control
October 8th, 2009 at 8:52 pm
i don’t think protein has a really direct way of lowering you blood sugar. It may also depend on how you cook the fish or any meat (ex. adding sweetening ingredients). sugar levels may be controlled if you eat vegetables and fiber-rich foods.
References :
October 8th, 2009 at 9:01 pm
dont directly, but their intake is normally increased to substitute for the high carb diet, especially eating fish or other sea-food is essentially good as they provide good fats which help reduce the bad ones and to maintain the cholestrol level in blood which is much needed when you are a diabetic, as diabetes has the potential to trigger many diseases of arteries which when combines with high blood cholestrol can cause many cardiovascular diseases and stroke. so incresing the proteins intake is recommended but the red meat, eggs should be avoided .
References :
October 8th, 2009 at 9:16 pm
Protein and fat can both have stabilizing effects on glucose levels. This is because they take longer to be absorbed, so if you eat something with a high glycemic index (say, potatoes) along with something with protein or fat, the starch will be absorbed more slowly, and glucose levels will rise more slowly. They will ultimately rise the same amount, but over a longer period of time.
References :
October 8th, 2009 at 9:37 pm
Ok, here is the jaz on nutrition and how it affects your daily bg levels.
1. Simple carbohydrates = Sugars and anything else that is easily broken down and absorbed. chocolate, powdered sugar, all candies, cokes, and juices. These contain a sugar called dextrose or some other type of fast absorbing sugar. They can cause a quick spike in your blood sugar and cause problems.
2. Complex Carbohydrates/Proteins = Breads, Pastas, starches in potatoes, steaks are a great source of protein and so is beef jerky. These are absorbed slowly into your blood stream causing a slower and longer rise in blood sugar over time.
Here is what can happen.
It is what i like to call Primary Spike / Secondary Spike.
Your simple carbs are absorbed first and boom there is your first fast hard hitting spike that will affect you adversely, you will more than likely feel that one in like fifteen to thirty minutes depending on the intensity of the spike. Then when that spike has concluded, enough time has elapsed for your slow steady spike to begin…BOOM SECONDARY SPIKE! You see? Protein doesn’t control your bg levels nor do high glycemic index foods. They just delay the inevitable. You will spike regardless.
Granted there are foods that you do eat that will spike your bg less. Wheat, whole grains, fish…etc. You can control your bg better by ingesting healthier foods. I have always suggested that any diabetic become a semi vegetarian in the manner that you should eat 75% more vegetables relative to a normal human being and then eat 25% of what you normally ingested before you were diagnosed as a diabetic. In this way you will have more of what won’t hurt you and less of what will. A good way to do this is to cover 75% of your plate with vegetables then take the other 25% and put whatever you want on it.
Remember though, no food is 100% safe when you are diabetic. All foods technically become your worst enemy so watch what you eat and monitor your bg levels to see what spikes are the worst and at what times its at its worst.
Primary w/ Secondary spikes are killer on the system.
But there is something else you should know. Just because you are diabetic doesn’t mean that you can’t just splurge every now and again. Don’t allow anyone to tell you otherwise. Yes it’s dangerous, yes it may agitate your condition. But who cares for one day out of the month? Select a day out of the month and eat whatever you want that day only and it will help you take the edge off the arduous task of controlling your diabetes and help you keep your sanity.
References :
Diabetic Type II for 4 years.