nutrition
plate
understanding the
diabetic
Written by Mikyah Owens, RD | Owner of Honest Nutrition
According to the CDC 2020 Prevalence Report
on Diabetes, 1 in 10 Americans have been diagnosed with diabetes. Of those 34 million Americans, an estimated 90-95% of them have Type 2 diabetes. Though there are some genetic predispositions that increase one’s risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, the disease is both preventable and treatable through proper lifestyle habits and dietary modifications. At times, these interventions may need to be paired with medication for proper management. What Causes Type 2 Diabetes? Type 2 diabetes occurs when your cells become unresponsive to a regulating hormone known as insulin. Insulin is the bridge that allows sugar to move out of the blood and into cells to be utilized as energy. In Type
30 march • april 2021
2 diabetes, this “insulin bridge” is broken and sugar is unable to efficiently enter cells, thereby getting trapped in the blood. Though the pancreas creates more insulin, blood sugar continues to rise, resulting in Type 2 Diabetes. If high blood sugar is not properly managed it can cause damage to major organs such as the eyes, heart, kidneys, and nervous system. What are the effects of food on blood sugar? There are three macronutrients found in food. They are carbohydrate, protein and fat. Carbohydrates have the greatest effect on blood sugar, raising its level as they’re broken down during digestion. Protein and fat have a minimal effect on blood sugar during the digestion process.
