HCFI Update: Eating refined sugar can cause diabetes

Eating too much refined white sugar can cause insulin resistance and future diabetes said Padma Shri and Dr B C Roy National Awardee Dr KK Aggarwal, President Heart Care Foundation of India and MTNL Perfect Health Mela.

Diabetes does not mean that one can never have desserts. While eating too many sugary foods is to be avoided, an occasional dessert can be had, especially if one exercises and otherwise eats healthy. It’s better to substitute brown sugar or Jaggery in that case. Artificial sweeteners including stevia are the other options.

Fruits are healthy for diabetics but cannot be consumed in huge amounts, as they contain carbohydrates. According to Ayurveda, diabetes is a Kapha disorder and diabetics should limit the intake of sweet, salt and sour taste in diet.

·         Any fruit or vegetable, which is bitter and dark green has anti diabetic properties.

 ·         One should combine a bitter taste with a sweet taste when choosing a vegetable of a fruit. For example  one should not combine peas with potatoes but one can combine potatoes with leafy vegetables like fenugreek (methi) or spinach (palak).

 ·         Diabetics are not more susceptible to colds and other illnesses but may have more complications of flu.

 ·         Taking insulin does not cause hardening of the arteries or high blood pressure.

 ·         Diabetes is not contagious and one cannot get diabetes from someone else.