Diabetes Diary

Following a low-fat diet is an important component of health. Too much fat in one’s diet can cause weight gain and can be harmful to the heart. For people with diabetes, it is even more important to eat a low-fat diet. Fats also affect blood sugar adversely.

Not all fats are equally damaging. There are good fats and bad fats. Some good fats may even protect heart health. There are saturated and unsaturated fats, trans fats, and so on. It is best for overall health to consume fats, regardless of type, in moderation.

The effect of fat consumption on blood sugar is not immediately obvious. When you eat a high-fat food (think French fries, or a cheeseburger), and you test glucose immediately afterward, you may get a result in the normal range. Hours later, however, your blood sugar may be elevated. Fats act like protein, and slow down the digestion of carbohydrates.

Usually, when a food raises blood sugar it does so shortly after it is eaten. A delay or lag of several hours is unusual, and makes it hard to manage the sugar spike effectively.

Do what you can to choose healthier fats, such as unsaturated fats and oils. You can check on the type of fat in foods by consulting labels and food packaging. But don’t mistakenly think that you don’t need to limit intake of unsaturated fats just because they are healthier! Moderation is still important.

Don’t allow yourself to eat fats to excess. When we gain weight, we tax all of our bodily systems and damage how our bodies manufacture and use insulin. Being overweight can have a negative effect on blood sugar.

You can find healthy fats in a variety of foods: sesame seeds and oil, olives and olive oil, peanuts and peanut butter, avocados and avocado oil, salmon. Peanuts and peanut butter, and salmon, are also excellent sources of protein.

Your doctor can provide you with more detailed information, if you would like to know more about types of fats or about portion control and serving size.

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