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The importance of blood sugar management and oxidative stress
In the modern world, blood sugar is often perceived by many as the “enemy of health.” However, our bodies cannot sustain life if blood sugar is not maintained at the right levels.
Medical research has shown that sustained high blood sugar levels cause damage to blood vessels, which can lead to serious complications.
The oxidative stress that occurs in high blood sugar conditions damages the endothelium of blood vessels, accelerating vascular diseases such as arteriosclerosis.
Because of this, it’s important for people with diabetes to ensure adequate intake of antioxidants, such as vitamin C. Because vitamin C is effective in reducing oxidative damage, it can contribute to maintaining vascular health in people with diabetes.
Vitamin C is one of the most common antioxidants and plays an important role in neutralizing “Reactive Oxygen Species.” Reactive Oxygen Species trigger oxidative reactions that damage cells and tissues, which in the long run can have a devastating effect on the endothelium of blood vessels.
For this reason, taking vitamin C regularly can reduce oxidative stress and help maintain vascular health.
People with diabetes are especially vulnerable to oxidative stress, making it essential to get enough vitamin C.
Blood sugar spikes, glycemic index (GI), and glycemic load (GL)
People with diabetes need to be careful about the types and characteristics of the foods they eat to manage their blood sugar.
Two important concepts in diabetes management are the Glycemic Index (GI) and the Glycemic Load (GL).
GI is a measure of how quickly blood sugar rises after eating a food containing carbohydrates. For example, potatoes have a high GI of 95, while sweet potatoes have a relatively low GI of 60 or less.
This means that potatoes will raise blood sugar faster than sweet potatoes when the same amount is consumed.
But choosing foods based on GI alone is an incomplete way to look at it. That’s because you also need to consider the portion size and calories of the food.
GL is a metric that evaluates how much a carbohydrate raises blood sugar, taking into account both GI and the actual portion size of the food. Potatoes have a high GI, but relatively low calories at 60 kcal per 100 grams.
A sweet potato, on the other hand, has a low GI, but the same amount of calories may be higher at 128 kcal. Therefore, instead of making food choices based on the GI alone, it’s better to consider the GL as well.
Diabetes and fruit consumption: the difference between glucose and fructose
Many people with diabetes think of sugary fruits as foods that spike blood sugar, but in reality, different types of sugars in fruit have different effects on blood sugar.
Fruits contain primarily glucose and fructose, and these two types of sugars have different patterns of blood sugar spikes.
Fruits that are predominantly glucose tend to raise blood sugar quickly. Watermelon, for example, is high in glucose, which can cause blood sugar to rise rapidly, making it unsuitable for people with diabetes.
Fruits like grapes are predominantly fructose, which raises blood sugar slowly. Fructose has a low GI, which can reduce blood sugar spikes.
Grapes are more than 90% fructose and have a GI as low as 50, making them a relatively safe fruit for people with diabetes to consume.
Watermelon is high in glucose, which can raise blood sugar quickly, so be careful. Bananas are another example of a fruit with a low GI that is relatively safe for people with diabetes. However, it’s important to keep your fruit intake in perspective with your calorie intake.
How to take vitamin C: Diabetes and antioxidant benefits
People with diabetes should take vitamin C regularly to prevent vascular damage caused by oxidative stress.
Vitamin C plays an important role in preventing vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis by neutralizing Reactive Oxygen Species.
Vitamin C inhibits the deposition of oxidized cholesterol, which prevents damage to the lining of blood vessels.
Taking vitamin C regularly can also have a positive impact on blood sugar management and may contribute to preventing complications from diabetes.
Vitamin C is best taken as a single dose, divided into multiple doses throughout the day. Ideally, you should take six doses per day, split between meals.
However, this is often not practical, so three doses of 2 grams with each meal is also effective.
People with diabetes may also benefit from taking vitamin C with a natural energy source, such as honey. Honey is known to raise blood sugar slowly and is a natural food rich in a variety of minerals.
Improving lifestyle for people with diabete
A healthy lifestyle is essential to prevent and manage diabetes. The most important thing is regular physical activity. Exercise burns energy in the body and helps keep blood sugar stable.
In the modern world, we tend to get less natural physical activity due to convenient living environments such as elevator cars.
Therefore, it is important for people with diabetes to develop the habit of burning energy through simple exercises such as walking after meals.
Along with regular eating habits, it’s also important to choose foods that help manage blood sugar. It is necessary to reduce excess carbohydrate intake and maintain a diet rich in protein and fiber.
Food choices should be made with GI and GL in mind to reduce blood sugar spikes and promote long-term blood sugar management.
Diabetes is a condition that can be well controlled with proper management and lifestyle modifications. Taking antioxidants such as vitamin C is essential to maintain vascular health and reduce oxidative stress.
In addition to managing blood sugar, people with diabetes should also pay attention to reducing oxidative damage, which can be accomplished by exercising regularly and eating right.
Above all, diabetes is a disease that requires consistent management, so it’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle with regular checkups.
