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Diabetic Diets: Is It Alright To Have Sugar?

By: Delynda Lardone Many people think that they can no longer eat foods with sugar in them when they find out they have diabetes. This is a misconception as your body still needs the sugar to provide you and your cells energy. The main difference is how your body now processes the sugar. Understanding how your body now processes the sugar you consume, will help you develop the diabetic diet that is perfect for you.

Generally, when a person eats food, the pancreas immediately starts producing enough insulin to handle the amount of sugar that is consumed. The insulin is vital and is needed because it provides an entry way for the sugar to enter the body's cells. Once the sugar is in the cells, it then produces enough energy for the body to function.

In diabetics though, the sugar or glucose does not get into the cells or muscles as it should. This is why diabetics often find themselves very tired. A diabetic person's body will handle the sugar differently depending on which type of diabetes they have, type 1 and type 2. We'll examine both types and see just how their bodies process the glucose.

Type 1 diabetics can not produce enough insulin to carry the sugar into their cells usually because their pancreas has stopped working. The sugar then runs amuck inside their body and causes great harm to the other organs. This is why they have to take insulin shots. The insulin shots perform the work that the pancreas can no longer carry out and helps the person to keep their body in good condition.

In type 2 diabetics, their pancreas produces enough insulin to process the sugar they are consuming, but the problem lies in the fact that the insulin can not open the cells so the sugar can get in to become energy. To compensate, the pancreas will keep producing more and more insulin to help get the sugar into the cells, eventually burning it out. Once this happens, the individual will become a type 1 diabetic.

All diabetics need to manage the sugar that enters their bodies. The difference comes into play in how the pancreas handles the sugar that distributed into the cells. Type 1 diabetics need an insulin shot when they eat to process the sugar because their pancreas can not work. Type 2 diabetics have a good chance at improving their pancreas function by watching their sugar intake and thus making their lives healthier.

So, it is vital that type 2 diabetics start managing their sugar intake so they can maintain a healthy body and lifestyle. One of the best ways to get your sugar intake down is to go on a diet, and this is where the term 'diabetic diet' came from. But do not let the term 'diet' scare you, you will not have to stop eating the food you love and you will not have to eat bland cardboard tasting foods. You can simply watch the amount of food you consume and try and substitute your foods with brands that have less sugar. One great example is jelly. Regular jelly has around 16 grams carbohydrates, which turns into sugar, and a reduced sugar jelly has around 6 grams carbohydrates. Just by switching to a jelly that contains less sugar, you will then be consuming less sugar and will be making your pancreas work less as well.

So yes, you still need sugar in your daily diet, even if you are a diabetic. The sugar you consume is taken into your cells where it fuels your energy and keeps your body healthy. The easiest way to start watching your sugar intake, is for you to start substituting the food your normally purchase for ones that have less sugar. This way, you can still enjoy the foods your love, with the same great taste, while consuming less sugar that your pancreas has to process.

Article Source: http://www.lifeweightloss.com

Delynda Lardone provides free information on how to live with diabetes, including tips on how to keep your blood sugar level low, detailed reviews of the diabetic diets programs, and diabetic diet recipes which serves from 1 person to 6. To learn about having high sugar levels in system, please visit: diabetic diets.

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