Low Carbohydrates Research Paper
In recent years there has been much controversy and confusion over low carb diets. This has been of particular significance to those who suffer with diabetes. So for those who are considering a low carb diabetic diet there are two main areas to look at. Firstly, what are carbohydrates and what is the function of carbohydrates in the body? And secondly, what is meant by a low carb diabetic diet?
The function of carbohydrates is to provide your body with it's main source of energy. Your body will either use that energy straight away or store it for later. Carbohydrates are recognised as one of the most important influences on blood sugar levels. Many people with diabetes have found that eating a low carb diabetic diet helps them to control …show more content…
Carbohydrates have long been split into two categories, simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates being considered the bad carbs, while complex carbohydrates being the good carbs.
This is because when digesting simple carbs such as sweet sugary foods, insulin levels rise faster and spike and the carbs are used up faster for energy. On the other hand complex carbs found in whole grain products take longer to digest. The result of this is longer lasting energy and feeling fuller for longer. More importantly there is less of an insulin reaction in the body.
However, more recent research has shown that the glycemic peak of ingested carbohydrates is reached within 30 minutes of being eaten and the only difference between different carbohydrates is the effect that it has on the blood sugar levels. This is now known as the hypoglycemic potential of a carbohydrate, a figure which is known as the glyceamic index. Foods which have low glycemic carbs are considered the better type of carb to …show more content…
A diabetic cannot produce enough insulin or use it efficiently enough to remove glucose from the blood stream. Therefore if you eat excessive amounts of quickly absorbed carbs, you upset your body's blood sugar balance and more glucose becomes available to the cells than the body needs.
For people with diabetes this can be dangerous. There are many health issues that accompany diabetes whether it be type A or type B diabetes. These include symptoms such as circulatory problems, blindness, high blood pressure and heart disease. As well as this, too much glucose if not used by the body will be stored as fat in the body, leading to unhealthy weight gain.
So what is a low carb diabetic diet and how can it help with diabetes? This type of diet is one which restricts the daily allowance of carbohydrates to ensure that the production of insulin is kept to healthy levels. This is done by eating foods low in carbs rather than high carbohydrate eating. This in turn promotes normal blood glucose and blood lipid levels. It can help in the prevention of complications associated with diabetes and reduce excess weight if
The function of carbohydrates is to provide your body with it's main source of energy. Your body will either use that energy straight away or store it for later. Carbohydrates are recognised as one of the most important influences on blood sugar levels. Many people with diabetes have found that eating a low carb diabetic diet helps them to control …show more content…
Carbohydrates have long been split into two categories, simple and complex carbohydrates. Simple carbohydrates being considered the bad carbs, while complex carbohydrates being the good carbs.
This is because when digesting simple carbs such as sweet sugary foods, insulin levels rise faster and spike and the carbs are used up faster for energy. On the other hand complex carbs found in whole grain products take longer to digest. The result of this is longer lasting energy and feeling fuller for longer. More importantly there is less of an insulin reaction in the body.
However, more recent research has shown that the glycemic peak of ingested carbohydrates is reached within 30 minutes of being eaten and the only difference between different carbohydrates is the effect that it has on the blood sugar levels. This is now known as the hypoglycemic potential of a carbohydrate, a figure which is known as the glyceamic index. Foods which have low glycemic carbs are considered the better type of carb to …show more content…
A diabetic cannot produce enough insulin or use it efficiently enough to remove glucose from the blood stream. Therefore if you eat excessive amounts of quickly absorbed carbs, you upset your body's blood sugar balance and more glucose becomes available to the cells than the body needs.
For people with diabetes this can be dangerous. There are many health issues that accompany diabetes whether it be type A or type B diabetes. These include symptoms such as circulatory problems, blindness, high blood pressure and heart disease. As well as this, too much glucose if not used by the body will be stored as fat in the body, leading to unhealthy weight gain.
So what is a low carb diabetic diet and how can it help with diabetes? This type of diet is one which restricts the daily allowance of carbohydrates to ensure that the production of insulin is kept to healthy levels. This is done by eating foods low in carbs rather than high carbohydrate eating. This in turn promotes normal blood glucose and blood lipid levels. It can help in the prevention of complications associated with diabetes and reduce excess weight if