This long blog actually talks about why
diabetics are not told the truth. Our Registered Dietitians are good
at this and I am surprised that one would actually write about this
topic and is essence telling the truth.
“I’m appalled constantly at the
misinformation we nutrition experts are telling folks with diabetes.
It’s all over the place. The “everything in moderation”
mantra, and how we need to eat less meat, less fat, and more whole
grains, is a pervasive theme drilled into young dietitians, and
spread to the public through our dietary guidelines. This
information is making people sick.”
In our quest to avoid the truth and
focus on individual super foods that will save us, this post is
telling diabetics that dates are so amazing because seven of them
provide 4g of fiber. They forgot to mention that 7 dates equals 126g
of carbs with no fat, so that’s pretty much like a syringe of sugar
shot directly into your blood if eaten on an empty stomach. None of
these top 10 lists had protein, and the only fat was flax seeds (for
their omega-3’s) but what about fatty fish or fish oil, which is
much more bioavailable? Why aren’t we instead telling them to
avoid excess carbohydrates, because the last time I checked, you can
actually reduce blood sugar by… not eating sugar!
How Many Carbs Do We Really
Need? The short answer: ZERO.
“The lower limit of dietary
carbohydrate compatible with life apparently is zero,
provided that adequate amounts of protein and fat are consumed.
However, the amount of dietary carbohydrate that provides for optimal
health in humans is unknown. There are traditional populations that
ingested a high fat, high protein diet containing only a minimal
amount of carbohydrate for extended periods of time (Masai), and in
some cases for a lifetime after infancy (Alaska and Greenland
Natives, Inuits, and Pampas indigenous people) There was no apparent
effect on health or longevity. Caucasians eating an essentially
carbohydrate-free diet, resembling that of Greenland natives for a
year tolerated the diet quite well. However, a detailed modern
comparison with populations ingesting the majority of food energy as
carbohydrate has never been done.”
They base the carbohydrate requirement
of 87g-112 grams per day on the amount of glucose needed to avoid
ketosis. They arrived at the number 100g/day to be “the amount
sufficient to fuel the central nervous system without having to rely
on a partial replacement of glucose by ketoacid,” and then they
later say that “it should be recognized that the brain can still
receive enough glucose from the metabolism of the glycerol component
of fat and from the gluconeogenic amino acids in protein when a very
low carbohydrate diet is consumed.” (Meaning, ketosis is
NO BIG DEAL. In fact, it’s actually a good thing and is
not the same as diabetic ketoacidosis that type 1 diabetics and
insulin dependent type 2 diabetics can get.) The RDA of 130g/day was
computed by using a CV of 15% based on the variation in brain glucose
utilization and doubling it, therefore the RDA (recommended daily
allowance) for carbohydrate is 130% of the EAR (estimated average
requirement).
What are the Dangers of Overeating
Carbohydrates? Answer: DIABETES (but they won’t actually
say this)
So, How Many Carbs are We
Telling Diabetics to Eat? Answer: TOO MUCH
Even though we have no actual need for
carbs at all, and the RDA is 130g/day, the general guideline for
adults with diabetes is 45 to 60 grams of carbohydrate per meal, and
snacks having 15 to 30 grams of carbs. For the average adult eating
three meals and two snacks a day (recommended) this equals a daily
recommended intake of between 165g and 240g of carbs per day.
We’re Completely Failing
Diabetics.
We nutrition experts are miserably
failing at preventing and treating folks with diabetes. According to
the CDC, 12.6% of Americans have diabetes, costing us $245 billion
dollars in direct and indirect medical expenses. I’ve seen the
incredible damage diabetes can do to people and it’s pretty ugly.
It’s listed as the seventh leading cause of death, but because
people don’t really die of “diabetes” but rather die of
complications due to diabetes, like kidney failure and cardiovascular
disease, the number is likely much higher. The rate is only
increasing, especially in countries newly adopting our
“heart-healthy” standard American diet. All over the world,
people are giving up their healthy traditional diets and are drinking
soda instead of water, using canola oil instead of traditional fats,
and eating more refined junk foods – oh and it’s not only
unhealthy but more expensive to eat this way too.
Why can’t we tell folks who have
diabetes the truth: that eating an “everything in moderation,”
high carb, low fat and low protein diet will increase your chances of
a completely preventable disease (in the case of type 2) that can
lead to a very uncomfortable death?
Please read the full article, which I
have only skimmed, to learn the full truth about the lies those of us
with diabetes are told.
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