PT Health Life – The order in which foods are eaten during meals can affect blood sugar levels.
According to nutrition experts, diet is an indispensable part of diabetes care . Instead of a restrictive diet, a diabetes-friendly diet is simply a healthy eating plan personalized to your requirements and lifestyle. You may just need to modify your diet to help control your blood sugar and control your weight.
“It is important to understand how different foods affect blood sugar levels. Although there is no rule There are no rules about the order in which foods should be eaten, but the following order is quite common: eat vegetables first, then protein, healthy fats, and lastly carbohydrates.
1. The relationship between blood sugar control and food sequencing
If you don’t have a blood sugar -related disease , few people care about the order of food. Only when I had to go to the doctor did I realize that the order of eating food at meals is very important.
By following the order of eating fiber, protein, fat before carbohydrates, following the recommended food sequence, you can feel more full. Specifically, eating these nutrients before carbohydrates helps promote the secretion of a hormone called glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), which may help delay gastric emptying and improve the management of glucose (blood sugar) after meals. This helps to feel full for a longer period of time, prevents overeating and helps curb cravings.
In addition to protein and healthy fats, eating fiber like vegetables before consuming carbohydrates significantly reduces post-meal hyperglycemia, a spike in blood sugar levels.
A 2022 study evaluated how eating vegetables before carbohydrates affected blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. Results showed a significant improvement in blood sugar levels in people with type 2 diabetes. participants followed eating patterns.
2. Practical tips for managing blood sugar
Whether by food placement or other methods, experts stress the importance of maintaining blood sugar levels for long-term health benefits. Controlling blood sugar levels is important to help prevent long-term complications.
Among people with diabetes, persistently high blood sugar levels and frequent rapid blood sugar fluctuations can lead to complications of diabetes such as retinopathy, kidney disease , heart disease. , neuropathy (damage to blood vessels in the eyes) and others. Keeping your blood sugar levels as constant as possible will reduce or delay your risk of developing these complications.
Therefore, experts explain that people at high risk of diabetes or those who have been diagnosed with pre-diabetes or diabetes should consider starting their meals with non-diabetic vegetables. contains starch, then moves on to protein, then finally carbohydrates “to improve blood sugar levels after meals”.
3. Some tips on blood sugar management
It is important to take a comprehensive approach that includes diet, exercise and lifestyle modifications. Eat a balanced diet: Prioritize a diet rich in fiber, lean protein, and healthy fats over simple carbohydrates and sugars. Choose whole grains, lean meats, fruits, vegetables and nuts.
Exercise regularly: Physical activity can help muscles use the sugar in the blood, effectively reducing blood sugar levels. Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate activity most days of the week.
Practice portion control: Even healthy foods can cause blood sugar spikes if eaten in large quantities. Try to maintain enough portions at each meal.
Incorporate regular monitoring: Monitor your blood sugar levels regularly to understand how different foods, activities, and stress levels affect you.
Enjoy scheduled meals: Try to eat meals and snacks at the same times each day to help keep blood sugar stable and avoid skipping meals.
It’s also important to note that eating habits other than food sequencing may also be important in maintaining healthy blood sugar levels.
Limit carbohydrate intake to avoid blood sugar spikes, combine carbs with plant-based fats, protein and fiber. And it’s also important to pay attention to the ratio of food on the plate along with the eating order to support blood sugar control. The combination of protein, fat and fiber can help “feel full, energized and stabilize blood sugar”.
