[This content is a story-based medical science article, please read it rationally, and do not sit down]
"Doctor, what's wrong with me? How did I suddenly get diabetes? I don't usually have much of a sweet tooth! "
Aunt Li looked at me with a confused expression, her eyes full of confusion and anxiety. As a senior endocrinologist, I'm used to facing such problems. But every time I see the expression on a patient's face, I can't help but want to say more.
"Aunt Li, don't worry, the occurrence of diabetes is not just a matter of eating sweets." I whispered comfortingly, "What's your favorite staple food?" "
"Staple food? It's just rice, and occasionally eat noodles and steamed buns. Aunt Li replied without thinking.
"Well, that's right." I nodded, "You may not know that some of the staple foods we eat every day are the real 'blood sugar kings'." "
Aunt Li's eyes widened with a look of disbelief. "Staple foods also raise blood sugar? Am I going hungry? "
I smiled, "Don't worry, let's talk slowly." "
Aunt Li is 55 years old and a retired teacher. She usually eats a fairly regular diet and doesn't like sweets very much. But in the past six months, she has always felt very thirsty, and the number of times she goes to the toilet has increased significantly. At first, she thought it was because of the dry weather, but she didn't pay much attention to it. It wasn't until a few days ago that she found that her fasting blood sugar was as high as 9.2mmol/L, which frightened her.
"Aunt Li, do you know? The staple foods we usually eat are actually composed of complex carbohydrates. These carbohydrates are broken down into glucose in the body, which raises blood sugar. I patiently explained.
"Isn't it true that all staple foods are inedible?" Aunt Li was so anxious that she rubbed her hands.
"That's not what I said." I smiled and shook my head, "The key is to choose the right staple food and control the amount of food." Today I will introduce you to five staple foods known as the 'king of blood sugar', which you should keep in mind. "
"The first 'king of blood sugar' is refined white rice." I held out a finger and said, "Your favorite rice is one of the staple foods that rises the fastest in sugar." White rice is finely processed, and almost all of the dietary fiber is removed, leaving only pure starch. These starches are quickly broken down in the digestive tract, causing a rapid rise in blood sugar. "
Aunt Li was dumbfounded when she heard this, "Then if I eat rice every day, isn't it equivalent to 'feeding sugar' every day?" "
"That's right, so diabetics should pay special attention to controlling their rice intake." I continued, "But you don't have to worry too much. Try switching to whole grains such as brown rice and oats, which are rich in dietary fiber and have a low glycemic index. "
"The second 'king of blood sugar' is steamed buns." I continued, "Although the steamed bun looks unpretentious, it is not slow to raise sugar at all. Steamed bread is mainly made from refined white flour, which also lacks dietary fiber, and is bulky, so it is easy to eat too much without realizing it. "
Aunt Li nodded thoughtfully, "No wonder I feel so full every time I finish eating steamed buns." "
"yes, so we have to learn to 'eat less, eat more.'" I smiled and said, "If you really want to eat steamed bread, you can choose whole wheat steamed bread, or eat it with some vegetables, which can reduce the overall blood sugar rate." "
"The third 'king of glycemics' is potatoes." I continued, "Many people may wonder if potatoes are not vegetables. In fact, although potatoes are classified as vegetables, they contain a lot of starch and belong to high glycemic index foods. In particular, processed potato products such as mashed potatoes and french fries have a faster rate of sugar rise. "
Aunt Li nodded again and again, "I really didn't know that potatoes were so 'powerful'." So what should you do if you usually eat potatoes? "
"You can choose to cook it and refrigerate it before eating." I explained, "This increases the amount of resistant starch and reduces the rate of glycemic rise." In addition, eating it with some protein foods can also play a role in delaying blood sugar rise. "
"The fourth 'king of blood sugar' is corn." I continued, "Although corn is highly nutritious, it is not low in glycemic index either. Sweet corn, in particular, has a higher sugar content. However, the dietary fiber content in corn is still relatively high, so it is still okay to eat it in moderation. "
Aunt Li listened carefully and nodded from time to time.
"The last 'king of blood sugar' is pumpkin." When I said this, Aunt Li opened her mouth wide in surprise.
"Is pumpkin a staple food?" She asked, confused.
"In many places, pumpkin is indeed eaten as a staple food." I explained, "Although pumpkin is rich in vitamins and minerals, it is also not low in starch and rises blood sugar quickly. Especially processed foods such as pumpkin pie and pumpkin porridge, you should eat less. "
After listening to this, Aunt Li sighed, "In this way, these foods that I usually like to eat the most have become the 'king of blood sugar'." So how should I eat it in the future? "
I smiled and comforted her, "Aunt Li, don't worry too much. Controlling blood sugar doesn't mean quitting these foods completely, the key is to mix them properly and control the amount of food you eat. "
For example, you can try swapping white rice for brown rice, or mixing rice with millet, oats, and other grains. When eating staple foods, you can start with vegetables or protein foods, which can slow down the absorption of carbohydrates. "
"In addition, you can also eat more staple foods with a low glycemic index, such as oats, whole wheat bread, barley, etc. These foods not only raise blood sugar slowly, but also provide rich dietary fiber, which is very helpful for blood sugar control. "
Aunt Li listened, and the worry on her face gradually dissipated. "There are so many ways, I am finally relieved."
"Yes, diabetes is not terrible, what is terrible is not understanding and not paying attention." "As long as we get the right diet, the quality of life doesn't affect much." "
"Thank you, doctor." Aunt Li said gratefully, "I really learned a lot today. In the future, I will definitely keep my mouth shut and control my blood sugar. "
Looking at Aunt Li's brisk footsteps as she left the consultation room, a warm current surged in my heart. As a doctor, I feel the greatest sense of accomplishment in being able to help patients understand their diseases and learn to manage themselves.
In fact, not only diabetic patients, but also healthy people should pay attention to controlling the intake of these "glycemic king" staple foods. After all, prevention is better than cure, and I hope everyone can pay attention to their eating habits and protect their health.
Remember to keep your mouth shut, keep your legs open, and a healthy lifestyle is the key to preventing and controlling diabetes. Let's cheer for a healthy life together!