A healthy diet is an important part of overall health and well-being. Generally, a healthy diet is also a low-fat diet. Consumption of too much fat can lead to unhealthy weight gain and to heart disease. For diabetics, the need to limit fat intake is even more pronounced, because consumption of too much fat can also have a negative effect on blood sugar.
Not all fats are equally damaging. There are good fats and bad fats. Some good fats may even protect heart health. There are saturated and unsaturated fats, trans fats, and so on. It is best for overall health to consume fats, regardless of type, in moderation.
The effect of fat consumption on blood sugar is not immediately obvious. When you eat a high-fat food (think French fries, or a cheeseburger), and you test glucose immediately afterward, you may get a result in the normal range. Hours later, however, your blood sugar may be elevated. Fats act like protein, and slow down the digestion of carbohydrates.
Usually, when a food raises blood sugar it does so shortly after it is eaten. A delay or lag of several hours is unusual, and makes it hard to manage the sugar spike effectively.
Do what you can to choose healthier fats, such as unsaturated fats and oils. You can check on the type of fat in foods by consulting labels and food packaging. But don’t mistakenly think that you don’t need to limit intake of unsaturated fats just because they are healthier! Moderation is still important.
Regardless of whether you are consuming healthy or unhealthy fats, too much fat intake will lead to increase in body mass. When we are overweight, we stress our bodies and negatively affect how our bodies use insulin, which in turn negatively affects our blood glucose regulation.
There are many different foods that provide healthy fats, including avocado (oil or fruit), olives (black or green), peanuts and peanut butter, olive or canola oils, and sesame seeds or oil. As an added benefit, peanuts and peanut butter are also rich in protein.
For more detailed information on types of fats and correct portion size, consult your family physician.
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