CAN CARBS CAUSE DIABETES?

Can Carbs Cause Diabetes? Can Sugar Cause Diabetes

Carbohydrates (Sugar/Sweets) are usually blamed for causing diabetes, but is it really true? Most people think that consuming carbs results in type 2 diabetes. The reality is different. Let's discuss it step by step in order to understand the connection between carbs and diabetes.

What Are Carbs?

Carbohydrates (or carbs) are one of the body's primary food nutrients. You can say, sugar is the main fuel of body. They give the body energy when converted into glucose (blood sugar) in the body. Foods that are rich in carbs include:

• Bread, rice, and pasta
• Potatoes and starchy vegetables
• Fruits and fruit juices
• Dairy products
• Sweets and sweetened beverages

All foods contain carbs, but in different forms and in different amounts. Moreover, not all carbs are created equal. Some are healthy and contain fiber and nutrients, whereas others are processed and rapidly raise blood sugar.

Do Carbs Cause Diabetes?

Consume carbs by themselves, and they don't cause diabetes. But the quality and amount of carbs you eat may influence your risk for type 2 diabetes.

• Refined carbohydrates and sugar: Foods that are processed in food industries and in home e.g., white bread, cakes, biscuits, pastries, and sweetened beverages, for example, spike (raise) blood sugar quickly. Repeated spikes over time can make it hard for your body to use insulin, a main contributor to type 2 diabetes.
• Whole carbs: Fibre-containing whole grains, legumes, vegetables and fruits delay the absorption of glucose and keep your blood sugar levels stable.

In short, refined carbs in excess are indeed bad news for your chances of getting diabetes, but good carbs do not harm you.

Carbs and Insulin Resistance:

Insulin is a hormone produced by pancreas. 

When food reaches to stomach, pancreas immediately releases insulin. This insulin (hormone) makes glucose (in food) to be absorbed by blood. Now, this glucose in blood works as a fuel for body. 

When you eat too many refined carbs, you put stress on your pancreas to release insulin again and again. 

Eventually, pancreas is over-pressurized and stop responding, thus you develop insulin resistance. This is a leading cause of type 2 diabetes.

How to Enjoy Carbs Without Raising Diabetes Risk?

You don't have to eliminate carbs entirely from your diet. Instead, prioritize quality and balance:

• Search for whole grains such as oats, brown rice, and quinoa.
• Consume high-fiber foods (veggies, beans, lentils).
• Stay away from processed and sweet drinks.
• Pair carbohydrates with protein and fats to retard digestion.
• Regulate portion sizes.

Conclusion:

Carbs themselves don't cause diabetes. What you consume and your lifestyle are what really count. A diet full of processed carbs and added sugars can increase your risk, while whole carbs can help preventing the risk for diabetes. 

Facts:

• Include exercise in your lifestyle. 
• Carbs increase glucose level in blood, only of diabetics.

"So, start eating whole food from today with your next bite."