There are certain foods that diabetes patients should absolutely avoid.
Recently, Dr. Shin Dong Jin, a lifestyle medicine specialist and director of Yakyeonjae Oriental Medicine Clinic, identified foods diabetes patients should avoid. He shared this information on the YouTube channel Knowledge Han Sang, emphasizing the importance of blood sugar management.
The first food Dr. Shin highlighted is tteok (Korean rice cake). He explained that tteok should be considered a meal rather than a snack due to its ability to cause a rapid increase in blood sugar. Eating tteok raises blood sugar levels as quickly as consuming a bowl of white rice. Since it is often eaten alone, it lacks essential dietary fiber, leading to a sharp rise in blood sugar. Added sugar and sweetened beans in some tteok varieties further accelerate this spike.
The second food Dr. Shin warned against is sweet potatoes. He noted that roasted and steamed sweet potatoes can cause blood sugar to rise rapidly, with roasted sweet potatoes being the most problematic. He stated that many believe that sweet potatoes contain more dietary fiber than regular potatoes, but for diabetes patients, there is little difference between the two. Sweet potatoes can sometimes be even more dangerous. Scientific studies have confirmed this, indicating that sweet potatoes can sometimes significantly impact blood sugar more than sugar itself.
The last food he cautioned against is fruit. While fruits are a well-known source of vitamin C, certain types can lead to rapid blood sugar spikes in diabetes patients. He specifically mentioned bananas, watermelon, and pineapple as fruits that require careful consumption due to their high sugar content.
Dr. Shin recommended that people with diabetes obtain vitamin C from vegetables instead, suggesting bell peppers and broccoli as better alternatives. He also provided guidelines for fruit consumption, advising that a single serving should be around 80 grams (2.8 oz), with a standard apple portion being a quarter of the fruit. He emphasized that fruit should be consumed before meals rather than after, as post-meal fruit consumption does not aid in blood sugar management.
Beyond food selection, Dr. Shin stressed the importance of eating habits for diabetes patients. He explained that eating too quickly significantly increases insulin consumption, overburdening the pancreas and reducing its ability to regulate blood sugar. He advised that meals should last between 30 to 40 minutes, with each bite chewed at least 30 times. These practices help the pancreas function more efficiently and contribute to better blood sugar control.
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