Shahd Alhamdan
Saudi Gazette
Around 3.8 million Saudis are diabetics, and according to a report from the International Diabetes Federation, the number is set to increase to around 50 percent of Saudis. In Gulf countries, around 15 to 20 percent of people suffer from diabetes.
This year in October, the contributors the International Conference on Diabetes in Riyadh stressed that the residents of Gulf countries needed to give the health issue more attention.
Some dieticians believe that there is a parallel relationship between a person’s weight and diabetes.
One dietician, Joud Bahareth, who used to work in a Saudi hospital and is currently pursuing her master’s degree in the field, said that diabetics’ who are overweight should try to lose weight, as it would help in lowering a person’s blood sugar levels.
She said that a balanced diet, low in fat, cholesterol, salt and sugar is not only recommended for people aiming for a healthy lifestyle, but also for diabetics.
Diabetics should also be careful about the type of carbohydrates they eat, as some can raise the blood sugar levels quickly, while others are slower.
"A person should choose or include complex carbohydrates instead of refined one such as, whole-grain bread, baked potato with skin, cereals, paste, and brown rice because those include fibers that slow blood sugar raise," Bahareth said.
She said that diabetics should avoid refined carbohydrates such as, white flour, processed grains, white rice, white bread, french fries, and cereals with little whole grains and lots of sugar.
Those with diabetes must control the amount of fruits they consume with a high glycemic index. Foods with a high glycemic index are broken down quickly by a person’s body, and cause a rapid increase in blood glucose levels. Bananas, mangos, dates, and fruit juice, are all high glycemic foods.
Bahareth said it was also important to avoid full fat food options, and always go for low fat milk, yoghurt, and cheese.
“Fat affects the glucose level in the blood, and it changes the timing of the rise in blood glucose after meal. In diary products the fats take a long time to move through the gastrointestinal tract. It takes 4-6 hours to be fully metabolized,” she said.
By using full fat diary products, a diabetic who is taking insulin will discover the next day that they are suffering from high blood sugar levels, which is too late.
Diabetic’s should also avoid large potions, and should eat at the same times each day.
“Avoid eating empty calories foods such as, food high in sugar and fat. The person should eat at the same time every day. This helps keeping the diabetic, insulin and sugar levels steady,” Bahareth said.
She also said diabetics should consult their doctors and nutritionists for more advice.
