Nutrition
Diabetes
Cause of Diabetes
Insulin is a hormone secreted by pancreas. It promotes blood glucose entering the human cell to convert it into our daily energy. It also helps converting sugar into fat, glycogen or protein. If insulin secretion is not sufficient or it cannot function properly, glucose will accumulate in the blood, causing high blood glucose level. The excess glucose will be excreted into urine.
Overall speaking, diabetes is caused by genetic factor and environment factor. Hence, for patients with family medical history of diabetes, they should pay attention to the following factors:
- Obesity (with belly tummy)
- Elderly
- High blood lipid or high blood pressure
- History of gestational diabetes)
- Lack of exercise for a long time
- Smoking, alcoholic
- Mental pressure
Nutritional recommendation for diabetes patients
For diabetes patients, Mediterranean Sea diet is recommended because the diet is healthier and suitable to diabetes patients.
Detailed nutritional recommendation is shown in the below table:
| Nutritional recommendation | Nutrients |
|---|---|
| More vegetarian oil, esp olive oil | Increase mon-unsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) |
| Less animal oil | Reduce saturated fatty acid (SFA) |
| More full grain food | Slow the release of glucose Increase diet fibre |
| More vegetable | Increase vitamin |
SFA = Saturated Fatty Acids
