Can Diabetes Be Prevented If You Refrain From Sweets?

It is important that you educate yourself, especially when you are suffering from diabetes, as it can help you in managing the disease. So, can you prevent diabetes if you refrain from sweets?

There is a popular misconception about diabetes that it can be prevented if you refrain from sweet treats.

Also Read: 8 Vegetables That Diabetics Can Eat

Diabetes isn’t a chronic disease, but you'll need to arm yourself with the right kind of information than assuming that sugar is the main cause for developing diabetes.

Sweets can have an effect on your blood sugar level, but they do not cause you to develop diabetes. However, if you have the disease, you need to carefully monitor your carbohydrate intake, which includes the sugars found in desserts.

So, can you prevent diabetes if you refrain from sweet treats?

Well the truth is –––whether you are trying to control or manage diabetes, the good news is that you can make a difference by opting for healthy lifestyle changes.

Also Read: Gross Myths About Diabetes Busted

Controlling sugar alone can never prevent diabetes, but maintaining a healthy weight is an important aspect to treat this disease.

So, let’s find out whether you can prevent diabetes if you refrain from sweet treats or not.

Small Serving

People with diabetes can eat a certain amount of sugary food, but they need to control the amount of carbohydrates that they consume. Sugary foods can cause the blood sugar levels to increase. Henceforth, people with diabetes should avoid sugary foods to prevent high blood sugar (hyperglycaemia), so as to keep their disease under control. In case you need something to satisfy your craving for sugary foods, try to eat a piece of fresh fruit or a salad.

Lifestyle Changes

Diabetes cannot be kept at bay only by refraining from sweet treats. It can be achieved only with lifestyle changes. Lifestyle changes are nothing but following and eating a healthy diet and getting a regular physical activity.

Meal Plan

Diabetes cannot be prevented even if you refrain from sweet treats, instead there is a possibility to accomplish better control over the blood sugar by eliminating certain kinds of foods that cause it to spike. It means you need to rein in carbohydrates and consume more of lean protein, fruits and vegetables. Also, remember to avoid gratuitous consumption of foods that have a less nutritional value. It is important to crowd out healthier foods in your meal plan to control the disease.

High Glucose Levels

Research has proved that some starchy foods like potatoes and white bread can influence the blood glucose levels more like table sugar. More importantly, they would cause dangerous spikes in your blood sugar level. The total amount of carbohydrate you eat can affect blood glucose levels. So, counting carbs and choosing the healthiest of them is imperative for your health than completely eliminating sugar altogether. Replacing small amounts of sugar with other carbohydrate-containing food can keep your blood glucose levels in check. It can even significantly slash the risk.

Genetics

There is a myth that eating too many sweets can cause diabetes, and it is being widely accepted by most people. It doesn't mean that eating sugar is the root cause of developing type 1 diabetes, but it can be caused by genetics or some other unknown factor, which galvanizes the disease.

Weight Gain

One of the biggest risk factors of having type 2 diabetes is being overweight. Moreover, consumption of food with high calories can contribute to weight gain, so maintaining a healthy weight is an important aspect for treating diabetes (both type 1 and type 2). Research has proved that intake of sugary drinks can be linked to type 2 diabetes and tracking carbohydrates is essential. However, it doesn't mean that you can prevent diabetes even if you refrain from sweet treats, yet there is a possibility to keep the disease under control.