Posts Tagged ‘Dietary Fiber’
Introduction and Function of Carbohydrates (Part 3)
In foods of animal origin, except milk, are relatively scarce. Foods rich in carbohydrates are basically plant a greater or lesser degree. So prevalent in cereals, bread and bakery products, pasta, fruits, dairy products, legumes and tubers.
3. Features
The main functions of carbohydrates are given below:
- Energy. They provide immediate energy, ie, 4 kcal / g. Glycogen (animals) and starch (in plants) are energy stores that move quickly to generate glucose when needed. Glucose is the only energy source used by the nervous system (normal) and blood cells, so that should eat carbohydrates every day.
- Structural. They are part of important molecules such as DNA and ATP among others (ribose and deoxyribose).
- Regulatory. Regulate bowel functions (dietary fiber). Dietary fiber plays an important role in the regulation of intestinal function with consequent health benefits because:
• Promotes bowel movement by absorbing water
• Increase the volume of stool and softens
• Decreases the absorption of certain substances (like cholesterol)
Dietary Fiber Helps Control Blood Sugar (Part 2)
In the latter case, the hyperglycemia is less severe than in the rest.
The diet can not cure diabetes but better control and therefore the dietary treatment should take place throughout life.
Should be low in saturated fat, high fiber, balanced, individualized, depending on individual characteristics, lifestyle and specific treatment (insulin or drugs).
With regard to dietary fiber has been shown that it is beneficial for the dietary management of diabetes mellitus, decreasing the rate of absorption of carbohydrates in the diet, avoiding abrupt elevations in blood glucose after eating fiber-rich foods taken together with foods containing sugars quick absorption, reduce the overall rate of absorption of sugars from food, and therefore can include more variety of foods in the diabetic diet.
For example: juice fasting rapidly increases blood sugar levels, while taken at breakfast, with yogurt and nuts, its rate of absorption is reduced considerably.
They are high-fiber foods: salads, vegetables and whole cooked vegetables, whole fruits, nuts and whole grains.
Dietary Fiber Helps Control Blood Sugar (Part 1)
Diabetes is a chronic disease which causes an alteration in the utilization of sugars due to a partial or total deficiency of the hormone insulin or does not fulfill this function.
Insulin allows sugar to enter cells to be used as an energy source, if this is weak or wrong, sugars accumulate in the blood, producing what is called hyperglycemia (levels above the normal sugar-glucose in the blood).
Spain is estimated that 3-5% of the population is diabetic, of whom the majority suffer from diabetes called Type II or adult (non-insulin dependent), and a lesser proportion (15%), diabetes type I or child (precise insulin delivery).
However, there are other types of diabetes: type mody (start in childhood but with characteristics of the adult), pregestational and gestational diabetes (incidence during pregnancy), diabetes III (starts in adults such as R and evolves as the II), diabetes secondary to organic disorders or disease of the pancreas, thyroid, adrenals, and carbohydrate intolerance.