Three dietary taboos for people with high blood sugar: smoking, caffeine, and protein.

Dietary Recommendations for People with High Blood Sugar

Avoid Heavy Smoking: Smoking increases the risk of diabetes. Experts point out that smoking raises blood sugar levels and reduces insulin sensitivity.

A prospective study of the relationship between smoking and type 2 diabetes was conducted on over 20,000 American male physicians aged 40-84. Among 770 patients with type 2 diabetes, it was found that those who smoked 20 or more cigarettes a day had twice the risk of developing diabetes compared to non-smokers. Therefore, smoking can independently cause type 2 diabetes, but this factor is completely correctable. Thus, high-risk individuals for type 2 diabetes should be advised to quit smoking.

Avoid Caffeine Intake: Medical research indicates that caffeine interferes with the body's ability to control blood sugar, thereby worsening diabetes.

Medical experiments have found a close relationship between increased glucose and insulin levels in diabetic patients and caffeine intake during meals. Doctors therefore have sufficient reason to persuade diabetic patients to reduce or eliminate caffeine from their diets.

In this experiment, renowned psychiatry professor James Lane and his assistants investigated 14 diabetic patients with a habit of drinking coffee, carefully studying their condition by controlling their diet. After initial medication and blood tests, they were given caffeine capsules, followed by more frequent blood tests. Finally, each person was provided with some liquid food as a supplement.

The results showed that before the volunteers ate, caffeine had negligible effects on glucose and insulin; however, after the volunteers consumed liquid food, caffeine intake increased glucose levels by 21% and insulin levels by 48% in these diabetic patients.

Clinical treatment for diabetes aims to maintain low blood glucose levels. Caffeine weakens the body's metabolic function. Therefore, it is a food that diabetic patients should resolutely avoid.

In fact, avoiding caffeine is very beneficial to health for both healthy individuals and diabetic patients.

Don't ignore the "quality" of protein: When considering protein intake, diabetic patients should not overlook the quality of the protein. In addition to grains, which contain 6%–10% protein, attention should also be paid to animal and legume proteins in the protein intake. In daily diets, mixing a variety of food proteins in different proportions can improve their nutritional value. Examples include grains and legumes, meat and vegetables, grains and vegetables, and a mix of refined and whole grains. Generally speaking, animal protein is rich in essential amino acids and has high physiological value, often referred to as high-quality protein. Furthermore, because plant proteins have an unbalanced amino acid composition and poor bioavailability, they should not be consumed in excess.