Can People with Diabetes Eat Cheese?

From eatingwell.com

Find out from a nutrition expert if cheese can help you better manage your blood sugar and maintain a healthy weight 

Cheese is one of those foods many people say they can't imagine living without. But for those with special dietary needs, knowing whether or not cheese is safe to eat can be critical for their health. While some nutrition experts are split on whether cheese and dairy should be included in a diabetes diet, science shows that it is OK to eat cheese if you have diabetes—but some types are better than others. So whether it's Cheddar, mozzarella, Parmesan or vegan cheese, read on to learn which kinds of cheese can help people with diabetes better manage their condition.

How Cheese Affects Your Blood Sugar

People who are living with diabetes must pay close attention to their food's glycaemic index and carb content. GI is a numbered scale ranging from 0 to 100 that represents how quickly a particular food causes blood sugar to rise. The higher the number, the more rapidly that food increases blood sugar.

Foods with a high glycaemic index tend to be high in carbohydrates. Fortunately, most cheeses contain little to no carbohydrates and rank low on the GI scale. That's good news for people with diabetes who love cheese, since low-GI foods have been shown to help people manage their type 2 diabetes and maintain a healthy weight, a significant risk factor for diabetes, per the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.

However, GI is not the only thing that you should take into account. Kelsey Lorencz, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist and nutrition advisor for Fin vs. Fin, tells EatingWell, "Cheese is a great source of protein and fat, both of which can help slow down the digestion of carbohydrates and lead to a more steady rise and fall in blood sugar."

Benefits of Eating Cheese

Can Help Lower Your Risk of Type 2 Diabetes

According to a 2018 meta-analysis published in PLOS Medicine, several studies have shown that consuming dairy products like cheese and yogurt may help reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. However, many kinds of cheese are high in saturated fat, and high amounts may increase your risk of heart disease. That's why it's important to opt for low-saturated-fat cheeses when possible and eat the ones with high saturated fat in moderation.

"Replacing high-fat cheese with lower-fat options like Swiss, mozzarella, provolone and ricotta could help reduce diabetes risk," states Lorencz.

Can Help You Prevent Blood Sugar Spikes

Protein is involved in many critical bodily functions, such as muscle growth, immune health and tissue repair. Additionally, protein intake can also help regulate your blood sugar and prevent spikes by blunting the absorption of carbohydrates. In addition, protein is highly satiating and helps curb your appetite, so you're less likely to overeat or crave sugary and low-nutrient foods.

Like saturated fat, the protein content of cheese varies widely. For example, 1 ounce of Parmesan cheese provides 10 grams of protein and 4.2 grams of saturated fat, while 1 ounce of sharp Cheddar cheese contains 6.7 grams of protein and 5.4 grams of saturated fat.

What to Consider

Saturated Fat and Sodium

It's known that eating high amounts of saturated fats can lead to cardiovascular disease, for which people with diabetes are at higher risk. The American Diabetes Association recommends keeping your saturated fat intake to less than 10% of your daily calories for good health, which is about 20 grams daily based on a 2,000-calorie diet. While cheese may be higher in saturated fat and sodium than many other foods, the good news is that there are several kinds of cheese lower in saturated fat that are best for people with diabetes, such as cottage cheese, ricotta and low-fat Cheddar.

Another ingredient to watch out for in cheese is sodium. Sodium should be limited in a diabetes diet since it can also lead to heart disease. Like saturated fat, the sodium content of cheese varies greatly. Be a conscious consumer and read the Nutrition Facts label to ensure you're buying cheese that's low in sodium. The American Heart Association recommends keeping your sodium intake to less than 2,300 milligrams daily, and ideally less than 1,500 mg—especially if you're at higher risk of CVD.

Dairy Allergies or Intolerances

According to the National Institutes of Health, approximately 36% of U.S. adults have lactose intolerance, meaning they don't absorb lactose (a sugar found in dairy) properly. Fortunately, there are plenty of non-dairy cheese substitutes available. For example, nuts, seeds and nutritional yeast can replace cheese since they're high in protein and healthy fats and low in saturated fat and sodium. Additionally, you can find soy-based vegan cheeses at most grocery stores that are dairy-free and similar in taste and protein content.

Choosing the Best Cheese for Diabetes

When it comes down to choosing one cheese over another, it's all about heart health. People with diabetes are twice as likely to develop heart disease than people who don't have diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

"Heart health is vital for people with diabetes, as high blood sugar levels can damage blood vessels and increase the risk of heart disease," says Lorencz. "Lower-fat cheeses like Swiss, mozzarella, provolone and ricotta are better options for people with diabetes."

Tips to Include Cheese in a Healthy Diabetes Diet

If you have diabetes, an excellent way to include cheese in your diet is to combine low-fat, low-sodium cheeses with healthy foods, such as fruit and whole grains. Cheese has a minimal impact on your blood sugar, so it can be paired with higher-carb foods for a good balance. However, cheese should be consumed in moderation since it's higher in calories.

"Low-fat cheese paired with a carbohydrate like apples or crackers makes for a great balanced snack that can keep you full and regulate the digestion of carbohydrates for sustained energy and balanced blood sugar," advises Lorencz.

The Bottom Line

Cheese can be included as part of a healthy, balanced diet if you have diabetes. However, people with diabetes should opt for cheeses that are low in saturated fat and sodium while high in protein. If you have diabetes, combine higher-GI foods with cheese to help regulate blood sugar and prevent spiking. In addition, like any other food, enjoy cheese in moderation to maintain a healthy balanced diet.

https://www.eatingwell.com/article/8014237/can-people-with-diabetes-eat-cheese/

Type 2 diabetes: Consuming this drink first thing in the morning helps lower blood sugar

From express.co.uk/life-style

TYPE 2 is a life-long condition that requires careful management to ensure the risk of the disease doesn’t get worse. Certain lifestyle choices are known to raise blood sugar levels and what a person eats and drinks could either help or hinder the condition. Consuming a certain drink, especially in the morning, could help lower blood sugar levels throughout the day. What is it?

Type 2 diabetes means a person’s pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin to regulate blood sugar levels. Unchecked blood sugar levels can pose grave health risks such as heart disease and strokes. Type 2 diabetes may trigger symptoms such as frequent urination and increased thirst, but left untreated, serious complications such as heart disease, kidney disease, nerve damage and stroke may occur. So what can you do to keep blood sugar levels in check?

Milk has long been hailed as a staple for a healthy lifestyle.

Milk is packed with important nutrients like calcium, phosphorus, B vitamins, potassium and vitamin D.
Milk is also an excellent source of protein. The relationship between milk product consumption and type 2 diabetes has been examined in a number of studies including several meta-analyses.
According to numerous studies, the evidence indicates that milk products, including higher fat milk products, as well as yogurt and cheese, are associated with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

In a study with dairy nutrition, milk products and how they can lower blood sugar levels for type 2 diabetics was analysed. The study concluded that current evidence indicates that higher consumption of milk products is associated with a reduced risk of developing type 2 diabetes.

                 Type 2 diabetes: Milk is packed with important nutrients (Image: Getty Images)

According to another study published in the Journal of Dairy Science, consuming a high-protein milk-based drink at breakfast may help to lower blood sugar levels.
The study claims that drinking milk in the morning may reduce blood glucose levels throughout the day, which could benefit those with type 2 diabetes.
The study also found that consuming whey protein at breakfast significantly reduces one’s appetite which is beneficial in type 2 diabetes and weight management.
Doctor Daniela Jakubowicz, professor of medicine at Tel Aviv University said: “A whey protein drink is easily prepared and provides the advantages of a high-protein breakfast on weight loss, reduction of hunger, glucose spikes and glycated haemoglobin, high levels of which are linked to diabetes.”

Diabetes UK said on their website: “All of us, whether we have diabetes or not, need some dairy products such as milk, cheese and yogurt every day.
"These all contain proteins and vitamins and are an important source of calcium, which help to keep bones and teeth strong.
"Milk and other dairy food generally have a low GI because of the moderate GI effect of the lactose (natural sugar in milk), plus the effect of the milk protein, which slows down the rate of stomach emptying.”

https://www.express.co.uk/life-style/health/1189789/type-2-diabetes-diet-drink-milk-lower-blood-sugar