[Lifestyle] Is increased fat consumption linked to controlled blood sugar level in diabetics?

[Amaterasu イタチ]

 

Fats may have a bad reputation when it comes to health but their indispensable contribution to making a diet ‘balanced‘ cannot be ignored. Experts note that fat is a major fuel source for our body and is required for it to work at an optimum level. However, is it safe for diabetics?

According to Dr Priyanka Rohatgi, Chief Clinical Dietician, Apollo Hospitals, Bangalore, fats have a significant role in modifying insulin sensitivity. “Mono-unsaturated and poly-unsaturated acids improve metabolic mediators and plateau the spikes of blood sugars,” she said.

Agreeing, Dr Ritesh Gupta, Director – Diabetes and Endocrinology, Fortis C-Doc Hospital, New Delhi, said that “fats are one of the major macronutrients in diet and are an essential component of a balanced diet in people with diabetes”. However, one shouldn’t assume that increased fat consumption is linked to controlled blood sugar levels, he warned. “Total quantity of fats should be such that the total calories during the day do not exceed the prescribed limit,” he added.According to experts, overconsumption of fats may cause you to consume more calories than your body requires, resulting in weight gain, poor diabetes management, and overall damage to health.

“The type of fat is also crucial. Too much saturated fat in your diet can result in high levels of ‘bad cholesterol’ (low-density lipoprotein or LDL), which raises your risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). People with diabetes are at a higher risk of CVD, making healthier food choices even more essential,” Dr KS Brar, Senior Consultant – Endocrinology and Diabetology, Dharamshila Narayana Superspeciality Hospital, Delhi said.

But, if we calorie-quantify healthy fats and replace some carbs, we can get good results in the case of diabetes, Dr Rohatgi pointed out.
How much is safe?

The total amount of fat in the diet should not exceed 30 per cent of the total calories, according to experts. Explaining, Dr Gupta said: “If a person is taking 1600 calories daily, about 500 calories should come from fats. Since 9 calories are obtained from 1 gram of fat, not more than 50-60 grams of fats should be taken in a day.”

According to Dr Brar, however, no set number of daily grams of fat is recommended with varied calorie restrictions. “The current recommendation for adults is to limit total daily fat consumption to 20 per cent to 35 per cent of trusted sources of total daily calories and saturated fat intake to less than 10 per cent of trusted sources of total daily calories,” he said.

 

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