After retiring at the age of 62, Aunt Zhang, who couldn’t sit still, found a job as a park environmental worker. She is responsible for cleaning up the rubbish in the park every day and can also exercise her body along the way.
However, because she leaves home early in the morning and doesn’t have time to make breakfast at home, she always likes to buy pastries like cream cakes and donuts to eat for breakfast.
After working for a few years, she found that her eyesight had significantly worsened. She was always thirsty, sometimes waking up thirsty at night, and she had visibly lost weight.
After going to the hospital for a check-up, she was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. The doctor advised Aunt Zhang to take the antidiabetic medication on time after returning home and to pay attention to dietary control, eating less high-sugar foods, etc.
Initially, Aunt Zhang took her medication on time when she returned home and strictly controlled her diet. However, once her blood sugar levels were under control, she couldn’t help but revert to her original eating habits.
Sometimes when she didn’t feel well and thought her blood sugar was high, she would take extra antidiabetic medication on her own to lower it.
She didn’t expect that her failure to follow medical advice would eventually lead to diabetic retinopathy, neurological disorders, and various other complications, and even death from these complications.
As a common chronic disease, research has found that people who skip meals are more susceptible to diabetes!
1. Research Findings: People Who Skip Meals Are More Prone to Diabetes
Published in the journal “Diabetes & Metabolism,” a study involving over 110,000 people found that there is a relationship between diet and type 2 diabetes. The results showed that regularly consuming healthy foods can regulate blood sugar, reduce fat, lower inflammation, reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. People who frequently consume unhealthy plant-based diets are more likely to be targeted by diabetes.
Healthy plant-based diets include vegetables, fruits, legumes, whole grains, nuts, coffee, and tea;
Unhealthy plant-based diets include refined grains, sweets, desserts, fruit juices, sugary beverages, and potatoes;
Animal products include animal fats, dairy products, meat, seafood, fish, other animal-derived foods, and eggs.
In addition, a study published in “Nature Medicine” in 2023 found that inadequate whole grain consumption, excessive refined rice and flour intake, and high consumption of processed meats are the three key adverse dietary factors leading to type 2 diabetes.
The main reason for the high incidence of diabetes is improper staple food consumption (inadequate whole grain intake and excessive refined rice and flour consumption).
Why can refined staple foods like steamed buns, noodles, and congee trigger diabetes?
Because these foods belong to high glycemic index foods, which can lead to rapid blood sugar rise, increase insulin resistance, and even trigger disruption of the sugar metabolism system, thereby inducing diabetes.
2. Can You Have Congee for Breakfast? Which Breakfasts Are Not Recommended?
In recent years, the assertion that “you can’t have plain congee for breakfast” has sparked discussions online, believing that plain congee lacks nutrition, is the worst staple food, and is not recommended for breakfast.
Dr. Zeng Qingshan, in charge of the Clinical Nutrition Department at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University, said: Of course, you can have congee for breakfast, but you should pay attention to good combinations. If you only have plain congee, it lacks nutrition. It is recommended to have congee with dairy products, fruits and vegetables, animal products, and grains to ensure comprehensive and balanced nutrition.
Seafood porridge, mixed grain bean porridge, and Cantonese-style boat porridge are more nutritious than plain porridge.
Diabetics can also have some porridge, but it is recommended to have mixed grain porridge, avoid cooking it for too long, and preferably consume it with other ingredients. Also, be mindful of the amount of porridge consumed, chew slowly, and monitor blood sugar levels. If blood sugar fluctuates significantly, you should avoid having porridge.
Dr. Li Xiaolin from the Nutrition Department of the Fourth Hospital of Zhejiang University said: A qualified breakfast should include dairy products, high-quality protein, and staple foods, comprising at least three of these types of foods to ensure comprehensive and balanced nutrition, ensuring food diversity.
Li Xiaolin reminds that the following types of breakfast should be eaten in moderation!
1. Steamed buns and pickles
Many people like to have steamed buns and pickles for breakfast, but this combination is high in sugar and salt, not conducive to blood sugar and blood pressure control, and the nutrition is also not high.
2. Leftover dishes and rice
Some people tend to cook more food, and then continue eating the leftovers, especially reheating overnight leftovers may produce carcinogenic nitrites, increasing health risks.
3. Soy milk and fried dough sticks
Soy milk and fried dough sticks are a traditional breakfast combination in China. However, fried dough sticks are high in fat, while soy milk is a moderately fatty food. Eating them together can easily exceed the fat intake limit.
4. Biscuits and snacks
Snacks and biscuits are high-calorie, high-fat foods, and they often contain additives. Prolonged consumption can lead to excessive calorie intake, increase the risk of obesity.
3. In addition to diet, these three factors can also increase the risk of diabetes
Statistics show that diabetes caused by heredity is not high, while unhealthy lifestyle factors such as smoking, drinking, lack of exercise, unhealthy dietary habits, obesity, etc., account for about 80% of diabetes cases.
Dr. Wang Shidong, director of the Endocrinology Department at the Dongzhimen Hospital of the Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, warns that the following factors can increase the risk of diabetes and must be vigilant!
1. Overweight and obesity
Overweight and obesity can lead to insulin resistance, low glucose tolerance, hyperinsulinemia, metabolic disorders, and even diabetes.
2. Prolonged sitting
Prolonged sitting can slow down fat breakdown, increase insulin resistance, and make individuals more susceptible to diabetes.
3. Smoking and drinking
Tobacco can increase insulin resistance, elevate the risk of diabetes, and may lead to various complications. Alcohol consumption can affect sugar metabolism, increasing the risk of diabetes.
Diabetes is a common chronic disease in China, and many people are affected by diabetes, mainly due to unhealthy lifestyles. Of course, you can have congee for breakfast, but pay attention to comprehensive and balanced nutrition, and consume less unhealthy foods. To prevent diabetes, it is also necessary to avoid factors like overweight and obesity, prolonged sitting, smoking, and drinking.
Reference:
[1] “Reminder | Can You Have Congee for Breakfast? It’s not wrong to have plain congee, but it’s wrong to eat it this way!” Guangzhou Health Commission. April 23, 2020
[2] “Can’t Eat Porridge for Breakfast? These kinds of breakfasts are not recommended either!” Fourth Hospital of Zhejiang University. July 17, 2022
[3] “Two studies from Cambridge and Harvard: These 3 types of foods you often eat help prevent diabetes” Life Times. August 14, 2020
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