【Disclaimer】The content of the article is for reference only, the storyline is purely fictional, intended to popularize health knowledge, if you feel unwell, please seek medical treatment offline.
The autumn sun shone on the golden pumpkin patch, and Aunt Wang bent down to pick plump pumpkins. She had a smile on her face, but her heart was a little tangled. As a diabetic, she loves and fears pumpkins.
Aunt Wang recalled a conversation with her neighbor, Sister Li, a few days ago. Sister Li swore that pumpkin can lower blood sugar and persuaded her to eat more. But Dr. Zhang, a community doctor who happened to pass by, shook his head and said that pumpkin is not low in sugar, and it is better for diabetics to eat less.
This made Aunt Wang confused. Does pumpkin raise or lower blood sugar? Can diabetics eat pumpkin? With this question in mind, she decided to dig deeper into the truth.
Aunt Wang first consulted the relevant medical literature. She found that pumpkins did contain a certain amount of sugar, mainly starch and fructose. According to the Institute of Nutrition and Health of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, fresh pumpkin contains about 9.5 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams. This means that after eating pumpkin, there will be a certain increase in blood sugar.
However, pumpkin does not have a high glycemic index (GI), which is around 65, which is a medium GI food. In comparison, rice can have a GI of up to 83. This means that pumpkin causes relatively small fluctuations in blood sugar and does not cause a sharp increase in blood sugar.
Aunt Wang continued to dig deeper and found that pumpkin also contains a variety of beneficial ingredients. Pumpkin is rich in dietary fiber, which can delay the absorption of sugar and help stabilize blood sugar. According to the Food Composition List of China, every 100 grams of fresh pumpkin contains about 0.7 grams of dietary fiber.
In addition, pumpkin is also rich in nutrients such as β-carotene, vitamin C, potassium, etc. These ingredients have antioxidant, immune-boosting effects, and are beneficial for the overall health of diabetics.
Aunt Wang noticed a study published in the Chinese Journal of Diabetes. The study showed that moderate consumption of pumpkin can improve insulin sensitivity and help regulate blood sugar levels. This gave her a new appreciation for the benefits of pumpkin.
With these new discoveries, Aunt Wang found a community dietitian, Ms. Liu, for consultation. Teacher Liu explained that pumpkin is a "double-edged sword" for diabetics. Eating it in moderation is indeed beneficial, but excessive consumption can still cause blood sugar to rise.
Teacher Liu suggested that diabetics can incorporate pumpkin into a balanced diet, but pay attention to controlling portion. In general, 50-100 grams of fresh pumpkin per meal is more appropriate. At the same time, it is best to choose low-oil cooking methods such as steaming and avoid frying or adding sugar.
Aunt Wang suddenly realized after hearing this. It turns out that pumpkin is neither a simple "glycemic food" nor a magical "hypoglycemic medicine". The key is to mix it properly and eat it in moderation.
In order to further verify this, Aunt Wang decided to practice it herself. She began consuming 80 grams of steamed pumpkin a day while monitoring blood sugar changes. A week later, she was pleasantly surprised to find that her blood sugar had not risen significantly, but was more stable than before.
This discovery made Aunt Wang more confident. She began experimenting with pumpkin as a substitute for some of her staple foods, with protein and vegetables to create a nutritionally balanced meal. Gradually, she found that her diet was richer and more varied, and her blood sugar control was getting better.
Aunt Wang shared her experience with her friends in the sugar friend group. Everyone said they were inspired to re-examine their eating habits. Some people shared their thoughts on pumpkin puree instead of white rice, while others recommended the low-sugar pumpkin soup method.
As the discussion deepened, the sugar friends in the group realized that a reasonable diet is not only about the "can eat" or "can't eat" of a single food, but more importantly, the overall dietary balance. Pumpkin is just one example, and many foods need to be looked at dialectically.
This exploration of pumpkin not only solved Aunt Wang's doubts, but also gave her a deeper understanding of diabetes management. She realized that a scientific attitude and a personalized plan were the keys to blood sugar control.
Now, whenever Aunt Wang sees the golden pumpkin, her heart is no longer worried, but full of gratitude. This ordinary vegetable not only enriches her table, but also enriches her life. She believes that as long as you maintain a positive and optimistic attitude and manage your diet and lifestyle reasonably, diabetes is not scary.
Aunt Wang's story tells us that in the face of diabetes, we should neither blindly believe in "miracle foods" nor talk about certain foods. A scientific and rational attitude, coupled with moderate experimentation and self-monitoring, can find the most suitable health path for yourself.
Don't forget to like and forward it to your family and friends, and if you like it, you can follow it!
Share health tips every day and be your exclusive online doctor!
(The story in the article is purely fictional, if there is any similarity is purely coincidental, if the body is not well, seek medical help in time)