Diabetes Myths and Facts
In short
Most Diabetes myths are about food: people with Diabetes can have some sugar and any kind of fruit, including grapes, and don’t need ‘Diabetic’ products. Type 2 Diabetes is never mild, can affect people of any weight, and can sometimes go into remission.
As many people with Diabetes (opens in a new tab) may know there are MANY Diabetes myths! Once others discover that you have Diabetes, you will receive a LOT of conflicting information. In fact, many websites may also provide you with plenty of ‘useful’ information, which is actually more harmful than beneficial.
In order to separate truth from fiction and therefore help you manage your Diabetes more effectively, I have compiled a list of some of the more common Diabetes myths and the ‘real story’ behind them.
Myth 1: Is Type 2 Diabetes a mild form of Diabetes?
No. The fact that it is Type 2, rather than Type 1 Diabetes, does not make it any more ‘mild’. All Diabetes is serious and can lead to serious complications if not well-controlled. The good news is that controlling your blood glucose levels well greatly reduces your risk of developing complications.
Myth 2: Can people with Diabetes have sugar?
Yes, in moderation. Having Diabetes does not mean you have to have a sugar-free diet. The idea is to limit any free sugars and follow a healthy balanced diet.
The NHS advises all adults to have no more than 30g of free sugars a day, roughly 7 sugar cubes (NHS (opens in a new tab)).
Myth 3: Should people with Diabetes avoid grapes?
No. This is advice from many years ago, when fruit restriction was common in Diabetes treatment. Many fruits such as grapes received bad press, but this was actually more to do with the fact that we eat certain fruits in much larger quantities, hence the total sugar intake is higher.
Diabetes myths – are grapes really bad for us?
Current advice is that all fruit is fine to consume – and the more variety, the better. Fruit is high in fibre, low in fat and full of vitamins and minerals. It helps to protect against heart disease, cancer and certain stomach problems.
However, portion size of all fruit is key to good control.
Myth 4: Do people with Diabetes need to eat ‘Diabetic’ foods?
No. There is a common perception that to replace the cakes and biscuits that we know to be full of sugar, the ‘Diabetic’ options are a healthier alternative.
However, when the sugar in these foods is replaced by sweetener, the texture changes as a result. In order to restore the creaminess of the product, more fat is often added. Those with Diabetes should also be limiting their intake of saturated fat. Therefore, this does not make it a healthier option.
It is also worth bearing in mind that even if the sugar is reduced or removed, any product that contains flour (cakes and biscuits) will still have an impact on your blood glucose levels as flour will turn to glucose during digestion.
If you feel like a ‘treat’, I would recommend a SMALL amount of the real thing!
Myth 5: Will people with Diabetes end up having a foot or leg amputated?
No, most will not. Although Diabetes can cause amputations to be necessary, the risk comes mainly from Diabetes that is poorly controlled over many years. If you keep your blood glucose levels within the advisable range, you will reduce your chances of developing Diabetes complications. Try to ensure that you control your blood pressure, glucose, and blood fat levels as well as reducing your weight, if necessary.
Myth 6: Do only overweight people get Type 2 Diabetes?
No. Weight is a big risk factor, but people of a healthy weight can get Type 2 Diabetes too, especially those of South Asian, Black African or African-Caribbean background, who tend to develop it at a lower weight. Age, family history and PMOS (PCOS) raise your risk too: see what is your risk of Diabetes?
Myth 7: Is Type 2 Diabetes for life once you have it?
Not always. Some people can put Type 2 Diabetes into remission, which means their HbA1c stays below 48 mmol/mol without Diabetes medication. It is most likely in the first few years after diagnosis, and usually comes from losing weight: in the DiRECT trial, 46% of people on a structured weight-loss programme were in remission after 1 year (The Lancet, 2017 (opens in a new tab)). Read why losing weight with Type 2 Diabetes can be harder.
If you would like more information on how to control or prevent Diabetes through your diet – get in touch!
