1. Disease enters through the mouth? The mystery of diabetes being "eaten into"

This is a question that confuses many people: is diabetes really "caused by what you eat"?

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The answer is: not entirely, but diet is the key spark that lights the fuse.

The development of diabetes (especially type 2 diabetes) is like an iceberg emerging from the water:

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The submerged base: genetic susceptibility (family history), advancing age, an inherent predisposition to insulin resistance — these are the “iceberg foundation” you cannot see.

The fuse ignited above the surface: long-term unhealthy dietary and lifestyle habits are precisely the key drivers that accelerate the iceberg’s emergence and trigger the disease!

Specifically, the three most dangerous “cardinal sins” of modern diets are:

Excess calories: Chronic intake of energy exceeding the body’s expenditure leads to obesity, especially visceral fat accumulation, which is a primary cause of insulin resistance.

Refined carbohydrate bombardment: White rice, refined flour products, sugary beverages, pastries, etc., rapidly raise blood glucose, forcing the pancreas to “work overtime” and ultimately wearing it out.

Imbalanced dietary structure: Excessive fats (especially unhealthy fats) and insufficient dietary fiber and high-quality protein.

So, more accurately: diabetes develops on a background of internal factors such as heredity, but is mainly “ripened” by external factors like unhealthy diet and lack of exercise. It is not a simple “sugar-eating” disease, but a “metabolic” disease.

2. If you have diabetes, how should you eat to control blood glucose?

If diet can be the “instigator” of disease, then it can certainly be the most powerful “lever” for health! Scientific eating can not only control blood glucose, but may even create the miracle of “reversal” (as shown in the studies we introduced earlier).

Core principle: it’s not “can’t eat,” but “eat wisely”

Remember the three golden rules:

Rule 1: Control total intake, maintain a reasonable body weight ⚖️

Core: Under the guidance of a nutritionist, ensure daily caloric intake is lower than expenditure to create a mild calorie deficit (e.g., 500 kcal/day); this is the foundation for weight loss and improving insulin sensitivity.

Rule 2: Optimize composition, build a “blood glucose–controlling plate” 🍽️

Let's use a major Chinese study to guide us. Research from the First Affiliated Hospital of Nankai University in Tianjin demonstrated that an intensive protocol was remarkably effective at reversing early diabetes; the dietary component is as follows:

~25%

Ensure adequate protein: about 25% of total calories. Sufficient high-quality protein (fish, shrimp, chicken breast, soy products, eggs, dairy) increases satiety, preserves muscle mass, and stabilizes postprandial blood glucose.

The “high-protein diet” in the study was implemented accordingly and, combined with exercise, achieved a prediabetes reversal rate as high as 78.57%.

~50%

Choose carbohydrates carefully: about 50% of total calories. Be sure to select low glycemic index (low GI) complex carbohydrates: whole wheat bread, brown rice, oats, buckwheat, legumes, and most vegetables.

Choose fats wisely: about 25% of total calories. Prioritize unsaturated fats (olive oil, nuts, avocado) and strictly limit saturated and trans fats (fried foods, fatty meats, pastries).

Rule Three: Master the techniques to smooth the blood glucose curve

Order matters: try the meal sequence “vegetables → protein → staple carbohydrates”; it can significantly delay the rise in blood glucose.

Keep cooking simple: steam, boil, simmer, or serve cold dishes; avoid deep-frying, braising in heavy sauces, and using thickeners.

Snacks require wisdom: choose a small amount of nuts, sugar-free yogurt, cucumber, or tomato as snacks to avoid large blood glucose fluctuations.

3. Example of “sugar-controlled” three meals a day

早餐（7:00-8:00）

Breakfast (7:00–8:00): 1 slice whole wheat bread + 1 boiled egg + 1 cup milk/sugar-free soy milk + cucumber/tomato.

加餐（10:30）

Snack (10:30): a small handful of plain nuts (about 10 g) or one apple.

午餐（12:00-13:00）

Lunch (12:00–13:00): half bowl of brown rice (approx. 100 g) + one serving of steamed fish/chicken breast (about the size of the palm) + one large serving of blanched and dressed spinach + tofu and mushroom soup.

加餐（15:30）

Snack (15:30): 1 cup of sugar-free yogurt.

晚餐（18:00-19:00）

Dinner (18:00–19:00): one small bowl of multigrain porridge + one serving of shrimp stir-fried with broccoli + cold dressed wood ear mushrooms.

Principles: fixed times and portions, balance of meat and vegetables, combination of coarse and refined staple foods.

4. Dietary “traps” to be wary of

“No-sugar” foods are not unlimited: although no-sugar biscuits and pastries do not contain added sucrose, their main ingredients are still starch and fat, they are high in calories, and their blood-glucose–raising potential is not negligible.

"Drinking congee to nourish the stomach" raises glucose quickly: overcooked plain white congee has a very high glycemic index, like drinking sugar water. If preferred, you can drink mixed-grain and legume congee and pair it with protein foods.

Eating only vegetables and no meat: easily leads to a lack of high-quality protein and muscle loss, which is actually unfavorable for long-term blood glucose stability.

Using fruit to replace vegetables: fruit contains sugars and should be limited (about 200 g per day), and is best eaten between meals; it cannot replace vegetables.

In summary:

A diabetic diet is by no means a monk-like punishment; it is an upgrade of eating that returns to the essence of health. It means richer ingredient choices, more skillful combinations, and a more enjoyable dining experience.

As that pioneering study revealed: a scientific, structured high-protein dietary program combined with exercise can produce remarkable metabolic reversal. This fully demonstrates that your plate has the powerful ability to alter the disease course.

From the next meal onward, use your chopsticks to vote for health. Controlling your diet is controlling your blood glucose and, even more, controlling the trajectory of your life.

Remember: you are what you eat. Eat for health to live brilliantly.