Diabetes patients can eat carbohydrates apart from unripe plantain, say endocrinologists

Endocrinologists have advised patients battling diabetes not to eliminate carbohydrates from their diets, particularly traditional foods like Garri, locally grown unpolished rice, and yam flour, despite the widespread belief that patients with the degenerative disease only consume unripe plantains.

On the other hand, the medical professionals advised diabetics to watch how much they eat because cutting them out of their diet might have the opposite effect.

According to the doctors, carbohydrates are a significant source of energy and also aid in blood sugar regulation.

According to the World Health Organisation, diabetes is a metabolic disease that is chronic and marked by high blood glucose (also known as blood sugar) levels. Over time, this condition can cause significant harm to the heart, blood vessels eyes, kidneys, and nerves.
The World Health Organisation estimates that 422 million people worldwide—the bulk of whom reside in low- and middle-income nations—have diabetes, and that the disease is directly responsible for 1.5 million annual deaths. The past few decades have seen a steady rise in both the prevalence and the number of cases of diabetes.

The endocrinologists emphasised that complex carbohydrates—like whole grains, legumes, and vegetables—should be the mainstay of a diabetic's diet, as opposed to simple carbohydrates like sugar and processed grains.

They clarified that the body absorbs complex carbohydrates more slowly, contributing to more stable blood sugar levels.

However, because refined carbohydrates can quickly spike blood sugar levels, the doctors advised patients with diabetes to avoid foods like white bread, pasta, and rice.
Dispelling the misconceptions that people with diabetes should consume more unripe plantains, the medical professionals said that eating carbohydrates will help improve blood sugar control, lower the risk of hypoglycemia, or low blood sugar, and improve overall nutrition.

Academic: Olufemi Fasanmade
Unripe plantains don't really offer many health benefits, according to Olufemi Fasanmade, a professor of medicine and endocrinology at the University of Lagos College of Medicine. She emphasises that eating carbohydrates is essential for a well-balanced diet.

Fasanmade bemoaned the misconception that all carbohydrates are harmful for diabetes. Fasanmade is also a Consultant Endocrinologist at the Lagos University Teaching Hospital, Idi-Araba.
He claims that it is untrue for people to believe that anything bitter can lower blood sugar and anything sweet can raise blood sugar levels.

"Those with diabetes should consume 50–60% of their daily calories from carbohydrates. They ought to consume foods like oats, Garri, beans, unpolished local rice, and yam flour, among others.

"Those who have diabetes shouldn't consume sugar. They should consume more complex carbohydrates, which are a staple of traditional African diets.

He stated, "Eating unripe plantains has very few benefits, as there are several other meals that can be taken."

According to Dr. Tajudin Adetunji, a Consultant Physician and Endocrinologist at the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospital in Ile-Ife, Osun State, consuming unripe plantains is among the food myths related to diabetes.

While noting that diabetes patients can eat unripe plantains, Adetunji stressed that it is not recommended as a treatment or one of the food choices for diabetes.
According to the doctor, people with diabetes can eat a wide variety of foods other than refined sugar or carbohydrates, such as cake and soft drinks.

"Apart from medication, food and eating habits are an important way to control diabetes," he clarified.

We advise consuming complex carbohydrates, which can be found in a variety of foods and are preferable to unripe plantains.

Actually, we now place more emphasis on the amount of food than the kind. Diabetes can be controlled with medical nutrition, or diet, but there are other options as well.

What sort of food are they able to eat? In our setting, we advise them to eat a variety of foods other than refined sugar or carbohydrates like soft drinks, cake, among others. You see that in confessionary products and also drinks should be avoided.

“Most of our food items in this part of the world are starch; they are complex sugar. And that recommendation includes, of course, eba, garri, among others.”

The endocrinologist lamented despite the inability of plantains to reverse diabetes, many patients have turned to consuming unripe plantains.
"Many patients avoid other kinds of food and eat only unripe plantain," he continued. You will still need to take medication for diabetes even if you enjoy eating all the unripe plantains in the world. Thus, it won't get better.

"Instead of unripe plantains, we advise consuming any food that contains complex sugars and carbohydrates.

Many people that we witness are relegating themselves to unripe plantains. Due to diabetes, life has become incredibly monotonous and challenging to manage.

"In Nigeria and throughout Africa, complex carbohydrates make up the majority of food items, and when consumed in moderation, they can be beneficial.

Individuals with diabetes still need to consume carbohydrates to about 55 per cent to 60 per cent. So it’s the complex sugar and complex carbohydrates that are recommended.”