Do you know how many diabetes patients there actually are in China?

According to the latest edition (9th edition) of the Global Diabetes Atlas released by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF), approximately 463 million adults aged 20-79 worldwide had diabetes in 2019 (equating to 1 in every 11 people being diabetic). By 2030, the number of diabetes patients is projected to reach 578.4 million.

In 2019, the top 10 countries/regions with the highest number of diabetes patients ranked China, India, and the United States as the top three, with China taking the lead. The number of diabetes patients (aged 20-79) was 116.4 million, 77 million, and 31 million respectively. By 2030, the top three rankings are expected to remain unchanged.

It's no longer surprising to find someone around you with diabetes—it could be your family member, friend, or colleague. Learning more about diabetes is crucial for the sake of those around you. As the saying goes, "Food is the first necessity of the people." For those with diabetes, dietary choices require extra attention. There's a common belief that people with diabetes shouldn't eat porridge, but in reality, these three types of foods are best consumed in moderation.

3 Foods Diabetics Should Try to Eat Less

Plain rice congee

People with diabetes aren't completely prohibited from consuming congee, but it's recommended to limit intake. During prolonged cooking, the long-chain carbohydrates in congee undergo gelatinization, breaking down into short-chain dextrins and oligosaccharides. The longer the cooking time, the higher the degree of gelatinization, making the carbohydrates easier to absorb. This leads to rapid blood sugar spikes after consumption, which is detrimental to blood glucose control.

If one must consume congee, it's advised to avoid plain rice congee. Instead, add ingredients like shredded lean meat or green vegetables, and avoid overcooking the congee. It's best to consult with a doctor for personalized advice.

Certain fruits

Fruits are rich in vitamin C, dietary fiber, minerals, etc., and people with diabetes also need to consume fruits in moderation to supplement nutrients.

However, some fruits with high glycemic index should be avoided or eaten sparingly by diabetics, such as jujubes, longan, coconut, pineapple, kiwifruit, and ripe bananas. For diabetic patients, fruits like apples, oranges, and dragon fruit have a relatively low glycemic index and can be consumed in appropriate amounts.

Overly spicy foods

Diabetic patients should avoid overly spicy foods. Excessively spicy foods can stimulate the body to secrete large amounts of adrenaline and noradrenaline, causing symptoms like rapid heartbeat and excessive sweating in patients, which can somewhat affect glucose metabolism.

Additionally, overly spicy foods can strongly irritate the gastrointestinal tract and may potentially affect the absorption of oral hypoglycemic drugs in diabetic patients. It is recommended that people with diabetes limit their intake of excessively spicy foods.

Finally, it's important to remind you that diabetes treatment isn't just about taking medication—dietary management requires serious effort too. For any unclear dietary issues related to diabetes, consulting a doctor is highly recommended.