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Food sellers can play a part in fight against diabetes with better choices for consumers

It has been reported that Singapore is projected to have one million diabetics by the year 2050.

Food sellers can play a part in fight against diabetes with better choices for consumers
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It has been reported that Singapore is projected to have one million diabetics by the year 2050.

In the fight against Type 2 diabetes, the focus cannot be just on sugar but also how much carbohydrates (carbs), fats and deep-fried food are consumed, as well as the amount of physical activity people are doing.

There is much to digest when it comes to how carbs, for instance, affect a diabetic’s diet.

The carbs we eat and drink are broken down into glucose, but the type and amount of carbs consumed differs depending on your body’s needs and especially if you have Type 2 diabetes.

However, few or none of the people I know understand the link between carbohydrates and diabetes. Most also cannot identify which food sources are carbohydrates.

You have to see a nutritionist to know the exact quantity to consume, and some patients may not even have this support. Even if you are told, specifying the amount in grams is not a helpful way to keep score when making day-to-day choices for meals.

Having a diet rich in carbs such as noodles, rice or grain products has been a part of our culture, and not many of us know what is the recommended quantity of carbs and the type of carbs we need daily. 

How essential are carbs to our health and how do we educate the public, in an easy and practical manner, about this?

With Singaporeans eating out frequently, a practical approach could be to change the food choices offered at eateries patronised by the masses, namely hawker centres or food courts.

There are not many options for one to get a low-carb meal at these places, except for yong tau foo, where you pick non-starchy vegetables and some proteins, and you can choose to forgo the noodles or rice.

You may also order western food such as grilled meats or fish and opt out the carbs such as potatoes, but the price will not be reduced. The cost of eating this can be prohibitive for some people as well, and sellers also tend to give fried versions of the meats and fish with french fries, which are not healthy either.

Then there are stalls selling chicken or duck rice and roast meat, where you may also order with less or no rice. Again, for the cost-conscious Singaporean, the price stays the same.

At stalls where you may order and pick “mixed vegetables” or nasi padang, the meal also costs the same whether rice is omitted or not. If there is an option for brown rice, it definitely costs more.

Perhaps the authorities may encourage food stalls to provide diabetic-friendly options at lower prices when certain ingredients are not bought. Diabetics should not feel penalised for making the right choices.

To quote Charlie Munger, “An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure.” Some battles are best avoided, especially the ones we cannot afford to lose.

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