Diabetes Nutrition and Diet 5 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: During illness, a person with Type 1 diabetes who cannot eat should:
- Stop taking insulin entirely to avoid hypoglycemia
- Continue taking basal insulin and check blood sugar frequently (Correct answer)
- Drink sugary sports drinks to maintain carbohydrate intake
- Switch to a full liquid diet of fruit juices
Correct answer: Continue taking basal insulin and check blood sugar frequently
Basal insulin must continue during illness even without food intake because stress hormones raise blood glucose, and frequent monitoring helps guide adjustments.
Question 2: Which fermented food may benefit gut microbiome health and improve insulin sensitivity in people with diabetes?
- White bread
- Pickles made with vinegar
- Plain Greek yogurt with live cultures (Correct answer)
- Processed cheese slices
Correct answer: Plain Greek yogurt with live cultures
Plain Greek yogurt with live active cultures provides probiotics that support a healthy gut microbiome, which is linked to improved insulin sensitivity.
Question 3: How does alcohol consumption affect blood glucose in a person taking insulin or sulfonylureas?
- It reliably raises blood sugar
- It can cause delayed hypoglycemia hours after drinking (Correct answer)
- It has no effect on blood sugar levels
- It improves insulin sensitivity immediately
Correct answer: It can cause delayed hypoglycemia hours after drinking
Alcohol inhibits gluconeogenesis in the liver, which can cause hypoglycemia several hours after drinking, especially when insulin or sulfonylureas are on board.
Question 4: Which macronutrient adjustment is the basis of a low-carbohydrate diet for diabetes management?
- Reducing fat intake below 10% of calories
- Limiting carbohydrates to 20-50g per day (Correct answer)
- Increasing protein to 50% of total calories
- Eliminating all dietary fat
Correct answer: Limiting carbohydrates to 20-50g per day
A low-carbohydrate diet for diabetes typically restricts carbohydrate intake to 20-50g daily, which directly reduces post-meal glucose and insulin demand.
Question 5: A person with Type 2 diabetes is trying to lose weight. Which eating pattern is specifically supported by the ADA for weight loss in diabetes?
- There is only one ADA-approved diet for diabetes
- Multiple eating patterns including Mediterranean, low-carb, and DASH can be effective (Correct answer)
- Only calorie counting without dietary restrictions is supported
- Raw food diets are the primary ADA recommendation
Correct answer: Multiple eating patterns including Mediterranean, low-carb, and DASH can be effective
The ADA recognizes that multiple eating patterns—including Mediterranean, low-carbohydrate, vegetarian, and DASH diets—can be effective for weight loss and diabetes management.
Question 6: What effect does vinegar (acetic acid) have on blood glucose when consumed with a high-carbohydrate meal?
- It significantly raises post-meal blood sugar
- It slows gastric emptying and reduces the glycemic response (Correct answer)
- It has no measurable effect on blood glucose
- It converts carbohydrates to fat before absorption
Correct answer: It slows gastric emptying and reduces the glycemic response
Acetic acid in vinegar slows gastric emptying and inhibits starch digestion enzymes, reducing the post-meal blood glucose spike.
Question 7: Which statement about protein intake for people with diabetes WITHOUT kidney disease is accurate?
- Protein should be avoided as it converts to glucose
- Moderate protein intake (15-20% of calories) is generally appropriate (Correct answer)
- Protein has no effect on blood glucose whatsoever
- High protein diets above 40% of calories are always recommended
Correct answer: Moderate protein intake (15-20% of calories) is generally appropriate
For people with diabetes without kidney disease, a moderate protein intake of 15-20% of total calories is generally safe and supports satiety and muscle maintenance.
Diabetes Nutrition and Diet 5
During illness, a person with Type 1 diabetes who cannot eat should: