World Diabetes Day, introduced by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and World Health Organisation (WHO), is celebrated on the 14th of November, and marks the birthday of Frederick Banting. Banting was Canadian, a medical scientist, doctor, and a Nobel laureate recognized as one of the key researchers who first discovered insulin.
The purpose of World Diabetes Day is to raise global awareness of the diabetes pandemic and how to prevent it from occurring. WHO estimates that more than 346 million people worldwide are living with diabetes, a number that is likely to more than double by 2030 should current trends continue. About 80 percent of diabetes-related deaths occur in lower- and middle-income countries.
According to a National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) in 2006 conducted by the Ministry of Health, one in seven Malaysians is diabetic, a number that's believed to be the tip of the iceberg. Leading experts in Malaysia's medical and nutrition community believe that diabetes afflicts a staggering 22 percent of the country's population - in other words, one in five Malaysians are diabetic. That's a scary number. Before we continue, however, let's define diabetes first.
Diabetes, Defined:
Diabetes is a disease where the patient's blood sugar levels are higher than normal. Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose (sugar) for the body to use as energy. The pancreas, an organ located near the stomach, makes a hormone called insulin to assist glucose in fuelling the body's cells. When you suffer from diabetes, the body either fails to make enough insulin or is incapable of using its own insulin as well as it should. This causes sugar to build up in the bloodstream.
Tips on how to achieve healthier blood sugar levels:
The Sugar Menace
Health experts are arguing that sugar is harmful enough to be put in the same category as tobacco and alcohol. Ultimately, the mass consumption of sugar is a public health crisis that requires everyone to consciously limit their daily intake. Malaysia is the eighth highest sugar consumer in the world and the fourth highest in Asia.
The Malaysian government has spent millions of ringgit in educating the public about the dangers of sugar through various campaigns and advertisements, in an attempt to reduce sugar intake. According to statistics, the average Malaysian consumes about 19 teaspoons of sugar daily! The AHA recommends not more than 6 teaspoons of sugar a day for women and 9 teaspoons for men.
Stevia, a Healthy Sweetness
Stevia, also known as sweet leaf, or Stevia rebaudiana, is about 300 times sweeter than sugar but has zero calories. Stevia extract is made from the sweetest part of the stevia leaf, called Rebiana A (Reb-A).
In December 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially granted GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status to high purity Reb-A for use as a general purpose sweetener. With this in mind, low-calorie sweeteners that use high purity Reb-A from stevia have been found to be safer, especially when compared to the potential side-effects that artificial sweeteners entail. To date, there have been no proven side-effects from stevia, unlike artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharine.
As stevia extract does not raise your blood sugar level, it's an ideal choice for pre-diabetics, diabetics and those concerned about their health.
Stevia as a natural sweetener does not have the same taste as sugar, but still makes an excellent substitute for cane sugar. It's unfortunate, but when it comes to sweetness, no substitutes, be they natural or artificial, can ever measure up to sugar; this is because sugar is the gold standard for sweetness that we've been exposed to since we were born.
3-in-1 sugar-free beverages sweetened with stevia extract
Now you can find a range of delicious 3-in-1 sugar-free white coffee, chocolate malt and oats & cereal sweetened with stevia, the natural sweetener-available in all leading pharmacies, selected supermarkets, as well as mini markets. Drink 3-in-1 sugar-free beverages for a healthier choice!
<< back
If you wish to know more about Eversweett 3-in-1 sugar-free beverages, please call EverSweett INFOline 03-6142 6570 (Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm) or email: enquiries@eversweett.com or visit www.eversweett.com
The purpose of World Diabetes Day is to raise global awareness of the diabetes pandemic and how to prevent it from occurring. WHO estimates that more than 346 million people worldwide are living with diabetes, a number that is likely to more than double by 2030 should current trends continue. About 80 percent of diabetes-related deaths occur in lower- and middle-income countries.
According to a National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) in 2006 conducted by the Ministry of Health, one in seven Malaysians is diabetic, a number that's believed to be the tip of the iceberg. Leading experts in Malaysia's medical and nutrition community believe that diabetes afflicts a staggering 22 percent of the country's population - in other words, one in five Malaysians are diabetic. That's a scary number. Before we continue, however, let's define diabetes first.
Diabetes, Defined:
Diabetes is a disease where the patient's blood sugar levels are higher than normal. Most of the food we eat is turned into glucose (sugar) for the body to use as energy. The pancreas, an organ located near the stomach, makes a hormone called insulin to assist glucose in fuelling the body's cells. When you suffer from diabetes, the body either fails to make enough insulin or is incapable of using its own insulin as well as it should. This causes sugar to build up in the bloodstream.
Tips on how to achieve healthier blood sugar levels:
- Maintain a healthy weight If you are overweight, consider losing weight. This can be done through healthier eating habits and being physically active on a regular basis.
- Be as physically active as possible It doesn't have to be vigorous exercise at the gym; walking instead of driving, or taking the stairs instead of the lift can go a long way.
- Always go for wholegrain Try to replace white rice with brown rice, and eat only whole wheat pasta.
- Avoid having sugary snacks Avoid eating cakes, cookies, kuih-muih, chocolates, and candies regularly, as they are unhealthy and have little nutritional value. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), a high intake of sugar is associated with conditions such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, inflammation, and high triglyceride levels-all of which increase your risk for heart disease and stroke.
- Cut down on sugary beverages It's a temptation that's hard to resist, but cutting out consumption of sugared drinks is a huge step towards maintaining optimum blood sugar levels. This includes all carbonated soft drinks, fresh fruit juices and even the ever popular mamak drink, teh tarik. Let's expand on the dangers of sugar.
The Sugar Menace
Health experts are arguing that sugar is harmful enough to be put in the same category as tobacco and alcohol. Ultimately, the mass consumption of sugar is a public health crisis that requires everyone to consciously limit their daily intake. Malaysia is the eighth highest sugar consumer in the world and the fourth highest in Asia.
The Malaysian government has spent millions of ringgit in educating the public about the dangers of sugar through various campaigns and advertisements, in an attempt to reduce sugar intake. According to statistics, the average Malaysian consumes about 19 teaspoons of sugar daily! The AHA recommends not more than 6 teaspoons of sugar a day for women and 9 teaspoons for men.
Stevia, a Healthy Sweetness
Stevia, also known as sweet leaf, or Stevia rebaudiana, is about 300 times sweeter than sugar but has zero calories. Stevia extract is made from the sweetest part of the stevia leaf, called Rebiana A (Reb-A).
In December 2008, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially granted GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe) status to high purity Reb-A for use as a general purpose sweetener. With this in mind, low-calorie sweeteners that use high purity Reb-A from stevia have been found to be safer, especially when compared to the potential side-effects that artificial sweeteners entail. To date, there have been no proven side-effects from stevia, unlike artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and saccharine.
As stevia extract does not raise your blood sugar level, it's an ideal choice for pre-diabetics, diabetics and those concerned about their health.
Stevia as a natural sweetener does not have the same taste as sugar, but still makes an excellent substitute for cane sugar. It's unfortunate, but when it comes to sweetness, no substitutes, be they natural or artificial, can ever measure up to sugar; this is because sugar is the gold standard for sweetness that we've been exposed to since we were born.
3-in-1 sugar-free beverages sweetened with stevia extract
Now you can find a range of delicious 3-in-1 sugar-free white coffee, chocolate malt and oats & cereal sweetened with stevia, the natural sweetener-available in all leading pharmacies, selected supermarkets, as well as mini markets. Drink 3-in-1 sugar-free beverages for a healthier choice!
References:
- Malaysian Diabetes Association
- National Health and Morbidity Survey (NHMS) 2006, Ministry of Health (MOH)
- National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
- of the National Institute of Health, USA
- Diabetes UK, www.diabetic.org.uk
- American Heart Association (AHA)
<< back
If you wish to know more about Eversweett 3-in-1 sugar-free beverages, please call EverSweett INFOline 03-6142 6570 (Mon-Fri: 9am-5pm) or email: enquiries@eversweett.com or visit www.eversweett.com