Endocrinologist Richard K. Bernstein was inspired by his own battle with type 1 diabetes to develop an individualized diet plan that regulated his blood sugar levels and insulin injection schedule. According to Dr. Bernstein, the conventional diabetes diet plan contributes to a vicious cycle of insulin injections and fluctuating blood sugar levels. The vegetarian Bernstein Diet involves regulating the blood sugar level while acquiring adequate nutrition needed in any vegetarian diet.
The ADA Supports Vegetarianism
The American Diabetic Association supports the concept of diabetics eating a vegetarian diet, noting that a vegetarian diet, which is high in fiber, low in saturated fat and cholesterol free, helps lower blood glucose levels. The fiber in vegetable-based proteins fills you up and satisfies hunger, while you save money because you are not buying meat.
Regulating Blood Sugar Levels
Bernstein was placed on the standard low fat, high carbohydrate diet for diabetics when he as diagnosed at age 12. He grew worse, suffering from complications of diabetes and very low blood sugar, which he believes were caused by large doses of insulin injected to lower his blood sugar levels that spiked because of the high amount of carbohydrates in his diet. To solve this problem, Bernstein began to decrease carbohydrates, check his blood sugar level up to 8 times a day and adjust his insulin injections accordingly. His purpose was to stabilize his blood sugar and lower insulin doses. Realizing a normal blood sugar level helps diabetes, he retired from engineering, went to medical school, became a medical doctor and opened up his own practice in New York in 1983.
Foods That Raise Blood Sugar
Contrary to popular medical advise, Dr. Bernstein recommends an individualized diet plan based on your blood sugar highs and lows, which you can control by what you eat and drink. Begin with frequent blood sugar level testing throughout each day. Eliminate all foods that contain simple sugars including table sugar, as well as most starchy foods like bread, pasta, grains and potatoes. Limit total carbohydrate intake to an amount that works either with the insulin you inject or that which your body produces naturally. Do not overeat. Leave the table when you no longer feel hungry. Check food labels for the words sacchrose, corn syrup, lactose, honey, sorbitol, dextrin, levulose, sorghum, dextrose, maltodextrin, treacle, dulcitol, maltose, turbinado, fructose, mannitol, xylitol, glucose, mannose, xylose, carob and molasses. These ingredients raise blood sugar very highly and very quickly. They are commonly found in breakfast cereals, baked goods, snack foods. candy, milk, cottage cheese, protein bars, fruit and fruit juice. Also avoid beans, beets, carrots, corn, canned tomato products, pre-packaged soups and certain health foods.
Bernstein Vegetarianism
As a vegetarian following the Bernstein Diet, you are allowed to eat fish and seafood, soy bean products, eggs, cheese and butter as sources of protein. You are not allowed to eat beans. According to the ADA, protein is one of the key nutrients needed in the vegetarian diet, and beans are one of the main plant-based protein sources that satisfy that need. As a vegetarian who follows the Bernstein Diet, eat the protein sources on Bernstein's list that are also included in the lacto, lacto-ovo and pescetarian vegetarian diets. Lacto vegetarians include dairy foods, lacto-ovo vegetarians include dairy foods and eggs, and pescetarian vegetarians include fish and seafood, to help fulfill protein requirements.
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