The pancreas is a wonderful little organ that does many jobs for us such as
Exocrine Function:
The pancreas contains exocrine glands that produce enzymesimportant to digestion. These enzymes include trypsin and chymotrypsin to digest proteins; amylase for the digestion of carbohydrates; and lipase to break down fats. When food enters the stomach, these pancreatic juices are released into a system of ducts that culminate in the main pancreatic duct. The pancreatic duct joins the common bile duct to form the ampulla of Vater which is located at the first portion of the small intestine, called the duodenum. The common bile duct originates in the liver and the gallbladder and produces another important digestive juice called bile. The pancreatic juices and bile that are released into the duodenum, help the body to digest fats, carbohydrates, and proteins.
Endocrine Function:
The endocrine component of the pancreas consists of islet cells (islets of Langerhans) that create and release important hormonesdirectly into the bloodstream. Two of the main pancreatic hormones are insulin, which acts to lower blood sugar, and glucagon, which acts to raise blood sugar. Maintaining proper blood sugar levels is crucial to the functioning of key organs including the brain, liver, and kidneys.
http://columbiasurgery.org/pancreas/pancreas-and-its-functions
Type 1 diabetes is due to the destruction of pancreatic beta cells, while type 2 diabetes occurs when cells are resistant to insulin or the pancreas doesn’t make enough. Prediabetes often progresses to diabetes.
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/diabetes-carbs-per-day#section1
Today we are going to talk about the endocrine function. And how excess sugar and carbohydrates in our diet are making this important organ work harder than it needs too. We will also be going over how many sugars are too many for a meal, what normal pancreas function is. And how our body makes fat.
Your body was not designed to take on this amount of sugar and carbohydrates. Its very foreign to our bodies.
Meal plans created by the American Diabetes Association (ADA) provide about 45% of calories from carbs. This includes 45–60 grams per meal and 10–25 grams per snack, totaling about 135–230 grams of carbs per day.
Diets containing 20–50 grams of carbs have also been shown to lower blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of disease in people with prediabetes
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/diabetes-carbs-per-day#section3
High-Carb Foods to Limit or Avoid
There are many tasty, nutritious, low-carb foods that do not raise blood sugar levels very much.
These can be enjoyed in moderate to liberal amounts on low-carb diets.
However, there are certain foods that should be limited or avoided because of their high carb content:
•Breads, muffins, rolls and bagels
•Pasta, rice, corn and other grains
•Potatoes, sweet potatoes/yams and taro
•Legumes like peas, beans and lentils (except green beans, snow peas and peanuts)
•Milk and sweetened yogurt
•Most fruit, except for berries
•Cake, cookies, pie, ice cream and other sweets
•Snack foods like pretzels, chips and popcorn
•Juice, soda, sweetened iced tea and other sugar-sweetened drinks
•Beer
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/diabetes-carbs-per-day#section4
Now I’m going to ask you a question. It’s a pretty simple question. And I want you to truly think about this next time you eat. Are you eating this for flavor or for health? Is the flavor of the thing you are about to consume going to benefit your body or potentially harm it?
Let take soda or pop as some people call it. A
Coca-Cola has 39g carbs for a 12 oz can. And a staggering 117g carbs for just 1 liter.
A Barq’s Root Beer has 45 carbs for a 12 oz can.
https://www.coca-colaproductfacts.com/en/products/
Pepsi has 41g carbs per a 12 oz can and 123g for just one liter
Mountain Dew has 46g carbs for a 12 oz and 138 g per 1 liter bottle
http://www.pepsicobeveragefacts.com/
a soda takes up most of the carbs for a meal (over 50%) if we use the data from the ADA. With little to no nutritional value for the body. All of this in the pursue of flavor.
With this knowledge I encourage people to take a stand for your health. I am sure there are plenty people out there that can’t or are not willing to make a drastic change. That’s ok, I am even guilty of having a soda from time to time. Its literally everywhere where you can find food in modern day society, From grocery stores, restaurants, to vending machines.
BUT!!!! It is your responsibility to take charge of your health. Take this information and make an INFORMED decision on what you put in your body. Remember you only get one body try to take care of it.