A healthy lifestyle should include nutrition and exercise, but when you have diabetes, these factors are even more important. To put diabetes in one simple sentence: It is a metabolic disease characterized by persistently high blood sugar levels in the body. There are three main types of diabetes – type 1, type 2, and gestational. Blood glucose is the primary energy source you get from food. Therefore, the ultimate challenge for controlling diabetes is to keep the level of blood glucose, also known as blood sugar, within the target range. To do this, you must understand that the foods or diet you choose, how much you eat, and when you eat are all critical factors in maintaining your blood glucose level.
At first, adjusting your eating and drinking habits and getting more active can seem complicated. But, you may find it easier to take small steps. For better health, this article will explain what to include and avoid in your diet while you have diabetes.
Understanding the diabetes diet
The best diabetes diet is completely different from the usual diet. Consider a diabetes diet as a lifestyle instead. This diet plan helps people with diabetes live better lives while improving blood sugar control and reducing the risk of diabetes complications and high levels of blood fats. Moreover, it helps them maintain a healthy weight and a better eating pattern. Eating the most nutritious foods in moderation, following a balanced diet, and eating regular meals constitute a diabetic diet.
food to eat
You may worry that having diabetes equals avoiding delicious foods. The good news is that diabetes is not a death sentence, and you can still enjoy your favorite meals, but you may have to eat less or control portions. Consuming different healthy foods from all food groups in the suggested serving sizes is key to eating when managing diabetes.
green leafy vegetables
Green leafy vegetables provide vitamins, minerals and vital nutrients. In addition, they have little effect on blood sugar levels. According to research, the high content of antioxidants and starch-digesting enzymes in green leafy vegetables makes them beneficial for diabetic patients.
Among the green leafy vegetables
- spinach
- green cabbage
- cabbage
- cabbage
- amaranth leaves
- fenugreek leaves
- bok choy
all grains
Compared to refined white grains, whole grains contain higher levels of fiber and minerals. Diabetics should follow a diet rich in fiber because fiber slows down the digestion process. As a result, nutrients are absorbed more slowly, which helps keep blood sugar levels stable.
Compared to white bread and rice, whole wheat and other whole grains have a lower glycemic index (GI). Thus it has less effect on blood sugar.
Include these whole grains in your diabetes diet:
- Bread and whole grains
- brown rice
- Maize
- black wheat
- quinoa
- millet
- Whole grain pasta
protein
The body uses protein for growth and repair. Therefore, most high-protein diets have no direct effect on blood sugar levels.
- fish
- egg
- Skinless chicken or turkey, lean meat
- Nuts and seeds
- Dried beans and some peas such as chickpeas and peas
dairy
Dairy products such as fat-free or low-fat milk or lactose-free milk if you are lactose-intolerant, yogurt and milk.
the fruit
When it comes to fruit, balance is vital. If you eat fruit as a healthy snack or as an ingredient in a balanced meal, there shouldn’t be any problems. However, it starts to become a problem if you only eat fruit for a meal or consume a lot of it.
Some fruits contain more sugar than others, so choosing fruits with lower sugar content may help you achieve your blood sugar goals.
Fruits that contain little sugar include:
- Strawberry
- Orange or tangerine
- blackberries
- Peache
- cantaloupe
- raspberry
healthy fats
Healthy fats support heart health and keep you feeling full. Among them
- avocado
- Unprocessed peanut butter (unsweetened)
- nuts
- olive oil
- seeds
Foods to avoid
Knowing which foods to exclude from a diabetes diet is just as important as knowing which foods to include. This is because many foods and drinks are high in added sugar and carbohydrates, which raise blood sugar levels.
If you have diabetes, you should limit or avoid the following foods.
refined grains
White bread, rice, and pasta are examples of refined grains that are high in carbohydrates but poor in fiber, which can cause blood sugar levels to rise faster than whole grains.
Processed meat
Processed meats such as bacon, sausage, salami, and deli meats contain excessive amounts of sodium, preservatives and other dangerous substances. Well, this is not specifically diabetes friendly.
Fruit GI-High
Watermelon and pineapple rate high on the glycemic index scale, while some fruits are low. It indicates that they have a higher and faster rate of processing blood glucose compared to other fruits.
sweetened drinks
Sugar-sweetened beverages such as soda, sweet tea, and energy drinks are not good choices. You can do better without them.
Trans fats and saturated fats
Unhealthy fats such as saturated and trans fats can worsen diabetes symptoms. These fats are found in fried and processed foods, such as baked goods, potatoes, pizza, and chips.
alcohol
People with diabetes should generally restrict alcohol consumption. That’s because drinking alcohol can likely cause your blood sugar levels to fluctuate.
HealthifyMe Note
The Smart Diabetes Diet is very similar to the Healthy Diet, which reduces added sugars and refined grains with an emphasis on processed whole foods, high-fiber fruits and vegetables, moderately complex carbohydrates, lean protein, and healthy fats. It may seem like it takes a lot to know, but the basics of diabetes management focus on simple, healthy eating with regular exercise.
- Breakfast: Bajra Dosa – (2 n) + Sambar – (half a cup)
- Mid-morning: yogurt (1 cup).
- Lunch: brown rice (1/2 cup) + dal (1 cup) + palak sabzi (1 cup).
- Snacks: sprout salad (1 cup) + lemon tea without sugar (1 cup)
- Dinner: multigrain chapati (2 pieces) + spinach broth (1 cup) + dal/bliss curry
HealthifyMe Note
We all love delicious snacks. But homemade snacks are a smart diabetes option instead of prepackaged. Also, make sure your snack portion is smaller than your main meals. Your daily food intake should include fiber, lean protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats.
Alternative diabetes management strategies
Physical activity
Physical activity is essential along with a good diet. Do as many different forms of exercise as possible. On most, if not all, days of the week, try to do 3-4 days a week of at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity.
Plan in advance
Create a weekly eating plan using nutritious dishes you can find online or get advice from a nutritionist. Helps avoid last-minute rushes and nutritional mistakes.
Carbohydrate count
Carbohydrate counting is one of the preferred methods of controlling blood sugar levels. First, you should keep track of the grams of carbohydrates in the meals you eat. Then, depending on how many carbohydrates you eat, you may sometimes need to adjust your insulin dose.
conclusion
Your diet can either support or hinder insulin resistance, or break or bring your diabetes under control. The basic principles revolve around simple and healthy eating in moderation. Finally, while eating, aim for a diet low in simple sugars and rich in whole plant foods, including fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains, and healthy vegetable fats, but watch out for added sugars. Just keep in mind that while these diets may help control blood sugar, maintaining a healthy, nutrient-rich and generally balanced diet, along with an active lifestyle, is the most important component of blood sugar management.
