Diet for diabetes simply means eating healthy foods in moderate amounts of foods at a fixed time. Switching to this diet at the beginning may seem a bit challenging. Yet, if a person with diabetes continues to follow it strictly, they will see a significant difference in their blood glucose levels within a few days.
What are the benefits of a healthy diet?
Eating healthy food positively affects the well-being of people with diabetes. A healthy diet helps to manage the blood sugar levels and blood cholesterol levels in people having diabetes. Apart from controlling blood glucose levels, the other benefits of a diabetic diet are:
• It helps to reduce weight
• Delay in the development of diabetes-related complications
• A feeling of well-being
What foods should people having diabetes eat?
Having diabetes should not stop you from relishing your favourite treats. People with diabetes can enjoy their favourite food, although not very often and in a moderate serving. The food that people with diabetes should eat are:
• Non-starchy vegetables that have low carbohydrate content like broccoli, tomatoes, carrots, greens, and peppers.
• Fruits like oranges, melons, berries, and apples.
• Whole grains like wheat, oats, corn meals, quinoa, barley, and rice.
• Proteins-rich food like lean meat, chicken, fish, eggs, nuts, peanuts, and tofu.
• Low-fat dairy products like yogurt and cheese.
• Foods that are rich in omega3 like salmon, tuna, avocado, and nuts.
What foods should people with diabetes avoid?
Foods that people with diabetes should avoid are:
• Foods that are rich in saturated fats and trans-fat like fried food, shortening, etc
• High salt content foods like pickles, papad, and namkeen.
• Sweets, like ice-creams, mithai, candies, and pastries.
• Drinks with added sugar like juice, cold drinks, and energy drinks.
People with diabetes must keep a check on their alcohol consumption too. Consuming alcohol can increase your blood glucose level, especially when consumed on an empty stomach.
How much can people with diabetes eat?
Eating the right amount of food is essential for diabetes, as food plays a critical role in managing blood glucose levels. People with diabetes must eat food within their suggested calorie limit as advised. Overweight people with diabetes must ensure to lose weight to facilitate early control over their blood glucose levels. Losing weight is crucial for overweight women with diabetes who are planning a baby.
People with diabetes can control the amount of food consumed by applying either of the two methods:
Plate method: Use a 9-inch plate for a meal and put non-starchy vegetables on one half of the plate; protein on one-fourth portion of the plate; and a grain or other starchy food on the remaining one-fourth.
Besides monitoring food by plate method, people with diabetes can eat a small fruit or a small portion of fruit or a cup of milk between their meals.
Carbohydrate counting: By the carbohydrate counting method, people with diabetes need to count their calories. Carbohydrate counting helps to manage blood glucose levels as overeating carbohydrates can surge blood sugar levels.
Besides eating healthy food, maintaining physical activity through regular exercise adds extraordinary health advantages for people with diabetes.
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