Having diabetes does not mean killing your cravings and living a boring life. You can still have your favorite meals if you stick to a healthy routine.
But, what does it mean to have a healthy routine? From having a proper sleep to working out and eating clean, a healthy routine must have all these in check. For instance, a diabetes diet comprises healthy foods in moderate amounts. It is simply a healthy eating plan that is low in fat and rich in nutrients. Yes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables are key elements of this diet plan. In fact, a diabetes diet plan is not just suitable for diabetics but works best for everyone who wants to achieve a healthier lifestyle.
Content:
- Why do you need a diabetes diet plan?
- How should you start eating healthy?
- What does a diabetes diet plan include in general?
- Foods to have with diabetes:
- Healthy/Unrefined Carbohydrates:
- Fiber riched meals:
- Seafood for diabetics:
- Healthy Fats:
- What foods to avoid with diabetes?
- Saturated Fats:
- Trans Fats:
- Cholesterol:
- Sodium:
- Conclusion:
Why do you need a diabetes diet plan?
Typically, doctors recommend diabetics get a proper diet plan made by a certified dietician. The diet plan then guides you on what you can and cannot eat in a day. If you religiously follow that diet plan, you can maintain your blood sugar levels and prevent heart diseases.
When you go off-track ditching your diet plan, you can experience undesirable spikes in sugar levels. If such a condition persists, it can lead to serious health conditions, such as hyperglycemia (rise in blood glucose levels). It will lead to heart, nerve, or kidney damage in the long run.
Following a proper diabetes diet plan can help prevent such worse cases. Since both diabetes 1 and diabetes 2 require a unique diet plan, the dietician recommends getting a tailored plan for each. For instance, if you have diabetes 2, losing weight will be your best bet to lower blood sugar levels, and your diet plan will include meals that help reduce weight.
How should you start eating healthy?
If you are a binge eater you might find it challenging to shift to a healthy eating pattern regardless of what kind of food you eat. However, you can still get on track by starting with small changes in your diet.
Alongside, you need to keep yourself physically active in order to make those clean bites work. Doing so will help you;
- Maintain blood pressure, glucose level, and cholesterol.
- Lose weight or maintain a healthy weight under your BMI range.
- Reduce or prevent diabetes.
- Feel good, light, and fresh.
What does a diabetes diet plan include in general?
One thing that is the same for all kinds of diabetes diet plans is eating three meals at regular times in a day. Doing so will help your body to efficiently use the insulin that it gets from medications or produces naturally.
Depending on your health goals, tastes and overall lifestyle, a certified dietician can put together a diabetes plan. Besides, he or she will also guide you on healthy eating patterns. For instance, your ideal portion sizes for each meal or activity level every day.
Foods to have with diabetes:
The following we have listed must-haves nutritious sources. Make sure your diet plan includes them, if not all, then at least a few but in recommended portions.
Healthy/Unrefined Carbohydrates:
Food is considered one of the easiest ways to control diabetes. That being said, carbs, especially refined carbs, break down fast and therefore shoots the blood sugar level. On the contrary, a low and healthy carb diet can maintain blood glucose if properly followed. A healthy carbs diet must have:
- Vegetables
- Berries
- Nuts
- Whole grains
- Legumes
- Dairy products (low fat)
Avoid refined or unhealthy carbohydrates that are present in foods such as white rice, snacks, soft drinks, and all the processed items and foods with added sugars.
Fiber riched meals:
Dietician often recommends fiber riched foods to Type 2 diabetics. However, it works equally well for Type 1 diabetics as well. In fact, fiber riched meals are good for a bowel movement and maintaining a healthy weight. Fiber riched foods that diabetics should take include;
- oat bran
- glucomannan (Konjac)
- Peas
- Agar
- Psyllium
All of them have proven to be substantial for controlling sugar levels, triglycerides, hemoglobin A1c and LDL cholesterol.
Seafood for diabetics:
It is quite uncommon for diabetics to have fish regularly. Most of them are unaware of the nutrition they can get from such food. Foods comprising,
- Herring
- Salmon
- Anchovies
- Sardines
Are the best kind of meals for diabetics as they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DHA. They offer a great deal of benefits for heart and diabetic patients. However, you need to be watchful for certain types of fish like king mackerel, which contains high mercury levels.
Healthy Fats:
In Pakistan, there is a common misconception that fats cause cardiovascular complications. Well, it’s true for unhealthy fats. A balanced diet is incomplete without good fats. You can source them from;
- Avocados
- Nuts
- Olive
- Peanut oils
- Canola oils
What foods to avoid with diabetes?
Certain foods clog and narrow your arteries and disrupt the blood flow in the body. This condition can increase the risk of heart failure and other health conditions like high blood pressure. Consuming them knowingly comprehends that you are working against your goal for a balanced diet. If you cut out the few below mentioned things from your daily intake, you can certainly prevent major health complications. They include;
Saturated Fats:
If you wish to live longer, avoid consuming saturated fats. They are present in dairy products that are rich in fats as well as in beef, sausage, hot dogs, and bacon, palm kernel oil and coconut oil.
Trans Fats:
Trans fat is considered the worst type of fat in the category. It increases bad cholesterol and lowers good cholesterol in the body. They are found in, bakery foods, processed snacks, stick and shortening margarine.
Cholesterol:
Diet rich in high-fat animal protein and dairy products is not considered ideal for diabetics.However, you can have 200 milligrams or less in a day. Some common sources for cholesterol are, organ meats, liver, and egg yolk.
Sodium:
Your daily meals cannot have sodium of more than 2300 mg in total. You can lessen the quantity further to avoid any risk for high blood pressure.
Conclusion:
Diabetes is a lifelong condition that has no cure. Either you manage it well and live a healthy life or stick to your unhealthy diet and worsen it.
This guide has summarized all the nutritions for a diabetic diet. If you are pre-diabetic, following this diet plan religiously can get you rid of this condition for sure. Also, a 10 to 30 minutes workout with this diet would be a plus factor.
To avoid any risk, visit a certified dietician to get yourself a proper diabetes diet plan (if you are pre-diabetic or diabetic) and cross-check it with the above-mentioned essential nutrition.
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