Planning A Diabetes Diet
A diabetic diet doesnt have to be complicated and you dont have to give up all your favorite foods. The first step to making smarter choices is to separate the myths from the facts about eating to prevent or control diabetes.
| Myths and facts about diabetes and diet |
| Myth: You must avoid sugar at all costs.
Fact: You can enjoy your favorite treats as long as you plan properly and limit hidden sugars. Dessert doesnt have to be off limits, as long as its a part of a healthy meal plan. |
| Myth: You have to cut way down on carbs.
Fact: The type of carbohydrates you eat as well as serving size is key. Focus on whole grain carbs instead of starchy carbs since theyre high in fiber and digested slowly, keeping blood sugar levels more even. |
| Myth: Youll need special diabetic meals.
Fact: The principles of healthy eating are the samewhether or not youre diabetic. Expensive diabetic foods generally offer no special benefit. |
| Myth: A high-protein diet is best.
Fact: Studies have shown that eating too much protein, especially animal protein, may actually cause insulin resistance, a key factor in diabetes. A healthy diet includes protein, carbohydrates, and fats. Our bodies need all three to function properly. The key is a balanced diet. |
As with any healthy eating program, a diabetic diet is more about your overall dietary pattern rather than obsessing over specific foods. Aim to eat more natural, unprocessed food and less packaged and convenience foods.
Carrot Methi Subzi Diet Plan
An uncommon but healthy combination carrots are abundant in vitamin A whereas methi has lots of calcium and iron. Moreover, this dish can go very well with steaming hot phulkas and curds and serves 4 people.
Ingredients:
Preparation:
Foods High In Fat Salt And Sugar
You dont need any of these as part of a healthy diet. The less often, the better. But we know youre bound to eat these foods from time to time, so its really important to know how they might affect your body.
These foods include biscuits, crisps, chocolates, cakes, ice cream, butter and sugary drinks. These sugary foods and drinks are high in calories and raise blood sugar levels, so go for diet, light or low-calorie alternatives. And the best drink to choose is water its calorie free.
Theyre also high in unhealthy saturated fats, so they arent good for cholesterol levels and your heart.
And they can also be full of salt processed foods especially. Too much salt can make you more at risk of high blood pressure and stroke. You should have no more than 1 tsp of salt a day.
We don’t recommend ‘diabetic’ ice cream or sweets. It’s now against the law to label any food as diabetic and there’s no evidence to suggest that food for diabetics offer any benefits over eating a healthy balanced diet.
Also Check: Gaps Diet Meal Plan Stage 1
More Avocados Nuts And Peanuts For A Healthier Lifestyle
- Use pureed avocado instead of mayo as a spread for sandwiches or in egg salad.
- Dip carrots and apples into peanut butter.
- Mix nuts into cereal or oatmeal.
- Serve avocados over eggs or with chicken.
- Dip avocado strips into crushed almonds and bake them for a snack.
- Make a snack mix with nuts or peanuts, dark chocolate, whole grain cereal, and grapes.
Battered And Fried Foods
Lartal/Photolibrary/Getty Images
Fried food items such as chicken nuggets, eggplant Parmesan, and chicken wings are breaded or dipped in flour before cooking. Flour and breading are starches and contain added carbohydrates.
For example, a 3-ounce breaded chicken cutlet has about 10 grams of carbohydrate.
You can indulge from time to time, but note the carbohydrate content of those foods and aim to keep your portions manageable.
Also keep in mind that these types of foods are rich in calories and saturated fat, which can cause weight gain and elevated cholesterol.
Read Also: Hormone Type 1 Diet And Exercise
How Is Glycemic Index Calculated
The Glycemic Index is a tool to determine how a particular food affects the blood sugar levels.
For Example :
- Refined carbohydrates like potatoes, white rice, juice, etc., get digested very quickly and rank high on the GI.
- Food items ranking low on the GI index are good to be included in the prediabetic diet.
- The GI value of a food is calculated by giving people a portion of food containing 50 grams of carbohydrates and then measuring the effect on their blood glucose levels over the next two hours.
What Is A Diabetic Diet
A diabetes meal plan is a nutritional guide for people with diabetes that helps them decide when to consume meals and snacks as well as what type of foods to eat. There is no one predetermined diabetes diet that works for all people with diabetes. The goal of any diabetic meal plan is to achieve and maintain good control over the disease, including control of blood glucose and blood lipid levels as well as to maintaining a healthy weight andgood nutrition.
Health care professionals and nutritionists can offer advice to help you create the best meal plan to manage your diabetes. Nutritionists can help you find recipes and cooking tips to help with meal planning and preparation.
Read Also: Dr Kellyann Bone Broth Diet Reviews
What Foods Should I Eat If I Have Diabetes
Eating the right foods for diabetes means eating a variety of healthy foods from all the food groups:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Whole grains, such as whole wheat, brown rice, barley, quinoa, and oats
- Proteins, such as lean meats, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, nuts, beans, lentils, and tofu
- Nonfat or low-fat dairy, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese
A Healthy Diabetic Diet
To jump start our food journey to a healthier diabetic diet, try the delectable SALMON PARCHMENT PAPER BOATS.
Did you try this healthy recipe? Tell me if you loved it! Please leave your comment on the left to let us know how it went. Share with your friends and family too. If you want more recipes and cooking tips, please go .
- 40piecesasparagus spearsends removed
- 4-6ozthick salmon filletsskin removed
- 4tbspextra virgin olive oil
- 1/4inchgingercut into portions and crushed
- Dash seasoningto replace salt and pepper
- 8sprigsfresh dillplus more for garnish
- 1piecelarge lemonsliced thinly
Don’t Miss: Low Carb Low Calorie Diet
Type Of Diet You Should Follow For Diabetes Cure
A cure for diabetes is just one healthy regime away. If you have diabetes, you may be wondering what type of diet is best for you. While there is no one-size-fits-all answer, there are some general guidelines that can help you make the best choices for your individual needs.
- First, its important to focus on eating healthy foods that are low in sugar and calories. This means eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein. It also means limiting processed foods, sugary drinks, and red meat.
- In addition to making healthy food choices, its also important to watch your portion sizes. This means eating smaller meals more often throughout the day, instead of large meals all at once.
- Finally, remember to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day. This will help your body function optimally and flush out toxins.
- Is high in fiber and whole grains
- Includes lean protein sources
- Is low in sugar and processed foods
- Includes plenty of fruits, vegetables, and healthy fats
If you have diabetes, its important to eat a variety of healthy foods from all food groups. This will help you get the nutrients you need while controlling your blood sugar levels.
Dont Forget To Keep Moving
Being more physically active goes hand in hand with eating healthier. It can help you manage your diabetes and also reduce your risk of heart problems. This is because it increases the amount of glucose used by your muscles and helps the body use insulin more efficiently.
Try to aim for at least 150 minutes of moderate intensity activity a week. This is any activity that raises your heart rate, makes you breathe faster and feel warmer. You should still be able to talk and only be slightly out of breath. And you dont have to do all 150 minutes in one go. Break it down into bite-size chunks of 10 minutes throughout the week or 30 minutes 5 times a week.
Also Check: Mayo Clinic Prostate Cancer Diet
Start With Adequate Protein
Protein is important for maintaining muscle, preventing bone loss, and helping to control appetite, among its many other functions.30
Make sure to include a good protein source at each meal. Aim for about 4-7 ounces of meat, poultry, fish, or tofu or 4-6 eggs.
Learn more including how to calculate your personal protein needs in our complete protein guide.
Diabetic Diet Plan Food List
Certain foods help lower blood sugar levels, and this helps them play a major role in controlling diabetes. It is also extremely beneficial to consume foods that prevent diabetes complications like heart and kidney diseases.
These 10 diabetic diet foods can play a major role in bringing the disorder under control. So, let us explore the diebetic diet chart.
Don’t Miss: Foods To Eat For Low Carb Diet
Prevent Low Blood Glucose
Because physical activity lowers your blood glucose, you should protect yourself against low blood glucose levels, also called hypoglycemia. You are most likely to have hypoglycemia if you take insulin or certain other diabetes medicines, such as a sulfonylurea. Hypoglycemia also can occur after a long intense workout or if you have skipped a meal before being active. Hypoglycemia can happen during or up to 24 hours after physical activity.
Planning is key to preventing hypoglycemia. For instance, if you take insulin, your health care provider might suggest you take less insulin or eat a small snack with carbohydrates before, during, or after physical activity, especially intense activity.4
You may need to check your blood glucose level before, during, and right after you are physically active.
What Is A Good Diet For Type 2 Diabetes
There is no diabetic diet, says Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDCES, the author of 2 Day Diabetes Diet and Belly Fat Diet for Dummies, and based in Vernon, New Jersey. The guidelines are basically the same for healthy eating for everyone, with or without diabetes, she says.
Work with your healthcare team to determine the right ratio of macronutrients and the best eating plan to accommodate your health risks and goals.
Don’t Miss: When Was Diet Dr Pepper Invented
Most Beans And Lentils
In most cases, beans and lentils are considered healthy and convenient.
However, for people with kidney disease and diabetes, beans and lentils both canned and fresh are not ideal due to their relatively high phosphorus content. Canned versions are typically also high in sodium.
For example, 1 cup of canned lentils contains 633 mg of potassium and 309 mg of phosphorus.
If you enjoy beans and lentils, you can still eat them in small amounts but not as a standard carb component of your meal.
If you choose canned beans and lentils, opt for a low sodium or no salt added version. Also, older research suggests that draining and rinsing canned foods can reduce their sodium content by as much as 3380%, depending on the product .
Another factor to consider is how much potassium your body absorbs from different food sources. Only about 4050% of phosphorus is absorbed from plant sources, compared with up to 70% from animal sources .
Theres also evidence that plant-based diets, which rely more on legumes, whole grains, nuts, and seeds for protein, may slow the progression of chronic kidney disease .
Summary
Most beans and lentils are high in phosphorus and potassium, which means theyre not ideal for people who have kidney disease and diabetes. If you choose to eat them, opt for a smaller portion and choose low sodium versions.
Other Ways To Prevent Prediabetes
Preventing prediabetes is not difficult. You can do several things to help reduce your risk of developing the condition by making simple changes to your lifestyle. Here are a few things you can start doing today:
Read Also: Best Tasting Broth For Liquid Diet
Get Your Minerals And Vitamins From Foods
Theres no evidence that mineral and vitamin supplements help you manage your diabetes. So, unless youve been told to take something by your healthcare team, like folic acid for pregnancy, you dont need to take supplements.
Its better to get your essential nutrients by eating a mixture of different foods. This is because some supplements can affect your medications or make some diabetes complications worse, like kidney disease.
What Foods High In Protein Are Good For Type 2 Diabetes
The American Diabetes Association recommends lean proteins low in saturated fat for people with diabetes. If youre following a vegan or vegetarian diet, getting enough and the right balance of protein may be more challenging, but you can rely on foods like beans , nuts and nut spreads, tempeh, and tofu to get your fix, notes the Cleveland Clinic. Just be sure to keep portion size in mind when snacking on nuts, as they are also high in fat and calories, according to Harvard Health. The American Heart Association counts a small handful of whole nuts as one serving. If you opt for unsalted almonds, 1.5 ounces will provide 258 calories and nearly 23 g of fat, per estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture .
Meanwhile, processed or packaged foods should be avoided or limited in your diabetes diet because, in addition to added sugars and processed carbohydrates, these foods are often high in sodium, according to the AHA. Getting too much sodium in your diet can increase your blood pressure and, in turn, the risk of heart disease or stroke, notes Harvard Health. And heart disease and stroke are two common complications of diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic. Its important to keep your blood pressure in check when managing diabetes.
Best options, according to the ADA:
RELATED: 7 Immune-Boosting Foods for People With Diabetes
Best options , per the ADA and the NIDDK:
- Wild or brown rice
RELATED: How Do You Tell the Difference Between Good and Bad Carbs?
Recommended Reading: What Diet Is Good For Kidney Disease
Can I Have Alcohol On A Diabetic Diet
It may be OK for some people with diabetes to drink alcohol in moderation. It is best to drink alcohol when your blood sugar levels are under good control, and it is important to remember that wine and mixed drinks contain sugar, and alcohol has a lot of calories. Your doctor or health care professional can tell you if alcohol can be a safe part of your meal plan.
How A Healthy Diet Can Help You Manage Type 2 Diabetes
Eating a healthy diet is important for everyone, regardless of diabetes status. But for people with this disease, nourishing foods eaten in the right portions provide two key benefits:
Reduced blood sugar Lowering blood sugar that is high can help reduce diabetes symptoms and lower the risk for health complications.
A healthier weight
Don’t Miss: Weight Loss Diet Plans Free
Opt For Lean Proteins Over Fatty Cuts Of Meat
People with type 2 diabetes should limit or avoid high-fat cuts of meat, such as regular ground beef, bologna, hot dogs, sausage, bacon, and ribs, because like full-fat dairy, theyre high in saturated fats, explains Kimberlain. Saturated fats in meat raise cholesterol and promote inflammation throughout the body, and can also put people with diabetes at even greater risk for heart disease than the average person, since their risk is already elevated as a result of diabetes . Instead of fatty cuts of meat, choose lean proteins, including skinless chicken and turkey, fish and shellfish, pork tenderloin, and lean beef. When it comes to ground beef, make sure you choose beef thats at least 92 percent lean and 8 percent fat, advises Kimberlain.
Prediabetes Foods To Avoid
If you are borderline diabetic, you must be aware of the foods you should avoid to prevent your blood glucose levels from spiking. Foods high in sugar, carbohydrates, and unhealthy fats should be avoided. This includes sugary drinks, processed foods, fast food, and baked goods. Instead, focus on eating whole, unprocessed foods like fruits, vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats.
If you have prediabetes, it’s important to follow a healthy and strict diet for prediabetes. You may be wondering what foods to avoid. The following list includes some common foods that can increase blood sugar levels and should be avoided if you have prediabetes:
- Sugary drinks like sodas and fruit juices
- Refined carbs like white bread, pasta, and rice
- Processed foods like frozen meals and snacks
- Heavy cream and other high-fat dairy products
- Red meat and processed meat
- Sugary sweets like cakes, cookies, and candy.
Also Check: High Protein Diet For Weight Gain
