Diet along with exercise and keeping a watchful eye on blood glucose, all play a significant role in diabetes management. A diabetes diet is a balanced diet that ensures that you get all the nutrition you need to lead a healthy life. These diets are not restrictive instead their focus is on balance. A typical diabetes diet would consist of vegetables, fruits and grains, and food low in fats and carbohydrates.
A diet rich in fats and carbohydrates means that your body has higher levels of glucose, and if you are a diabetic, your body does not have the capability to deal with this. High glucose levels are extremely dangerous for the body. By following our healthy dietary and nutritional guidelines for diabetics, you can keep your blood-glucose levels in check.
To help manage your diabetes, you should keep the following dietary and nutritional guidelines for diabetics in mind:
- Eat at regular intervals, spreading your meals throughout the day.
- If you take insulin injections, monitor your blood glucose level before and after. You may need to take light snacks to keep it at an optimum level.
- Avoid foods high in refined sugar, saturated fats and sodium.
- Count your carbohydrate intake to keep it in check.
- Balance your calorie intake with the number of calories you burn through exercise.
- Stay hydrated so that the body can continue to function properly.
Foods to eat
The following foods are recommended as part of your balanced diabetes diet:
- Good Carbs: Carbohydrates are the simplest form of food that the body can break down into glucose. Focus on good carbohydrates found in fruits and vegetables.
- Fiber: Fiber rich food helps in the digestion of glucose and is overall great for the cardiovascular and digestive systems. High fiber foods include most vegetables, legumes, whole wheat flour, etc.
- Omega 3 Fatty Acids: Fish such as salmon and tuna are rich in Omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 has the ability to manage blood fats and is great for the heart.
- Good Fats: Make sure to keep some amounts of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats a part of your diet. Found in avocados, walnuts, and olives, these fats help regulate blood cholesterol.
Foods to Avoid
The following foods need to be avoided as part of our dietary and nutritional guidelines for diabetics:
- High Glycemic Index: Foods with higher glycemic index are known to increase blood sugar. Limit such foods to keep blood sugar manageable.
- Saturated And Trans Fats: Trans Fat are mostly found in snacks and baked goods and should be avoided like the plague. Saturated fats, found in meat and dairy should be kept to a minimum.
- Cholesterol: Cholesterol is not good for you, regardless of you being a diabetic or not. It is found mainly in animal fats like dairy products, eggs, etc. Limit the intake of cholesterol to avoid heart disease.
- Sodium: Sodium or salt is known to double the risk of heart disease in diabetics. Keep the intake to less than 1,500 mg per day.
Following these dietary and nutritional guidelines for diabetics, among other things, will help you improve your blood glucose levels, blood pressure as well as blood cholesterol. They will enhance your quality of life and enable you to enjoy and thrive in it. Don’t let your diet choices become an impediment to your success.