For all the people who have diabetes, it remains of utmost importance to keep a note of what foods they are including in their diet. But the real deal is to identify the foods that work best for the people affected. This remains important for the fact that one needs to keep a check on their blood sugar level and at the same time provide necessary nutrients to the body. This article deals to cater to clear all these questions by providing necessary details about the food for diabetics, both the ones to include and the ones to avoid.
Table of Contents
What is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a disease or condition in which the blood sugar level of a person increases than the normal level required. This condition takes place when the pancreas of the body fails to make good use of the insulin that it produces. The insulin is responsible for making the glucose that is produced by the foods we consume pass to the cells through the bloodstream. As the body fails to transfer the glucose to the cells, it stays in the bloodstream and its level increases.
Why is healthy eating important in Diabetes?
People with high blood sugar levels or diabetes must follow a healthy diet. Their diet should include all the necessary nutrients required by the body like a lot of green vegetables, chickpeas, kidney beans, protein, cereals, high fiber, etc. However, they must avoid foods that are high in added sugar and salt.
A person should follow the food and switch to healthy eating if suffering from diabetes because of the following reasons: are grapes good for diabetics
- To ensure the person stays healthy.
- To manage the blood sugar level.
- To maintain the normal blood pressure level.
- To prevent the body from further complications resulting from diabetes.
- To maintain the blood fat level.
What is the food for diabetics?
A person suffering from diabetes must consider having a balanced diet. These people should also focus on cutting down all those foods that ultimately leads to an increase in their blood sugar levels. Needless to mention, maintaining and opting for the food for diabetics, has innumerous benefits for the people suffering from diabetes. Some of these benefits include ensuring good health and preventing oneself from further complications that can come as a result of diabetes.
Food for diabetics does not necessarily mean being deprived of all the tasty foods. But it means to choose and plan the diet wisely. Hence, some of the food for diabetics is:
1. Leafy green vegetables
Certain leafy green vegetables like kale, spinach, cabbage, broccoli, collard greens, etc. make very good food for diabetics. These vegetables are stuffed with a lot of nutrients, minerals, and vitamin C, calcium, protein and fiber. Along with this, they are also rich in antioxidants like zeaxanthin and lutein. Hence, the goodness of these leafy greens has a lot of good effects on the body. They help in reducing the level of blood sugar and maintaining blood pressure levels. The antioxidants also help in protecting the eyes from cataract and macular degeneration.
2. Eggs
The health benefits that are provided by the eggs are too many to count. Hard-boiled eggs have a lot of protein in them and help a person stay full for a long period of time. The high amount of protein in eggs helps to keep the blood sugar from rising after a person has consumed it. It decreases the good or HDL cholesterol and decreases the bad cholesterol or LDL cholesterol of a person. Along with this, eggs also help in reducing inflammation and improving insulin sensitivity. Adding on to this, the fullness that the eggs provide helps to stop a person from eating any other food for a long period of time. This helps them to keep a check on their weight which is a must for people who are diabetic.
3. Fish
Certain fishes like salmon, herring, anchovies amongst others are extremely good food?for diabetics. This is for the fact that these high in nutrient fishes contain omega 3 fatty acids. These fats if consumed on a regular basis can help curb down the risk of heart diseases for the people who are prone to it. The vitamin D that these fishes contain also helps in keeping the nails, bones, hair, and skin healthy. Along with this, consuming these fishes helps to keep a person full for a longer period of time thus preventing them from overeating. This again enables the person to keep their weight under check.
4. Nuts and seeds
Apart from the fact that nuts and seeds are very good in taste, it works wonders in lowering the level of blood sugar. It contains healthy fat, protein, minerals, and vitamins, magnesium and fiber. Consuming nuts and seeds on a daily basis has shown to reduce the level of insulin, help in losing weight and lowers the LDL or bad cholesterol. Along with this, nuts and seeds are also known for taking down the risk of certain other diseases like Alzheimer?s and certain types of cancers.
5. Beans
Beans are one of the best plant-based source of proteins and fiber. Therefore, it caters to the needs of all the vegetarians or vegans to give them enough protein. Along with this, beans are also rich in certain iron and minerals like potassium and magnesium. It also serves as one of the best replacements of carbs. This is for the fact that the body takes time to digest beans more than any they take for any other carb. In addition to this, adding beans to the diet on a regular basis can also help in keeping a note on the blood pressure level of a person. It can also help in regulating weight loss which remains a must for all the diabetes patients. Some of the beans that one can include in their diet are navy beans, black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans, etc.
6. Berries
Including some of the berries in the diet can work wonders for the people suffering from high blood sugar. These contain various important nutrients that are required by the body like fiber, antioxidants, minerals, potassium, vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese etc. The high amount of antioxidants that are found in berries can prevent the body against heart diseases and various cancers. Along with these, they also carry certain anti-inflammatory properties. Some of the berries that a person can include in their diet regularly are strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and blackberry amongst others.
7. Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits have a lot of anti-diabetic effects related to it. They are high in antioxidants, potassium, folate, and vitamin C. Having the whole fruit every day as a part of the regular diet has proven to take down diabetes under control. However, a person must not or should however avoid having the fruit juice. This is because, in the juices, some source of fiber is lost. Along with this, studies show that fruit juices tend to increase the diabetes of a person. Some of the citrus fruits that a person can add in their everyday diet are grapefruit and oranges amongst others.
8. Greek Yogurt
The dairy product Greek yogurt contains probiotics, a little amount of carb, protein, and calcium. Therefore, that makes it one of the best dairy choices for the people affected with diabetes. The high protein content in Greek yogurt helps a person stay full for a longer period of time. Thus, it helps to keep the person from putting on a lot of weight. Along with this, consuming Greek yogurt helps to keep the blood sugar level under control and also prevents the person from any risk of heart diseases.
9. Chia seeds
Chia seeds contain a good amount of fiber, protein, omega 3 fats, and antioxidants. Additionally, the chia seeds have very low digestive carbs. Therefore it provides a large number of benefits to the body. First and foremost, it helps in taking down the blood sugar levels of the body. The fiber content of the chia seeds helps in keeping a person’s stay full for a long period of time thus making them keep a note on their weight. Along with this, the chia seeds are also known for reducing inflammation and blood pressure. Therefore, all these together makes it one of the best food for diabetics.
10. Broccoli
Broccoli is one of the best foods to include in the everyday diet. Broccoli is filled with certain important nutrients such as magnesium, vitamin C, antioxidants such as zeaxanthin and lutein, etc. Along with that, it carries very little carb and is low in calories. Therefore, it helps in bringing down the blood sugar levels of a person making them stay healthy. In addition to this, it also helps in preventing a person against various eye diseases.
What are the foods to avoid diabetes?
Along with knowing what the best food choices are for people who are affected by diabetes, it is also must to know the foods to avoid with Diabetes. This is because it would help to keep a balance between both which eventually keeps the person healthy.
Therefore, the foods to avoid when one has diabetes are:
1. Food containing high Carbs
Certain foods that contain a high amount of carbs like pasta, rice, white bread, etc. must be consumed lees by the people affected with diabetes. Along with this, these foods are also low on fiber.? Consuming these foods, therefore, leads to an increase in the blood sugar levels of a person. It also leads to other diseases like various mental deficits.
2. Fruit Juices
Even though fruits, mainly citrus fruits works wonders to keep the blood sugar level under control, it is advised not to have sweetened fruit juices. This is for the reason that the fructose content in these drinks is extremely high. It ultimately leads to an increase in the blood sugar levels, insulin, various heart diseases, and obesity.
3. Sugary or sweetened drinks
Sugary drinks and beverages contain a large number of carbs and fructose. Both of these are extremely harmful for the diabetics since they tend to increase the blood sugar levels of a person. Additionally, they also lead to other various conditions such as obesity, an increase in belly fat, fatty liver and an increase in cholesterol levels.
4. Yogurt
The yogurt that comes in flavors unlike the plain ones is filled with carbs and sugar. This is for the fact that these flavored yogurts are either made from low fat or no-fat milk.? Therefore, consuming flavored yogurts can lead to an increase in blood sugar levels. However, diabetics can consume plain yogurt for its various health benefits.
5. Honey and other forms of sugar
Although the people affected with diabetes are prone to replace their sugar intake with other forms of sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, etc. they are as harmful as sugar. Although these are not as harmful as white sugar, they too contain a good amount of carbs. Therefore, consuming these on a regular basis leads to an increase in the level of insulin and blood sugar of a person.
For the people affected with diabetes, it remains of utmost importance to keep a check on what they are consuming. By maintaining a good diet filled with foods that can provide their body with all the valuable nutrients, these patients, especially the ones with type 2 diabetes, can also reverse diabetes. This could also be done by excluding some of the foods from the diet which acts as a catalyst to increase the insulin levels of a person.
Along with this, what the patients of diabetes require is to maintain a healthy lifestyle by including regular exercise in their everyday chart. An increase in the blood sugar levels is a serious concern that must be dealt with utmost seriousness and care. Failure of this can lead to a lot of serious conditions that can affect the individual on a serious note.
