Nowadays, diabetes is considered to be one of the most destructive diseases of the 21st century. More than 1.6 million Americans live with type 1 diabetes, 187,000 of which are children and adolescents. So, how to live with diabetes? You need balanced and healthy eating with diabetes to live a healthy life.
Over 18 million people die every year from cardiovascular disease caused by diabetes.
According to the American Diabetes Association, the leading cause of diabetes is a diet that builds up the amount of fat into the blood and sugary foods that people consume every day.
Just by eating healthy food, people can drastically prevent the development of diabetes, hence avoid lots of severe health issues.
There are different types of diabetes which means that the same diet is not acceptable for people who have other groups of diabetes.
However, we have prepared several helpful tips, which will help you in making healthier food decisions.
Thanks to these tips, you can easily manage your blood sugar level, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. Additionally, they will help you control your weight, hence preventing the risks of developing diabetes complications.
Healthy Eating with Diabetes
We will tell you which foods to choose for maintaining a stable level of sugar in your blood. Additionally, we will teach you how to use a Glycemic Index Chart in the process of drawing up your diet.
Sizes of Your Portion Matter
First of all, it is wise to mention that portion sizes are one of the most crucial aspects of maintaining a stable sugar level in your blood. And it does matter whether you have 1 or 2 types of diabetes.
Choose healthier carbohydrates
What is good about carbs is that they are able positively to affect glucose levels in your blood. Therefore, it is crucial to know which foods contain carbohydrates.
Here are some foods that contain carbohydrates:
- Whole grains, buckwheat, and whole oats
- Fruits
- Vegetables like avocados
- Chickpeas, beans, lentils
- Unsweetened yogurt and milk
Consume less salt
By using vast amounts of salt, you risk increasing your blood pressure which can bring lots of health issues such as heart diseases and stroke, especially if you have diabetes.
Try to minimize the usage of salt by maintaining just 6 g of salt per day. However, keep in mind that most pre-packed goods already contain a significant amount of salt. Therefore, It is better to make your dishes by yourself. In this case, you can control the level of salt that you are consuming per day.
Minimize The Consumption Of Red And Processed Meat
By cutting down the consumption of carbs, people start eating more meat to fill them up. Whereas, it is not the best option, especially if you live with diabetes. This is precisely why it is better to avoid consuming red or processed meat such as ham, bacon, sausages, beef, and lamb.
Try to replace red meat with the following products:
- Pulses like beans and lentils
- Eggs
- Fish
- Poultry such as chicken and turkey
- Unsalted Nuts
Oily fish such as mackerel and salmon are the best option for people who live with diabetes. The main reason is that they contain omega three oil which protects your heart from cardiology diseases. Just try to eat oily fish once a week, and you will see quite positive changes soon.
More Fruit And Vegetables
It is a commonly known fact that fruits and vegetables are considered one of the most healthy foods. Therefore, try to eat them at mealtimes and replace unhealthy snacks with fruits and vegetables. In this case, you will get more vitamins, minerals and keep stable sugar levels in your blood.
You may probably wonder whether sugary fruit can increase your blood sugar level? We are hiring to bring you good news since all fruits are equally suitable for everyone, even those who live with diabetes. Of course, fruit contains sugar, but this sugar is completely natural which is not harmful to your organism.
The Importance of Healthy Fats
Fat is an essential part of human life. Fat provides us with the energy to exist. Unfortunately, not all fat is equally healthy for our body, and we all need fat in our diet because it gives us power. However, different types of fat influence the human body differently.
We can highlight unsalted nuts, seeds, avocados, oily fish, olive oil, and sunflower oil among the healthier fats. However, some types of saturated fats can increase the level of cholesterol in your blood, hence increasing the risk of getting heart problems.
Here are some foods with the highest level of bad fat:
- Red And Processed Meat
- Ghee
- Butter
- Lard
- Biscuits, Cakes, Pies
It will be a good idea to refuse to use oils and grill or bake dishes instead.
Do Not Add Sugar
For some people, it is too hard to cut out sugar from their diet. Therefore, try to start with small practical swaps and refuse to consume sugary drinks, energy drinks. Try to replace them with coffee or green tea without sugar. In this case, you can control the level of glucose in your blood.
The Whole Truth About Alcohol
Let’s be honest, which of us do not like drinking a glass of wine during dinner. However, it would help if you strictly realized that alcohol is high in calories. Moreover, if you have diabetes and take insulin or other diabetes medications, you should cut alcohol consumption altogether.
Final thoughts
We believe that all of the tips mentioned above will help you control sugar levels in your blood, hence avoiding all of the negative consequences such as heart diseases and even cancer. Additionally, you can also use the Glycemic index chart to help you detect the level of carbohydrates in foods, hence avoiding blood sugar spikes.
