A diabetic nutrition guide can help you keep your blood sugar levels in check, while ensuring that your body is receiving the proper nutrients. With this diabetic nutrition guide you can put together a meal plan that is right for you. Begin by following these guidelines:
Consume healthy carbohydrates. Sugars and starches breakdown into glucose, causing your blood sugar levels to rise. Instead eat healthy carbohydrates, such as fruits vegetables, legumes, whole wheat and bran.
Eat more fiber. Fiber can be found in vegetables, fruits, nuts, whole-wheat, and bran as well. Consuming fiber will help you keep your blood sugar levels from fluctuating and lower your risk of heart disease.
Find good sources for fats. It is good, to a certain degree, to include fats in your diet. Keep them to a minimum however, and try to consume ‘good fats’ such as monosaturated and polysaturated fats. You find these types of fats in foods like avocados, almonds, pecans, walnuts, olives, and oils such as canola, olive, and peanut oil.
Eat fish tonight. Studies show that you should eat fish several times a week. This is recommended by both the National Institutes of Health and the American Diabetes Association. According to the Mayo Clinic, fish such as cod, tuna, and halibut have less total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol than most other meat or poultry, and are therefore healthier for you. Fish like salmon, mackerel, and herring are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which have been known to lower triglyceride levels and promote cardiovascular health. Avoid eat fried fish, however, because this will only raise your cholesterol level and cause weight gain. If you are going to eat fried fish, be sure it is fried in ahealthy type of oil such as olive oil (MayoClinic.com, 2012).
Diabetic Nutrition Guide: Foods to Avoid
A diabetic can eat everything anyone else can eat, just in smaller proportions. Having a general understanding of what foods to avoid and why you should avoid them will help you to stay healthy, plan your meals, and allow you to continue to be able to consume the foods that you love. Foods to avoid in diabetes are:
Foods with added sugar: Sugar causes your blood sugar levels to rise, which can lead to severe complications. Sugar substitutes are a wiser choice because they do not raise your blood sugar levels. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains also provide your body with sugar. Since they are complex-carbohydrates, they are taken into the cells better and they give you energy longer.
Foods containing fats: Fats are high in calories and lead to obesity. If you’re a diabetic this can really increase your risk of heart disease, cancer, high blood pressure, asthma, arthritis as well as other diabetic complications. Avoid foods which contain hydrogenated oils at all costs. Saturated fats, found mostly in red meats and many dairy products should be avoided to a large degree as well. The Mayo Clinic recommends saturated fat only account for 7% of your daily nutrient intake.
Starchy vegetables: This is a tricky one. Yes, vegetables are healthy for you, but some of them contain a lot of starch. Starch raises blood sugar levels, and therefore these types of vegetables should only be eaten in moderation.
