When you have diabetes, you can eat most foods, but eating specific types while limiting others may help support healthy blood glucose levels and minimize your risk of other chronic conditions.
Certain foods and beverages can cause an increase in blood glucose and insulin levels, as well as inflammation. These side effects can raise your chances of developing prediabetes or diabetes.
Prediabetes and diabetes can raise the chance of developing other chronic disorders such as heart disease, renal disease, and blindness.
The foods and beverages you consume can help keep your blood glucose levels within the target range recommended by your healthcare team.
Continue reading to find out which foods and drinks you can eat while living with diabetes and which you should avoid.
What are the best diabetic foods?
When you have prediabetes or diabetes, you can consume almost any meal, but some are especially healthful.
Foods high in fiber
Consuming adequate fiber will help you stay fuller for longer and avoid weariness caused by sugary foods. Many fiber-rich foods are also low on the glycemic index (GI). Non-starchy veggies, whole grains, and legumes are among examples.
Foods high in protein
Eating lean protein can help you feel full while also providing crucial muscle energy. All lean meats, including lean beef, hog, and chicken, as well as fish and plant protein sources, are acceptable.
Fruits
Fruits are high in vitamins and minerals, as well as antioxidants and fiber. They include carbohydrates, however all fruits have a low to medium GI and can be included in a balanced diet regimen.
Fats that are good for you
Because your body needs fat, it is critical that you include it in your diet. Healthy fat sources include olive oil and avocado.
Drinks without sugar
If you have prediabetes or diabetes, you do not have to limit yourself to water. If it doesn’t contain sugar, you can drink tea or coffee. Coffee has been linked to a number of health benefits, including a lower risk of heart disease.Diabetes Information from a Reliable Source.
To assist keep your glucose levels within the recommended range and prevent weight gain, choose plain coffee or espresso or a low-sugar flavoring.
Flavored, unsweetened sparkling waters and sugar-free beverages are also options.
The foods you can eat depend on whether you have prediabetes, type 1 diabetes, or type 2 diabetes. Your metabolism may also play a role, so consult with a healthcare expert or a qualified dietitian about the ideal dietary plan for you.
What should a diabetic avoid eating?
Limiting certain meals and beverages may assist you in managing your condition and lowering your risk of problems.
Sugar-sweetened foods
Limiting additional sweets can help you maintain healthy blood glucose levels. Baked items such as cakes, cookies, and pies are examples.
The American Heart Association suggests that women limit their added sugar consumption to 25 grams or 6 teaspoons per day and men limit their added sugar consumption to 36 grams or 9 teaspoons per day.
Beverages with added sugar
Sodas, flavored coffee drinks, many energy drinks, fruit punch, lemonade (and other “-ades”), and several mixed beverages include empty calories and no nutrition. Limiting these may help lower your glucose, blood fat, and risk of fatty liver disease.
Saturated fat-containing foods
Saturated fats can raise your cholesterol levels and increase your risk of heart disease. The American Diabetes Association recommends that saturated fats account for no more than 10% of your daily calories.
Saturated fats can be found in high-fat meat and dairy products, poultry skin, and oils like palm and coconut.
Alcohol
Current alcohol consumption standards propose a daily maximum of one drink for women and two drinks for males.
If you have diabetes, you should limit or avoid drinking alcohol since it may impair your liver’s capacity to release glucose. Certain diabetes treatments may potentially be affected by alcohol.
Foods that have been too processed
Foods heavy in added sugars, processed carbohydrates, bad fats, preservatives, and salt fall into this category.
In addition, ultra-processed meals contain substances that you would not put in your food, such as high fructose corn syrup. Consuming these items considerably raises the risk of acquiring type 2 diabetes.
Why is carbohydrate intake important for diabetics?
Carbohydrates, protein, and fat are the macronutrients that give your body energy and help it perform critical processes. Carbohydrates, in instance, are the primary fuel source for your body.
Carbohydrates come in a variety of forms, such as starches, sugars, and fiber. Except for fiber, your body converts all carbohydrates into glucose.
Insulin, a hormone generated by your pancreas, aids in the movement of glucose from your bloodstream to your cells, where it can be used for energy.
However, if you have type 2 diabetes, which accounts for 90-95% of diabetes cases, your body is unable to adequately eliminate glucose from your system. This results in elevated blood glucose levels.
When your blood glucose levels are high, your pancreas produces more insulin. Your pancreas may wear out and generate less insulin over time.
If you have diabetes, you should pay close attention to what you eat, especially the types and amounts of carbs you consume, to help regulate your blood glucose levels.
This will also lessen your chance of long-term problems by preventing rapid increases and drops in your blood glucose level.
In conclusion
Diabetes or prediabetes does not require you to completely eliminate particular foods or dietary groups. However, eating fewer of certain foods may help support healthy blood glucose levels and lower your risk of other chronic health concerns.
At the Diabetes Reversal Clinic, we use a different approach, one based on Ayurveda, an old holistic medical practice. Our approach begins with a knowledge of each individual’s unique constitution and imbalances, recognising that diabetes therapy is not a one-size-fits-all issue.
Addressing the Root Cause: Our Ayurvedic treatment looks deeply into the underlying causes of diabetes, which can differ greatly across individuals. Diet, lifestyle, stress, heredity, prakriti and dosha (constitution) imbalances are all issues to consider. We can create a thorough plan by recognising these fundamental concerns.
Personalized Vedic Diet: Nutrition programmes that are tailored to promote general balance and blood sugar management.
Ayurvedic herbs and supplements that address specific imbalances and promote metabolic health are known as proprietary herbal remedies.
Recommendations for Stress Reduction, Physical Activity, and Mindful Practises such as Yoga and Meditation
Ongoing revisions to the treatment plan as the client develops on their path to reversal.
Distinguishing Factors: At DRC, our Ayurvedic diabetes reversal approach is built on personalized treatments that probe into fundamental causes for remission rather than simple symptom relief. Individualized treatments based on “prakruti” are essential.Our proprietary Ayurvedic herbal preparations are personalized to each individual. All of our medications are freshly made to preserve the efficacy of the herbs used. As a result, we are able to show better and more consistent results.
