Maintaining a healthy weight is extremely important for everyone. But for people with diabetes, being overweight can make it more difficult to control blood sugar levels and even increase their risk for certain complications.
If you have diabetes, it is all the more important that you eat healthily, without going on a starvation diet or using weight loss pills. Read on to know what are the best foods to eat to keep yourself healthy at all times.
What You Need to Eat
If you are diabetic, your focus should be on eating less-processed carbs, lean protein, vegetables and fruits, low-fat dairy, and healthy fats like nuts, avocado, and olive oil. It’s important that you manage your intake of carbohydrates – have your dietician or doctor provide you a target carb number for each meal and snack you have. Women should generally aim to consume about 45 grams of carbs each meal, while men should have 60. Ideally, your carb sources should include things like vegetables and fruits (which are considered complex carbs).
The American Diabetes Association’s recommendations regarding the best foods for people with diabetes include:
Protein: Beans, poultry, nuts, eggs, fish like mackerel, salmon, sardines, and tuna.
Vegetables and fruits: Sweet potatoes, berries, and non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, asparagus, collard greens, okra, and kale.
Diary: Low or nonfat milk and yogurt.
Grains: Whole grains like whole-wheat pasta and brown rice.
It’s also important to drink enough water. Apart from water, it’s a good idea to opt for non-caloric options like tea whenever possible.
Foods to Limit
While some foods are great for people with diabetes, others should be limited because they cause spikes to your blood sugar or contain bad fats. These foods include:
– Fruits with added sweeteners like jam, apple sauce, etc.
– Processed grains like white pasta and white rice.
– Full-fat milk and yogurt.
– Foods that are high in saturated or trans fats and fried foods.
– Foods with a high glycemic load.
– Anything made from refined flour.
The Takeaway
While it’s important to follow a good diet, it’s also crucial that you get regular exercise since it can help lower your A1C and blood sugar levels, thus helping you avoid complications.