Food for Diabetics

Understanding the right food for diabetics

As a condition, there are two main types of diabetes where high blood sugar can cause chronic problems such as heart disease, nerve damage and foot ulcers. Type 1 occurs when the body does not make sufficient insulin, whereas type 2 occurs when the insulin that is created does not work as it should. In fact, there is a third form which affects some pregnant women, but dietary advice for this category of people should be always be sought from a medical professional. Overall, food for diabetics means keeping on top of sugar intake and reducing obesity since having too much fat helps the body to regulate its blood glucose levels naturally without so much reliance on insulin.

One the whole, a diet that is made up of food for diabetics will be perfectly good for the rest of the general population so long as the individual concerned does not have a specific medical condition that could be impacted by their dietary intake, or they are underweight. No single diet is recommended by dieticians as good food for diabetics. Rather, a rounded healthy diet that is low in simple sugars and high in fibre tends to be considered best.

One of the main problems for diabetic diets is not to do with food at all but drinks. Sodas and other soft drinks contain lots of glucose, and it is extremely bad for diabetes control if they are consumed regularly. Cut out sugar from tea and coffee. Anything containing trans fats should be removed from a diabetic diet completely. So, avoid things like butter and opt for a low-fat alternative instead. Wholemeal bread should be consumed rather than white bread since the latter has little by way of fibre content. Fruit juice is also a bad idea as are cakes and most processed or fast foods. Cut down on desserts, too.

The good news is that there is plenty of good food for diabetics to enjoy. Although fruit juices and smoothies are not recommended, eating fresh fruit certainly is. Choose a sugar-free breakfast cereal that is high in fibre to start your day or switch to porridge oats. Either way, make it with skimmed milk since this contains less lactose – a sugar – as well as fat. Oily fish, such as mackerel, is one of the best things to dine on for the main meal. Avoid white potatoes to go with it, however, and choose green vegetables instead. In some studies, consuming cinnamon has been found to be good for treating the symptoms of diabetes, so add this tasty ingredient to dishes you prepare.

In an emergency situation, eating a glucose tablet will help to revive your blood sugar levels. An alternative short-term food for diabetics is to take on board is half a cup of orange juice or a similar drink. Rest for 15 minutes before consuming more, and you should feel better.