Diabetes is a health problem that triggers many other health complications, such as heart disease. Managing the level of blood sugars and keeping it to a safe level is key to living a healthy and risk-free life. Healthy eating and a proper diet plan help patients with diabetes to maintain a healthful diet and avoid the complications associated with it. Let’s know about the diet plan necessary for diabetic patients in this article.
Why do Diabetic Patients Need to Develop a Healthy Eating Plan?
The food you eat on daily basis puts a great impact on your blood glucose level. When you consume extra fats and calories, the glucose level in your blood rises undesirably. If you have diabetes, the doctor will likely recommend you to see a dietitian help you make a proper diet plan. The diet plan consists of healthy, tasty and nutritious foods that help you control your blood sugar level, manage your weight and reduce the risk factors of heart diseases, such as high blood fats and high blood pressure. The dietitians also suggest the best multivitamins for diabetics that fulfil the required nutrition in diabetic patients.
Along with a diet plan, you also need to keep a check on your glucose level. If it doesn’t get kept in check, it can lead to serious health problems, such as high blood pressure, nerve, kidney or heart diseases. The weight loss also can make it easier for people with type 2 diabetes to control blood glucose and get health benefits. If you are overweight and suffering from diabetes, your dietitian may recommend you to lose weight while providing you with a well-organised and nutritious way to reach your healthy goal.
What is the Recommended Diet for Diabetic Patients?
The recommended diet is based on eating three meals a day which consists of healthy carbs, fibers and good fats. A properly planned diet helps you better use the insulin produced in your body. A professional dietitian can help you prepare a diet plan based on your health goals, lifestyle and taste preferences. They talk to you and help you improve your eating habits, such as size and portion of meal and activity level.
Healthy Carbohydrates
During the process of digestion, the starches and sugars break down into blood glucose. Therefore, pay attention to the level of carbs, and focus on eating healthy carbs, which include:
- Low-fat dairy products such as milk and cheese
- Legumes such as peas and beans
- Whole grains
- Vegetables
- fruits
Fiber-Rich Foods
A Fiber-rich diet moderates the digestion of your body, and helps control blood sugar levels. The dietary fiber includes all plant foods that your body can’t absorb. The food rich in fibers include:
- Vegetables
- Fruits
- Legumes such as beans and peas
- Whole grains
- Nuts
Good Fats
Good fats like monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can lower cholesterol levels. However, avoid overdoing it, as all fats are high in calories. The foods rich in good fats are:
- Nuts
- Avocados
- Peanut oils
- Canola oil
- Olive oil
Heart-Healthy Fish
Eat heart-healthy fish at least twice a week as it prevents heart diseases. Fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines and mackerel are rich in omega 3 fatty acids. However, avoid eating fried fish with high mercury levels.
What Foods Should a Diabetic Patient Avoid?
Diabetes increases the risk of heart diseases and heart stroke by developing hardened and clogged arteries. Certain food items are known to increase blood sugar levels and promote unhealthy weight gain. These foods also work against your goal of healthy life. The several foods that should be limited or avoided if you have diabetes are:
- Avoid saturated fats by cutting down on high-fat dairy and animal products, such as butter, beef, sausage, bacon, coconut oils, hot dogs and palm oils etc.
- Avoid trans fats found in processed food, baked goods, stick margarine etc.
- Avoid food items that increase cholesterol levels. The cholesterol sources include high-fat dairy and animal products, such as egg yolk, organ meats, and liver. Try to consume no more than 200 mg of cholesterol a day.
- Try not to consume sodium more than 2300 mg a day. If you have a high blood pressure problem, your doctor may suggest even less than 2300mg.
Create a Meal Plan and Make Healthy Food Choices
To help you keep your blood glucose level within a normal range, you may use a few different approaches to make a plan for yourself. By making healthy food choices and tracking your eating habits, you can keep your blood glucose level in a normal range. Here are a few methods that may work for you:
Make a Diet Plan in Advance
Planning meals in advance is a way to ensure that you are eating a balanced and nutritious diet. By keeping the following ideas in mind, you can put together a healthful meal plan for a week:
- Note the target consumption of calories and carbohydrates.
- Determine the portions of carbs and other food components that meet those targets.
- Divide the determined portions in each meal and snack of your day.
- Review the rankings of your favourite foods so you can incorporate them into your diet accordingly.
- Plan your meals before to maximise the use of ingredients, such as roasted chicken in lunch and chicken soup in dinner.
- Repeat the process for each day of the week.
- Monitor your blood sugar levels each day and weight regularly to monitor the results.
- An ideal diet plan includes a menu of three meals a day with snacks. The diet plan should contain 1200 to 1600 calories per day, high fiber, carbohydrates at each meal.
Count Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates are the starches, sugar and fiber in foods, such as vegetables, fruits, grains, milk and sweets. They harm blood glucose levels as they raise the sugar levels faster and higher than other nutrients. You may need to learn to calculate the present amount of carbohydrates in the food you are eating to help control your blood sugar. Try to choose carbs from healthy sources like fruits, vegetables and whole grains instead of unhealthy sources like sugars, fats and salts.
Visualise Your Food Portion
The amount of food you eat is relative to your glucose level. If you eat more than the recommended amount, your blood glucose level will rise. To manage and maintain the best sugar level, you must have a good sense of portion control. Measuring your food intake helps you monitor your food more accurately while enjoying a delicious and healthful diet.
- Balance carbohydrates, fats and proteins to meet the required dietary goals.
- Measure the portions accurately
- Plan ahead
Avoid Starchy Foods
Starchy foods contain carbohydrates, which is broken down into glucose. These foods can raise blood glucose levels quickly and make it harder for you to manage diabetes. These foods include potatoes, rice, bread, naan, pasta and chapattis etc. They contain a high glycaemic index. You can try better options as alternatives, such as wholegrain bread, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, basmati rice etc. These options affect the glucose level slowly as they contain a low glycaemic index. Also, they have fiber which is good for keeping your digestive system well. So, try to cut white bread, rice and pasta to cut down carbs.
Keep a Check on Dairy Foods
We all know that milk, cheese and yoghurt have lots of protein and calcium, great for bones, muscles and teeth. However, some foods are high in saturated fats. So, you must choose lower-fat alternatives. While adding dairy products to your diet plan, check for the added sugar. It is better to eat unsweetened yoghurt and add any fruit if you want to make it sweet. Also, choose calcium-fortified milk. Try dairy products as:
- A glass of milk straight, flavoured with berries.
- Unsweetened natural yoghurt with fruit
- Cottage cheese with salad
- Cereal in the morning with skimmed milk
- Cheese sandwich for lunch with salad
- Lassi or plain yoghurt with evening meal
Cut Salt, Sugar and High-fat Foods
To eat healthy food in your day, try to cut them all from your diet plan. The less you consume it, the better your health will be. However, these cannot be cut entirely from your diet. So, make sure to know how they affect your body. The foods rich in sugar, salt, and fat are biscuits, chocolates, cakes, ice cream, butter, crisps and sugary drinks. These are high in calories and raise your blood sugar levels. So, opt for light or low-calorie alternatives and choose water over them. These foods are high in unhealthy fats and are not good for the heart. The amount of salt in junk food can increase the risk of high blood pressure and stroke.
The sweets and ice creams labelled as diabetic are not a good option to consider because there is no such evidence to suggest that these food products for diabetic patients have many benefits over a healthy diet. To cut these out, use the following tips:
- Cook more meals at home to cut the amount of salt as much as you can
- Read the food labels to become more consistent and less confused.
- Try not to add sugar to your teas and coffees.
- Use black pepper, spices and herbs for extra flavours and remove the salt shaker from the table.
- Make homemade salt-free sauces and ketchup.
What to Considerations While Making a Meal Plan?
Here are the several points that you need to keep into consideration while preparing your meal plan:
- Understand how food impacts diabetes, such as salt and added sugars increase the health risks.
- Balance the intake of carbohydrates and use medications and insulin.
- Consume plenty of fibers to help manage blood sugar and reduce the risk of weight gain, heart disease and other serious issues.
- Limit intake of processed carbohydrates with added sugars, such as baked items, candies, sweets, carbonated drinks etc.
- Consider different treatment plans with the help of a doctor or dietitian.
Conclusion
Diabetic patients don’t have any specific recommendations regarding diet, but monitoring the food they eat makes a great difference while managing diabetes. A healthy and balanced diet includes food that contains all the essential nutrients your body needs daily. By making healthy choices, you can help reduce your risk of complications due to diabetes. Hopefully, this article will help you make good dietary choices.