Help Your Diabetes With
The Right Foods One
of the big ways a diabetic can help control their blood glucose (sugar) is through
a good diet. In this article we will explain more about how you can change your
diet to help you. We are all advised to eat a healthy, balanced diet
which is low in fat and sugar and high in fibre. Plenty of fruit and vegetables
are also a corner stone of a good diet. The same advice applies to people with
diabetes. This does not necessarily mean that you have to radically change your
diet. In most cases it will mean you eat your usual means but you may need to
tweak them to make them more healthy. You can buy all the foods that you need
from normal shops and supermarkets and you don't need to buy special "diabetic
foods". How
should I change my eating pattern? We
have divided the foods up into 6 categories: Carbohydrates
- Base
meals on carbohydrate foods such as bread, pasta, rice, chapatis and potatoes.
These foods are filling and not fattening (provided you don't add extra fat).
Where possible choose high fibre varieties of these foods, like wholemeal bread.
- Eat regular
meals.
- Eat
more fruit and vegetables, aim for 4 or 5 portions a day. This will give you fibre
and vitamins.
Fat
- Cut
down on fried food, fatty foods and fatty red meat, choose lean meat, skinless
chicken/poultry instead.
- Choose
lower fat milk. Skimmed milk is virtually fat free and lower in calories but still
contains all the protein and calcium found in full fat milk. Semi-skimmed milk
is half-fat and also lower in calories than full cream.
- Use
low-fat cooking methods such as grilling, microwaving and barbecuing. Trim excess
fat and skin off meat before cooking.
- Choose
low fat versions of margarine and cheese.
- If
you need to use an oil in cooking, use an unsaturated one such as olive, sunflower
or corn oil. Try using less oil too.
Sugar
- You
don't need to avoid sugar all together. However, food and drinks that contain
a lot of sugar can make your blood sugar go up very quickly, especially if eaten
on their own.
- Change
to low sugar and sugar-free foods such as low calorie fizzy drinks, diet squash,
low sugar jams and diet yoghurts.
- Artificial
sweeteners can be used to sweeten drinks and foods instead of sugar. They are
virtually carbohydrate and fat free and do not affect blood sugar levels. Its
recommended that you use a variety of sweeteners and not to consume too much of
any type.
Salt
- Reduce
your salt intake gradually so that you can get used to the taste change. Adding
herbs and spices may help.
- Use
as little salt as possible in meals and cut down on salt added at the table.
- Eat
less processed foods such as tinned and packet foods, salty meats, crisps and
salted nuts.
Alcohol
- Drink
alcohol in moderation only. For men that's 3 units a day and for women it's 2
units a day. If you're trying to lose weight then this should be less.
- Never
drink on empty stomach as it can increase the likelihood of hypoglycaemia
Diabetic food
- Do not buy "special
diabetic foods". They are very expensive and contain no less fat or calories
than other foods. They will not help if you are trying to lose weight.
- Often
such foods can cause diarrhoea
If
you follow the advice provided in each category you should be able to reduce the
amount of "bad" foods you are eating and increasing the "good"
foods. This will help with the control of your diabetes, with your blood pressure,
cholesterol and heart disease risk but most of all it will help you be healthier.
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