Being diabetic doesn’t have to limit any individual from eating, as most diabetics are told to stop eating fruits among other foods.
That is why we don’t say diabetic foods, what we love to call a diabetic-modified diet, just the regular foods that we all eat, only modified in terms of quality, quantity, and frequency to keep the blood glucose levels at normal range.
What is Diabetes mellitus?
Diabetes mellitus is a group of diseases that are characterized by hyperglycemia, high blood glucose levels.
Discussing these seven groups will give us a deeper insight into how you can eat healthily when living with diabetes;
- Carbohydrates.
- Proteins.
- Fats.
- Vitamins.
- Minerals.
- Fibre.
- Water
Carbohydrates.
These are the main source of energy for the body and therefore they can not be neglected. Our bias is quality over quantity.
We want to choose carbohydrates that have a low glycemic index (how fast your body absorbs the glucose from the foods that you eat).
Carbohydrates with a low glycemic index have slow penetrating sugar, that will not cause sudden spikes in the level of blood glucose.
A diet containing complex carbohydrates can also help a great deal in weight management, and also you’ll be able to get a good control of your blood glucose level and eventually even reducing the amount of medication that you would have to take.
Good examples include brown bread, yams, potatoes, brown rice, and most cereals.
According to the plate model, one-quarter of your plate should be filled with carbohydrates and using the hand portion guide, the size of your fist.
Proteins.
Proteins are good for building and repair of body tissues, organs, and muscles. We have proteins sourced from plants or animals.
According to the plate model, one-quarter of your plate goes for proteins and using the hand portion guide, the size of your Palm.
Plant-based proteins are preferred because they contain healthy fats.
Good examples include beans, peas, lentils, and nuts.
However, you would need to limit too much intake of red meats because we are looking to reduce your intake of saturated fats. Important also is to skin off chicken meat and avoid taking too much-processed meats like bacon and sausage.
Fats.
Fats provide the most calories as compared to carbohydrates and proteins. Eating foods that are too fatty can easily lead to unwanted weight gain, making the management of diabetes extremely difficult.
However, to supply energy to the cells, and provide a protective layer for our organs we still need to eat healthy fats, unsaturated fats. So what we need to do is to cut saturated fats from meat, butter, and meat products and embrace unsaturated fats.
And one easy way is to skin off chicken and trim off any visible fat from meats before cooking. Also, cook with very little fat
Vitamins
Where do we get vitamins from? Majorly from fruits and vegetables. Vitamins play a major role in boosting immunity making it easy for your body to fight diseases.
Fruits and vegetables also come with fibre which is important in moderation of blood glucose levels.
However, certain fruits can have too much sugar and that is why there’s is a need for portion control, dividing fruits into smaller pieces that you can eat at separate times would be better. For vegetables, the plate model encourages you to fill half of your plate with vegetables.
Minerals
All these minerals like vitamin b 12, iodine, magnesium, and iron and important in the management of Diabetes.
Eating a variety of foods and watching portion sizes would provide just enough minerals you need and you wouldn’t need to worry about deficiencies. This is also important in preventing diabetes complications.
Fibre
Fibre is also very important, increasing your intake of these fibre-rich foods will not only prevent you from cardiovascular diseases but it will make it very easy for you to manage your blood glucose levels.
Sources of fibre include whole grains, fruits, and vegetables. So an easy way to increase your intake of fibre is by including these foods in your diet and even as healthy snacks in between the main meals.
Water
At least 8 glasses of water a day should keep you going.
Control of diabetes is 60% linked to diet, this means you have the power to keep your blood glucose level at a normal range.
FAQs – frequently asked questions.
- I take sugar a lot, am I at risk of diabetes? Taking more sugar may put you at risk of becoming overweight, and yes when you are overweight, you are very much at risk of getting diabetes.
- Brown or white bread, which one is better? Brown, because brown bread is made from whole wheat, and white bread in most cases has undergone too much processing, for diabetes, I totally recommend whole grains because this helps regulate your blood sugar levels, slows down the digestion process, and also helps you maintain a healthy weight, as they have more fibre, giving you a very easy time to manage blood sugar levels.
- My father got diagnosed with diabetes, will I get it too? Not guaranteed, However, there’s is a high possibility, in that case, to take an early decision to change your lifestyle to prevent a possible occurrence of diabetes later in life.
Health is wealth, invest in it.
