7 Healthy Ways to Eat for Diabetics
Doctors haven’t yet found a diet for diabetes patients. However, there are certain food choices you can make that can enable you to stay healthy and keep diabetes in control. Remember, constantly ensuring you are eating healthy is important. You should always consult your doctor before making a big diet change.
Opt for Healthy Carbohydrates
You must choose healthy sources of carbohydrates because carbs affect blood glucose levels. You should eat foods such as pulses, fruits, whole grains, vegetables, and dairy as these contain healthy carbohydrates. You should ensure you eat proper portion sizes and cut down on foods that don’t have enough fiber.
Consume More Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and vegetables should be consumed. Fruits contain natural sugar and so they won’t cause any harm. However, stay away from fruit juices which almost always have preservatives and added sugar. You should eat fruits many times a day instead of together. You can opt for dried, frozen, or tinned fruits that contain no added sugar.
Reduce Salt Intake
When you have diabetes, you are automatically at risk of as heart disease and high blood pressure. You should consume no more than one teaspoon of salt per day. This is why cooking at home might be the best idea because you have an idea about how much salt you are adding. Try to limit packaged foods as they may contain high levels of salt.
Snack the Right Way
When you feel hungry, choosing the right snacks can go a long way. You should choose snacks such as yogurts, fruits, unsalted nuts, and seeds that are much healthier. But just because they are healthy doesn’t mean you overeat them. You should always be mindful of your weight and ensure snacking too much isn’t leading to weight gain.
Eat Healthy Fats
Everyone needs fat in their diet, but only the right kind should be consumed. You should avoid foods such as butter, biscuits, lard, and red processed meat as they contain saturated fats. Instead, you should opt for healthy fats that are found in foods such as olive oil, avocados, nuts, oily fish, seeds, and sunflower oil.
Avoid Binging on Red and Processed Meats
Sausages, lamb, ham, beef, and bacon are examples of red and processed meat. While you cut down on carbs you, might be tempted to eat such food. Unfortunately, red and processed meat are connected to various health problems. Instead, you should eat food such as eggs, fish, pulses, lentils, beans, poultry, and peas. These keep you full for long.
Avoid Added Sugar
If you’re used to having packaged food, you might find cutting down on added sugar a challenge. However, slowly replacing those foods can help. For example, if you’re used to having carbonated sugary drinks, you can opt for plain milk or tea without sugar. You can even choose low-calorie sweeteners.