A diabetes diet is nothing but a healthy eating plan - high in nutrients, low in fat & moderate in calories. Obviously it is a healthy diet for anyone but the only difference is that diabetics need to pay more attention to their food choices, especially the carbohydrates that they eat.
4 tips and tricks every diabetic should follow can be,
Diabetes & Diet Tip 1: Choose High-Fibre, Slow-Release Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates packed with fibre will not spike the blood sugar instantly.
Go with these healthier substitutes in your regular meals
- White Rice - Brown Rice
- White Potatoes - Sweet Potatoes
- White Bread - Brown Bread
- Corn Flakes - Bran Flakes
- Corn - Peas
Diabetes & Diet Tip 2: Choose Sweets Smartly
Diabetics don’t have to eliminate sugar completely. Even with diabetes, they can still enjoy a small serving of their favourite dessert sometimes. The key again is moderation.
How to cut down sugar -
- Skip soft drinks, soda and juices
- Sweeten foods yourself
- add other natural sweeteners along with very little sugar like cinnamon, nutmeg, or vanilla extract where ever you can
- Instead of ice cream, blend up frozen fruit like banana or mango for a creamy, frozen treat
- To curb the chocolate craving, eat a small piece of dark chocolate instead of a milk based one
Diabetes & Diet Tip 3: Choose Fats Cleverly
It’s a known fact that people with diabetes are at higher risk for heart disease. All fats are high in calories, so one should always watch the quantity he is consuming.
Unhealthy fats - Saturated fats and trans fats mainly found in red meat, whole milk dairy products and fats used in commercial products with a long shelf life like wafers or canned ready to eat eatables.
Healthy fats - Unsaturated fats (derived from plant and fish sources) such as olive oil, canola oil, nuts, avocados, salmon, tuna and flaxseeds.
Tips to eat healthy fats
- Cook in olive oil instead of butter or ghee
- Use lean meat and trim any visible fat from the meat before cooking
- Snack on nuts or seeds
- Instead of deep frying, grill, broil, bake or stir-fry
- Eat fish 2 or 3 times a week instead of red meat
- When baking, use canola oil butter
- For creamy soups instead of whole cream add low-fat milk thickened with flour or pureed potatoes
Diabetes & Diet Tip 4: Eat at regular intervals
Our body is better able to regulate blood sugar levels when we follow a regular meal schedule. Aim for at least 6 small meals in a day. People eat larger portions when there is a huge gap between two meals. Eat every 2 to 3 hours. Don’t skip breakfast - Ever!