Importance Of Diet In Diabetes Control

- Diet your way to good health!

For a diabetic patient, having control over eating habits is mandatory. Diet is one of the single most effective ways to keep this deadly disease in control. For patients who are recently diagnosed with diabetes, it is necessary to get proper education about a diabetic diet so that you are in a better position to cope with the disease and manage its complications. Research from the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) study has shown that people can delay or prevent Type 2 Diabetes by:

• Losing weight (at least 5-7 % of their existing weight)
• Eating a healthy diet (low fat and low calories)
• Increasing physical activity (participating in at least 30 minutes exercise for minimum 5 days a week)

Planning the diet

Once you are diagnosed, you will need to make various important lifestyle changes along with diet changes so that you can practice diabetes control. While planning the right food for diabetes, it is important to consider your taste, health, goals and lifestyle. Your doctor can help you find a good nutritionist, who can assist you with the right diet plan. Here are a few tips to help you get started with your diabetes diet:

Manage the sweetness

Having a control over your sweet tooth is a primary criteria for diabetic patients. In order to control your blood sugar level, you must have a minimum intake of sweet foods. Luckily, there are a lot of options available for diabetic patients to make their meals tasty, without using refined sugar.

Carbs

The important thing to add in your diet is healthy carbohydrates. Instead of eating sugar and starch that turn into glucose, you must eat whole grains, lots of fruits, different kinds of beans and lentils.

Fibre

For diabetic patients, it is important to eat foods that are rich in fibre as your body cannot absorb or digest these foods. They help in controlling your blood sugar and decrease your risk of having a heart attack. Add whole flour, wheat bran, fruits, nuts and legumes in your diet.

Fish

Diabetes control measures include consuming fish at least twice a week. Fish is a better alternative to red meat and it has low-fat and includes omega 3 fatty acids. Include cod, tuna, salmon, herring and mackerel and avoid tile fish, swordfish, and king mackerel.

Managing Fats

Include good fats like almonds, walnuts, olive oil, canola, avocados and peanut oil as they are highly nutritious and assist in lowering cholesterol levels. While cooking with these oils, remember to use them in small quantities as all fats contain some amount of calories.

Remember that diabetes treatment is best supported by the right diet plan. By engaging in physical activity, losing weight and following a strict diet, you can surely keep your diabetes in control.