Best Foods To Eat or Avoid for People With Diabetes

Diabetes is one of the most common health conditions in the United States. Many factors influence a person developing the condition, including age, living a sedentary lifestyle, and even genetics. However, one of the most crucial factors is a person’s diet. Having the diagnosis means you need to rehaul many areas of your life, including your diet. What are some of the best foods to eat or avoid for people with diabetes? Read on to find out.

Cut Out Sugar

Cutting sugar out of your diet is one of the most important dietary changes you’ll have to make. One of the key things to understand about the condition is the diabetic’s relationship to blood sugar. Sugar contains an extremely high glycemic index, which is a rating system that measures how quickly each food affects your blood glucose levels. Sugar can cause a rapid increase in blood sugar levels. It also contributes to insulin resistance and greatly compromises your blood glucose control. Sugary beverages such as sodas have very few nutrients but can contain over 140 calories per 12-ounce serving, which can lead to weight gain. At the same time, sugar-rich foods don’t make us feel satisfied like solid foods, leading us to overconsume them. The same thing applies to junk food as well as caffeine. It’s best to stay away from these products altogether.

Don’t Forget To Eat Your Greens

Leafy green veggies are extremely important for managing your blood sugar levels. As we covered above, high blood sugar levels can negatively impact your health when you’re afflicted by this condition. Vegetables such as spinach, kale, lettuce, and broccoli are nutritious and often contain minerals, fiber, and omega-3 fatty acids that help regulate your blood sugar levels. Unlike sugary, caffeinated beverages and foods, they’ll help give you energy and feel fuller for longer periods. This will keep you from overeating, which is necessary when trying to manage your diet. There are many ways to integrate these into your diet, including soups, salads, and smoothies. You can even combine them with foods high in protein, like kale. For instance, a dish that incorporates kale and eggs for breakfast would be a perfect option.

Avoid Fried Meats

Fried foods are breaded, which means there are a lot more carbohydrates in those dishes than you need. As a matter of fact, carbs in general, require management. Note that not all carbs are bad. There are very few carbs in veggies, making them perfect for your diet. Furthermore, complex carbohydrates in brown rice, whole wheat bread, and more should make up about a quarter of your plate. However, across the board, fried foods are usually a no-go for people with diabetes since their high fat content encourages weight gain and wreaks havoc on your blood sugar.

As an expert tip, it might be wise to transition from frying foods to baking them. This is especially true of chicken and fish, which are both excellent when baked, but detrimental to your health when fried. Because of this, fish and chicken are simultaneously some of the best foods to eat or avoid for people with diabetes.

In short, diabetes is a tough condition to live with, but it doesn’t have to be a debilitating one. Keeping these tips in mind should help you manage your condition more efficiently. In time, you should be able to live a happier and healthier life by making these incremental changes.