Foods for People with Diabetes
There are only a few reasons why people are diagnosed with diabetes. It is either genetic, or caused by excessive amounts of sugar. It has since gotten worse because of the dawn of fast food and commercially made food products. Therefore, adding to the list of reasons is obesity or failure to exercise.
Diabetes comes with several symptoms depending on the type of diabetes you have. Those with type 1 diabetes often experience fatigue, nausea, vomiting and weight loss (regardless of their increase in appetite). Type 2 diabetics don’t experience many symptoms but they do, such as fatigue and blurred vision.
Dieticians have to calculate the total amount of calories a diabetic should have on a daily basis. The diet must be low in fat, sugar, salt and high in fruits and vegetables and starchy carbohydrate foods such as rice and bread.
For a source of carbohydrates, foods such as oatmeal, apples, avocados, carrots, mushrooms and tomatoes are good. These foods have low glycaemic index. Foods such as breakfast cereals (e.g. cornflakes and sugar-coated cereals), white bread, cakes, bagels, watermelon, potatoes and parsnip have high glycaemic index.
Protein is made up of chemicals called amino acids which are the building blocks of mostly all body tissue. It is healthy for your muscles and bones. Vegetarian diabetics don’t have to eat meat in order to get protein. Some vegetables are good sources of protein such as beans. Peanuts, pine nuts, chicken eggs, skinless chicken and lean cuts of meat that is non-intensively reared are other good sources.
A food rich in fiber is most important because this nutrient can lower the requirement for insulin and a high fiber diet means more chromium which helps in the treatment of diabetes. Whole wheat bread, fresh fruits and vegetables, beans and bran products (e.g. Wheat-bran cereal) are good sources.
Although diabetics should eat food with low fat, fat is a nutrient that is important in promoting healthy cell function. A diabetic must watch out for the type of fat they consume. A diabetic should consume fat that is high in unsaturated fat instead of food with saturated fat and trans fat. Pure vegetable oils, oily fish such as tuna, mackerel, tuna and herrings and nuts are high a good source. Foods such as butter, cream, skimmed milk and coconut oil may be eaten sparingly.
A more precise menu may be given by the dietician during a check-up. But the foods mentioned above are the common ones given.