Living with diabetes doesn’t have to mean feeling deprived. The key is to focus on a tasty, balanced diet that will also boost your energy and improve your mood.

There is not a “one-size-fits-all” eating pattern for people with diabetes, but there are a few tips that diabetics can incorporate into their eating plan.

Top 10 tips for eating well

  1. Eat regular meals. Spacing meals evenly throughout the day will help control your appetite and blood glucose levels – especially if you are on twice-daily insulin.
  2. Choose slowly absorbed carbohydrates. Slow-release carbohydrate foods − carbs that are absorbed slowly and keep your blood sugar steady − keep hunger pangs at bay.
  3. Keep hydrated. You need to stay hydrated by drinking 8 to 10 glasses of fluid per day. Water is best, but milk, tea and coffee and herbal teas contribute to this total.
  4. The secret lies in portion sizes. Start by reducing your portions of less-healthful foods by 5 to 10%. You’ll barely notice the trimming, but you’ll immediately taper your intake of kilojoules, carbohydrates, fats, and sodium. Over time this portion slim-down will improve your weight, blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure.
  5. What about sugar? Some sugar can be eaten, especially natural sugar found in fruits and honey but really only in moderation. It is best to consider something sugary as an occasional indulgent treat. Natural sugar-alternative sweeteners (such as stevia) should be used when sweetening food and drinks whenever possible.
  6. Cut back on salt. Too much salt contributes to high blood pressure and this can cause complications for diabetics in particular, so it should be avoided. Removing the salt cellar from your table can be a very simple way to help reduce salt intake, as will adding herbs and spices instead. Processed foods are often laced with salt to add flavour, so check the labels before you buy to see how much salt they contain.
  7. Try to avoid the fat. Choose recipes with less saturated fat. Try to skip the cream sauce and look for lean cuts of meat, skim or low-fat dairy and vegetable sources of protein like beans, lentils or nuts.
  8. Keep to five a day. Aim for at least five portions of fruit and vegetables every day to give your body the vitamins, minerals and fibre it needs.
  9. Drink sensibly. Never swap alcohol for food. Don’t drink alcohol on an empty stomach. Drink artificially sweetened drinks such as diet lemonade. When drinking spirits, have them with water, diet drinks or soda water. When drinking beer, choose a low-alcohol, “lite”, or low-kilojoule variety.
  10. Avoid “diabetes food”. Foods labelled as “diabetic” sound healthy, but they usually don’t offer any real benefit to diabetics and are often expensive. Once again, fresh unprocessed foods (fruit and vegetables, natural proteins, nuts and pulses) are always going to be healthier.

Top ten superfoods

The secret of all these foods is that they have a low GI and provide key nutrients that are lacking in the typical western diet such as calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, vitamins A, C and E.

  1. Citrus fruit. Grapefruit, oranges, lemons and limes provide you with your daily dose of soluble fibre and vitamin C.
  2. Beans. They are very high in fibre, giving you about a third of your daily requirement in just half a cup. Apart from that they are also good sources of magnesium, potassium and protein. If you use canned beans, be sure to drain and rinse them to get rid of as much sodium as possible.
  3. Dark green leafy vegetables. Spinach and kale are low in kilojoules and carbohydrates.
  4. Tomatoes. Tomatoes in any form (pureed, raw or in a sauce) have vital nutrients like vitamin C, iron and vitamin E.
  5. Sweet potatoes. This starchy vegetable is a healthier option than potatoes as they are packed with vitamin A and fibre.
  6. Berries. All berries are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and fibre.
  7. Fish. Fish is high in omega-3 fatty acids. Make it a goal to consume about 400 gram of fish per week.
  8. Whole grains. It’s the germ and bran of the whole grain you’re after. When you purchase processed grains like bread made from enriched wheat flour, you don’t get these. A few more of the nutrients these foods offer are magnesium, chromium, omega-3 fatty acids and folate.
  9. Nuts. Apart from being one of the best tools in hunger management, they are also rich in magnesium and fibre.
  10. Fat-free milk and yogurt. Everyone knows dairy can help build strong bones and teeth. In addition to calcium, many fortified dairy products are a good source of vitamin D.

 

Sources

http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/
http://www.helpguide.org/articles/diet-weight-loss/diabetes-diet-and-food-tips.htm
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/Guide-to-diabetes/Enjoy-food/Eating-with-diabetes/10-ways-to-eat-well-with-diabetes/
http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/condition-15/diabetes/tips-eat-well
http://www.bbcgoodfood.com/howto/guide/how-eat-diabetes-top-10-tips