Facts About Foods Diabetic People Can Eat

July 11, 2008 by Max Rad  
Filed under Diabetes

by Max Peykar

The most basic way to treat diabetes is to modify the patient’s daily diet and increase physical activity. The foods diabetic people can eat are varied. Contrary to popular belief, there are many delicious recipes to prepare foods to suit a diabetic’s needs.

Type I Diabetes is mostly seen in children, but it’s no longer believed to be affecting just them. It’s an autoimmune disease, which is caused by damaged insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas. In comparison, Type II Diabetes is a metabolic disorder, where the body is insulin resistant or deficient. Common foods recommended in a diabetic diet include fibrous, sugar-free and fat-free varieties.

Diabetes is mostly seen in people who are overweight and physically inactive. But, despite the stereotypical patient categorization, there are people who get the disease because of heredity. The lifestyle is almost always responsible for the onset of diabetes, because even if you are susceptible to it due to genes, you can still avoid it by following a proper diet and exercise regime. While diabetes can be kept at bay by using external medication to give enough insulin to the body, the first treatment method recommended by physicians is a practical daily diet consisting of various healthy food options.

You also have to make sure that you stay active – some kind of activity that you enjoy, whether it is walking, or dancing, or jogging – should be taken up and stuck to, for at least half an hour each day. You should also make sure that your diet is designed with healthy alternatives to your regular eating habits, and avoids things like sweets, high-fat foods and alcohol.

Carbs, proteins, vitamins and minerals are essential in the daily diet, and can be acquired through foods diabetic people can eat. Whole grains, oats and wholemeal bread are excellent sources of fibrous carbohydrates, an essential part of a diabetic diet. Proteins are found in fish and lean meat, and in vegetarian options like seeds, nuts and legumes. Fresh fruits and green, leafy vegetables are essential in any diet, as they provide you with the vitamins and the minerals your body needs. Water is also essential – at least eight glasses every day is recommended.

Most recipes for diabetic diet plans are prepared without creams and sauces, because these are often heavily loaded with sugar and fat. Sweet and sour, teriyaki and barbecue sauces are to be avoided at all costs.

Other items that most emphatically are not foods diabetic people can eat are red meat, cheese, butter, carbonated drinks, eggs and mayonnaise. Unsaturated fats and unsweetened foods must be opted for, instead. Once you are diagnosed with diabetes, you have a responsibility to yourself and to those who care for you to stay healthy. It is essential to talk to a nutritionist or to your doctor, understand the foods you can eat, and design a diet you can follow as a long-term plan.

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