What can I eat if I have diabetes?
Being diabetic may pose a lot of new adjustments in one’s life. A diabetic patient may have to change his/her lifestyle, including his/her diet. Do you know someone with diabetes? Have you ever wondered what he/she eats every day? Or better yet, are you diabetic? Here are some nutritional guidelines for people with diabetes.
Limit refined carbohydrates.
White bread, pasta, rice, soda, and some snack foods are just some of the foods that you should avoid. When diagnosed with diabetes, the patient should know that carbohydrates can greatly affect your blood sugar levels. You need to choose the right types of food to eat due to this reason. It doesn’t completely mean that you should avoid sugar for the rest of your life. You need to plan your diet properly by being conscious of the serving size and cutting down on carbohydrates. You can still enjoy a dessert as long as it is part of a healthy meal.
Instead, eat foods with high-fiber complex carbohydrates.
Eating this type of foods means carbohydrates will be digested slowly in order to prevent your body from producing too much insulin. Try high-fiber foods like brown rice, sweet potatoes, yam, whole-wheat pasta and bread, rolled oats, peas or leafy greens.
Apply moderation in eating sweets.
You don’t have to eliminate sweets from your diet right away. You only need to eat them with moderation. Reduce the sugar in your diet and add some fat on your dessert. Blood sugar levels won’t increase immediately if you add healthy fats to your diet. These fats slow down the digestive process. Some of these fats are peanut butter, yogurt, and nuts. Never ever eat sweets alone since your blood sugar levels may increase quickly. Always eat them along with healthy foods.
These are just some of the few tips you can take to observe a balanced diet. You can talk to a dietician or to your doctor about your food choices with regards to being diabetic. Take note, though, that having diabetes does not mean you are limited to food especially sweets. Moderation is always the key.
West Coast Nursing Ventura has registered dieticians who can help you with your diet. They will educate, assist, and care for you so that you will feel healthy and comfortable. You don’t have to travel a long way to meet our dieticians. They can visit you directly and deliver the best home health services. This will be an excellent and hassle-free option for you! Give us a call now at 805-496-0900