It is mostly seen that when a person is diagnosed with diabetes, they crave certain food and some don’t really like to have anything. Living with diabetes is never about starving yourself or feeling deprived all the time. However, the right way is to manage your diet by eating certain foods and staying away from some of them.
According to the best diabetes doctor in Lahore, the diet which has a perfect mix of fruits, vegetables and proteins is the best one and is full of benefits. If you balance certain foods you can maintain your health, improve your wellbeing overall and can also prevent future hazards.
The following discussed foods are very helpful for people fighting with diabetes. These can also be consumed by people who are looking to add healthy options to their diet just to follow a healthy diet plan.
Greens
Green vegetables are full of vitamins and minerals that are essential for your body. These have a very little impact on the blood sugar level which usually fluctuates when you are a diabetic. Vegetables like spinach contain potassium, calcium and vitamin A. They are also a rich source of fiber and also are rich in protein.
Some of the greens that you should consume include:
- Broccoli
- Spinach
- Cabbage
- Kale
- Collard greens
Do try out kale juice as it is said to work great for diabtic patients in maintaining the blood sugar levels. Add greens in your diet in the form of salads, soups and side dishes.
Grains
If we compare white grains with whole grains, the latter contains higher levels of fiber and much more nutrients than the other. People who suffer from diabetes should always keep their fiber intake more than a normal person consumes.
The high fiber content delays digestion which means that slower absorption of food takes place and this indicates that the blood sugar level increases slowly. White bread and rice have a great impact on the blood sugar level when compared with wheat and whole grains.
Some of the best examples of whole grains include:
- Whole-grain bread
- Rye
- Millet
- Whole-grain pasta
- Bulgur
It is better to opt for whole grain pasta and rice instead of white.
Fatty Fish
Talk about a healthy diet, not mentioning fatty fish seems like a crime. Omega-3 fatty acids are present in enormous amounts in fatty fish. These are also called eicosapentaenoic (EPA).
To keep your heart and brain functioning properly, you need to have healthy fats and in certain amounts. A diet full of fatty acids can be helpful in maintaining the blood sugar level, along with controlling blood lipids.
Try out these fish to get those fats both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated.
- Mackerel
- Herring
- Salmon
- Sardinas
If you want to go for a plant-based alternative source then you can consume seaweed. This includes spirulina and kelp. And instead of eating fried fish, try to go for baked, roasted or grilled options.
Beans
An excellent source of food options for the people with diabetes is beans. If you talk about plant-based protein that also satisfies the appetite of an diabetic person and with that reduces the carbohydrate intake, then don’t look any further, get to the store and buy yourself some beans.
These are said to be working great against high blood sugar levels. As beans are a complex type of carbohydrate, they take longer than other foods to digest. This means the absorption slows down and so does the blood sugar levels. Beans are best for weight loss too, so people who are looking to control their diabetes by reducing weight can opt for beans.
A wide variety of beans is present in the market for you to choose from:
- Black Beans
- Kidney Beans
- Navy Beans
- Pinto Beans
Iron, magnesium and potassium are also present in all of the above mentioned beans. Add beans to your daily diet by adding it into your salads, or just add salt to some boiled beans.
Final Thought
It is very important for a diabetic person to manage their blood sugar levels. Exercise helps, but its impact is equal to zero if you are not taking the right food and nutrients with it. There is no guarantee of treating it completely, but the foods discussed above are a great addition to the diet in order to switch for healthier options.
