Effective Diet Plan that Must be Added in your Daily Routine to Avoid Diabetes

Everyone is aware of the health complications that can result from diabetes. People with diabetes are more prone to heart problems and nervous disorders. Fortunately, diabetes is preventable and in some cases can also be reversed. All you need to do is to eat the right diet, switch to healthy habits and exercise (or brisk walking in best walking shoes for diabetics). And when we talk about eating right, it included the diet that helps control your blood glucose levels. A diabetes diet also means consuming nutrient-foods at proper times and in moderate amounts.

If you are suffering from diabetes and want to control/reverse it, follow our guide given below. It features what you should eat and what not along with meal plan methods.

Foods & Drinks You Should Eat In Diabetes

If you have high glucose levels, then you should include the following food groups in your daily meals:

• Fruits: Citrus and fiber-rich fruits like melon, lemon, oranges, berries, and grapes. Potassium-rich fruits like bananas, apricot, and grapefruit.
• Vegetables: Non-starchy veggies like tomatoes, beans, pepper, carrots, cabbage, spinach, kale, and broccoli. You can have starchy vegetables less often. Examples of starchy veggies include potatoes and corn. Instead of potatoes, it’s better to eat sweet potatoes.
• Whole grains: This includes barley, oats, millets, rice, wheat, and quinoa.
• Proteins: Eggs, fish, tofu, lean meat, and chicken without the skin.
• Nuts and Seeds: almonds, walnuts, and chia seeds.
• Dairy products: (should be low fat or fat-free) cheese, yogurt, and milk.

Food & Drinks You Shouldn’t Eat In Diabetes

People with Diabetes should resist the following food and drinks:

• High-GI Foods: This includes white bread, white rice, white pasta, puffed rice, white potatoes, melons, popcorn, and pineapple. If you eat these items, make sure to pair them up with proteins or healthy fats.
• Carb-heavy foods: Most of the carbohydrates are present in the 3 food groups: fruit, milk, and starch.
• Refined sugar: Refined sugar is present in almost everything that tastes sweet. This includes cookies, sweets, cakes, ice-cream, etc.
• Sugary drinks: Shakes, smoothies, energy drinks, juices and beverages like tea and coffee
• Unhealthy fats: Trans and saturated fats should be avoided in diabetes. These fats are found in dairy, red meat, tropical oils, processed and fried foods like chips and fries.
• Sodium-rich foods – Foods that are high in sodium/salt can elevate blood pressure and sugar levels.
• Alcohol

Meal plan methods

There are two common meal plan methods diabetic patients should follow:

The plate method: This method includes filling half of your plate with starch-free veggies, a quarter with proteins and the last portion of the plate with whole-grains. Include healthy fats in this serving method. You can add a fruit or a fat-free/low-fat dairy item.

Carbohydrate counting: This method will require you to calculate the exact amount of carbohydrates you are consuming. Carbohydrates tend to have a great impact on one’s sugar levels and therefore, it is important to limit their intake. Calculating carbs will also help in adjust your insulin dose (if any).

The exact amount of carbs one should take depends on his/her medications and how physically active he/she is. Consult your dietician or health practitioner to know a diet based on this meal plan method.