Diabetes diet
If a person is affected with diabetes then his or her body is unable to either make or use insulin properly. This results in high blood glucose level. However by controlling the diet a diabetic person can reduce the blood sugar level. However a diabetes diet should not be started without consulting a physician or a dietician as it can lead to further complications. It is advised that you should limit having sweets and try and eat frequently. You should keep a watch on the amount of carbohydrates that you are eating and add fruits and vegetables to your diet. You should avoid consuming fats and limit your alcohol intake. Besides all these you should never skip any meals. Consult a dietician and ask for the right kind of servings that you should take in and at regular internals of time.
What should your diabetes diet include
Your diabetes diet should contain all the essential things like carbohydrates, proteins and other kinds of foods. However there are limitations to all these contents.
The carbohydrates should come up to not more than 60-70% of the total calorie content and they should consist of complex polysaccharides. You can consume carbohydrates but it should not be in the form of simple sugars.
The consumptions of proteins should be roughly around 0.8g/kg body weight."> However the protein requirement can be increased during pregnancy and lactation or any other catabolic states or for elderly people. The intake of proteins is not to be restricted for nephropathy patients.
Fats should form approximately 20-25% of the total calories. Fats should be taken in equal quantities of mono-unsaturated, saturated and polyunsaturated fats. However your cholesterol intake should be restricted to 300mg on a daily basis. You are required to pay special attention towards the essential fatty acids like Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids. These are abundantly available in fish. You can consider using oils rich in these acids as your cooking oil.
When deciding on diabetes diet if the patient has hypertension then the salt content should be restricted. Fruits should be included in moderate amount. When taking fruits it is advised to take in raw and ripe fruits. Your diabetes diet should be a balance of carbohydrates, fats and proteins so that you can get the adequate amount of nutrition as well as regulate the release of glucose into the blood. The diabetes diet differs from one person to another depending on the state of the person.
You can follow the below mentioned diabetes diet as per the government guidelines.
Starchy Vegetables, grains and beans: They are a good source of fiber and Vitamin B. You can have 6 or more servings of these in a day. You can have 1 slice of bread; English muffin, 1/2 small bagel, or bun ; 1/2 cup rice, pasta, cooked cereal ; 3/4 cup ready-to-eat cereal; 1/2 cup corn, cooked dried beans, peas.
Vegetables: They provide you with fiber, folate and vitamin A and C. You can easily have 3-5 servings in a day. You can have 1/2 cup vegetable juice, 1 cup raw vegetable.
Fruits: They are sources for vitamin A and C and also provide fiber, potassium and folate. You can have 3-4 servings of fruits in a day. You can include 1/2 cup canned fruit ; 1 medium-size fresh fruit; 1/2 cup fruit juice
Milk: It provides you with vitamin A and D and proteins and the maximum amount of calcium. You can have 2-3 servings in a day. You can opt for either 1-cup (8 ounces) milk or yogurt.
Meats and other food items: They are good sources of iron, vitamin B, zinc and proteins. You can have 2-3 servings in a day. You can try out 2-3 ounces fish, skinless poultry, or cooked lean meat ; 2-3 ounces cheese; 1 egg; 2 tablespoons peanut butter.
Fats, sweets and alcohol: These should be consumed in very less quantities. Fats and oils should be taken in small quantities as they have very high calorie content and sweets should be avoided as much as they can. You can have them occasionally in the following quantities 1-teaspoon butter, mayonnaise or margarine; 1 tablespoon salad dressing or cream cheese; 1/2-cup ice cream; 1-tablespoon cream cheese.
These are just examples of what you can ideally have. For more information on the diabetes diet food pyramid you can log on to www.ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/MealPlanner/pyramid.htm. However you should contact your physician before you start following the diet pyramid.">
Gestational diabetes diet
In case it is pregnant woman who is suffering from gestational diabetes then she is required to be very careful with the diet that she is having. In case of a normal pregnancy the woman is just required to have a proper balanced diet but for gestational diabetes the diabetic condition needs to be taken into consideration. The diabetic diet for gestational diabetes includes high amounts of vitamins and minerals."> These can be taken in the form of whole grain cereals, low fat dairy products, fruits, breads, vegetables etc. In case the doctor has prescribed any additional vitamins then they should also be included with these dietary inclusions. The diet should also include lots of fiber to keep the digestion in control.
It is very important for the woman to avoid sweets, which includes ice creams, soft drinks, pies, cakes, cookies etc. The diet should be designed in such a way that it can keep the blood sugar level as normal as possible. In such conditions even fruit juices should be avoided. The best choice can be tomato juice as it has the lowest sugar level.
Having knowledge about the foods that you should eat and those that you should stay away from or eat occasionally can help you stay in control of your health. Following a diabetes diet can help you get in control of your life.
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