While everyone wants to, it can be difficult to put the time and effort into maintaining good health in today’s fast-paced world, especially when you are diabetic. But it is important to manage diabetes, if you follow the best diet plan for diabetes then you may live your life with diabetes easily, if you do not then it can create more problems in your life which Can affect your family too.
Focus on mainly two key components:
- Following a balanced, nutritious, and healthy diet.
- Regular exercise and other Physical activity
Indians are born with a sweet tooth. With the endless number of festivals celebrated every year in our country, people have plenty of reasons to consume more sugary goods.
The Glycemic Index examines how much a certain food raises blood sugar levels when eaten.
It ranges from 0 to 100; here, 0 represents foods devoid of carbs and 100 represents foods that are pure sugar or have immense sugar quantity.
- Low GI = 0 – 55
- Moderate GI = 56 – 69
- High GI = 70 and above
|
FRUITS / VEGETABLES |
GLYCEMIC INDEX |
|
Papaya |
60 |
|
Jamun / Indian Blackberry |
25 |
|
Orange |
43 |
|
Grapefruit |
25 |
|
Lemon |
20 |
|
Cabbage |
10 |
|
Spinach |
15 |
|
Bitter melon |
18 |
|
Kale |
5 |
|
Asparagus |
15 |
Self Care in diabetes is important, Focus on including the following food items in the diet plan for diabetic patients:
1. Fruits and Vegetables:
Papaya
Papayas is one of the fruits that are good for diabetes patients. Papaya has a sweet rich taste and texture, containing low level of sugar percentage it is ideal for diabetics.
It contains following nutrients:
- Folate
- Vitamin A
- Fiber
- Copper
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Pantothenic acid
Health Benefits:
- Reduce Inflammation
- Improves Digestion
- Improves bowel movements
- Reduces risk of complications arising due to diabetes
Jamun /Indian Blackberry
Commonly known as malabar plum, black plum, or Jamun, this tasty fruit is like a treat to people who have diabetes or those whose blood sugar levels are alarmingly high (Prediabetics).
Lying on low GI scale, it contains following nutrients:
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B6
- Calcium
- Potassium
- Fiber
- Antioxidants
- Iron
- Manganese
Health Benefits:
- Enhances insulin secretion
- Improve gut health
- Promotes heart health
- Natural immunity booster
- Strengthen teeth and helps in maintaining oral hygiene
- Promotes weight loss
- Improves skin texture
Citrus fruits
The following citrus fruits are called superfoods for diabetes:
|
Oranges |
Grapefruits |
Lemons |
|
Contains: Vitamin C Fiber Potassium Folates Flavonols Flavanones Phenolic acids |
Contains: Vitamin C Beta carotene Fibers Potassium Vitamin A Thiamine Folate Magnesium |
Contains: Vitamin C Soluble fiber Flavonoids Vitamin B6 |
|
Benefits: Improves Digestion |
Benefits: Promotes intestinal health Lowers low-density lipoprotein Decreases inflammation. |
Benefits: Controls blood sugar levels Helps in weight loss Protects against kidney stones |
Green Vegetables
Leaf vegetables or green vegetables are low in calories, fats, and natural sugar content and that’s why are the favorite pick of dieticians when creating diet plans for people diagnosed with diabetes.
Leaf vegetables contain high levels of
- Vitamin C
- Pro Vitamin A
- Dietary fiber
- Vitamin K
- Folate
- Manganese
One can include the following green vegetables in their diet:
- Cabbage
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Kale
- Green Beans
- Asparagus
- Bok Choy
- Bitter melon
2. Whole grains
You should consume more whole grains since they contain fiber which slows glucose absorption unlike carbohydrates, fiber takes more time to digest, so it helps regulate blood sugar levels better.
One can include the following whole grains in their diet:
- Oats
- Brown Rice
- Quinoa
- Buckwheat
- Barley
- Millet
- Whole wheat
- Whole rye
3. Lean protein
Lean proteins contain following:
- Low level of saturated fats
- Low level of calories
You can inculcate following food options in your diet for lean proteins
- Fish
- Lentils
- Eggs
- Chicken
- Hummus
- Beans
- Turkey
- Nuts
- Chia Seeds
- Flax seeds
4. Healthy fats
Diet for diabetic patients must stress on usage of polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat, and omega-3 fatty acids, as they reduce cholesterol, assist in controlling blood pressure, help control blood sugar levels, and safeguard the heart from cardiovascular disorders.
What to Avoid
There are many foods to avoid in diabetes, it can cause you many problems and can also harm your immune system and your overall health, if you are following the best diet plan for diabetes, So make sure you do not consume these food items.
Sugary drinks
Avoid sugary drinks, especially carbonated beverages like Coke. An average can of carbonated drink contains more calories than the recommended healthy daily limit and can be a curse for diabetic patients.
Similarly one should prefer consuming raw fruits rather than drinking them in juice form. As in juice form, it is difficult to monitor calorie intake and the chances of accidental overconsumption of calories are way more than in the case of eating raw fruits.
Fried foods
Fried food contributes to other risk factors in diabetes which include increased blood pressure, and obesity because of high calories making the complications worse. Because of the slow digestion of fried foods, there are chances of hyperacidity and an increase in blood glucose levels.
Processed foods
Processed foods fall in the complete opposite definition of nutritious food.
They solely constitute of following:
- Refined Ingredients
- Artificial substances
- Sweeteners
- Chemical flavoring agents
All the above mentioned ingredients can affect the body negatively if consumed for a long period of time.
Examples of processed food items:
- Frozen food
- Ready to eat meals
- Instant Noodle
- Packaged Bread
- Breakfast Cereals
- Chips
Sample Meal Plan
Sample Indian diet chart for diabetic patients that everyone can follow:
|
Breakfast |
Lunch |
Dinner |
Snacks |
|
6 AM – 7 AM: Start your day with a glass of lukewarm lemon water. You can add drops of honey as per your preference (Optional) 8 AM: 1 bowl upma or 1 dal moong chilla along with homemade mint chutney |
1 AM: Half bowl of sauteed green leafy vegetable, 1 bowl of brown rice along with lentils or 2 chapatis 1 bowl of vegetables along with ½ bowl of lentils. |
9 PM: 2 chapatis, half bowl of vegetables, half bowl of lentils along with the green salad. |
Mid-morning 11 AM: 1 cup milk/ buttermilk/ tea/ soup Evening 4 AM: 1 bowl of green sprouts/ 1 tablespoon of nuts/ 1 cup boiled chana/ fresh fruits. |
Conclusion
Living with diabetes can be hard for some individuals, nevertheless it is not unmanageable. Diabetes is a disease that is affected by your diet, so if you do not control what you eat then it can cause trouble to your body, following a diet plan for diabetes will also improve your overall health.
All you’ve got to do is integrate some healthy practices into your daily life. Being disciplined when it comes to food and adhere to portion management rather than losing self-control and consuming foods that might cause blood sugar levels to rise.
Monitor your sugar level regularly and consume calories as per your body’s requirements. Like this, you will be able to also taste your favorite delicacies every once in a while without compromising your health.
Along with a proper diet plan for diabetes it will be more effective if you follow the healthy life style, Like, Do yoga asanas for diabetes, Keep active your physical health, take diabetes medicine on time, managing your sleep, stress. Overall don’t just rely on diet only.
