A healthy diet is essential for everyone, but it is especially important for individuals with diabetes. A type II diabetes diet and proper eating strategy will make all the difference for an individual trying to keep their blood glucose levels under control.
But the query is, what is the right diet scheme?
How Many Carbohydrates Should You Eat?
Carbohydrates are one of the main food groups. They provide the body with energy like glucose. Glucose is the main source of energy for all cells in our body.
Carbohydrates can be found in these daily food groups:
- Fresh fruit
- Natural yogurt and milk
- Bread, grains, cereals, noodles
- Starchy vegetables like potatoes
The Importance of Carbohydrate Counting
Carb counting is really a way of meal planning, an easy way to keep track of how many total carbs you take in each day.
With carb counting, you can manage your carb intake based on pre-meal sugar and insulin intake can also be adjusted. Counting carbohydrates can be followed by anyone, not just diabetics. When you eat a lot more carbohydrates compared to your insulin supply, it can handle a spike in blood sugar.
But If the patient eats too slight, the blood sugar level may drop too low.
Your fiber intake – how much you should be eating
A diet high in soluble fiber is associated with a much lower risk of obesity, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and stroke.
Most Americans should aim to eat about 25 to 35 grams of soluble fiber per day. The best method to improve fiber intake as part of a type II diabetes diet is to have more of the following fiber-rich foods:
- Fresh fruits and vegetables
- Peas and cooked dried beans
- Cereals, crackers and whole grains
- Brown rice
- Bran goods
Dietary fat for type II diabetes
Below are some common recommendations for selecting and setting low-fat foods for a type 2 diabetes diet:
- Choose lean meats such as red meat, poultry and fish. Don’t fry them, instead, you can grill, bake, roast, grill or boil them.
- Choose low-fat dairy products such as skim milk, low-fat cheese, and products made from skim milk, such as nonfat frozen yogurt, nonfat yogurt, buttermilk, and evaporated skim milk.
- Vegetable oils that contain monounsaturated fats, which can benefit lower your “bad” cholesterol.
- Choose lower-fat sauces, salad dressings and margarine, and remember that carbohydrates count in dressings and condiments.
- All fruits and vegetables are great choices for low-fat foods.
