Being diagnosed with Type II Diabetes is life-changing, and one of the aspects of your life that will be affected the most is your diet. For most people, diabetes can be well-controlled through diet, insulin, and exercise alone, so it is of the utmost importance to eat a healthy diet.
If you have diabetes, it doesn’t mean that you will never be able to enjoy tasty, flavorful foods again. You will just have make smart choices, limit portion sizes, and be open to substitutions. When managed correctly, Diabetes can make a minimal impact on your health and quality of life, so eating right is now more important than ever.
Eat These
The main groups you should focus on in your diet are carbohydrates and fiber. Carbohydrates are important because they give you energy, but you need to determine with a dietician how much you should consume each day to keep your blood sugar in check. Complex carbohydrates (bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, beans) are better for you than simple carbs (sugar, fruits, cookies, cake) because they take longer for your body to digest. Fiber is also essential for a Type II Diabetes diet. It aids in controlling your blood sugar and causes you to feel fuller (making weight loss easier), so be sure to eat plenty of vegetables, brown rice, and whole grains.
Avoid These
There are certain foods you should limit or avoid in your diet if you have Type II Diabetes, and the majority of those foods include a high amount of fat and salt. Having Diabetes increases your chances of developing heart disease, so you should limit your fat intake. Decreasing fat in your diet is actually easier than you think. Choose leaner cuts of meat, such as chicken breast or ground turkey, and avoid fried foods. You can still enjoy most of the same foods, just be sure to grill, bake, boil, or roast them. Diabetes also puts you at risk for high blood pressure, and high salt consumption increases that risk further. Limit salt in your diet by avoiding canned soups, boxed pasta and potatoes, salad dressings, pickles, and other processed foods. You can still give your food flavor by exploring new herbs and spices, such as cayenne, garlic, and lemon pepper.
Sweet Tooth Fix
Sugars can be extremely harmful to your health if you have diabetes, but being diagnosed doesn’t mean saying goodbye to all your favorite desserts. You can still enjoy most sweets if you make some modifications and employ sugar substitutes. There are many delicious, Diabetes-friendly recipes out there, including chocolate mousse cake, blueberry cheesecake bars, and tiramisu. You can even adapt your current favorite recipes by adding Sweet&Low, Stevia, or Splenda to the dish instead of real sugar. You should still save these sweets for special occasions since most of them contain moderate amounts of fat as well.
