There are literally thousands of foods you can eat, even though you have diabetes. Your nutritional needs do not differ greatly from those without this disease, however, there is a difference in some foods that adversely affect your blood sugar levels. These are the foods you need to restrict. Monitoring your diet carefully, and eating foods that benefit your condition allows you to live a longer, happier life.
Significance
Some foods have a greater impact on your blood sugar levels than others. Your goal is to keep your blood sugar levels stable on a consistent basis. On occasion they may rise, however, consistent spikes can lead to complications such as kidney damage or failure, nerve damage, eye damage leading to blindness, foot damage and skin problems.
Restricting the number of calories you eat is just as important. Being overweight is a primary risk factor for Type 2 diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic. The higher the calorie count, the harder it is to control your target blood sugar levels.
Function
Preventing spikes in your blood sugar levels depends greatly on the food you eat, mainly carbohydrates. Two variables factor into this --- the amount of sugar the food contains, and how quickly your body absorbs the sugar once it breaks down. The faster your body absorbs the sugar, the faster your blood sugar rises.
Calorie restriction is vital as well. Your doctor will determine the number of calories you need to eat every day, either to lose weight or maintain the weight you are at. Exceeding these calories not only leads to weight gain, but throws your blood sugar levels out of balance.
Types
Simple carbohydrates are full of sugar and calories; restrict these foods from your diet as much as possible. Sources include soda, candy, sweetened cereal and flavored water. Read food labels when you shop; anything ending in "-ose" is your enemy. Fuctose, sucrose and lactose. Maple syrup, honey, powdered sugar, confectionery sugar and molasses are among some of the items to avoid. Canned fruit lies in a can of syrup; this syrup contains high fructose corn syrup. Pour the syrup from the can and rinse the fruit thoroughly before eating it if you choose to purchase it.
Saturated fats are another type of food to steer clear of. Primary sources are red meat, whole-fat dairy and eggs. These fats are high in calories and increase your risk of high cholesterol and heart disease, both of which tend to accompany diabetes. Keep your consumption to 7 percent of your total daily caloric intake.
While unsaturated fats are heart healthy, like almonds, peanuts, cashews, avocados, olives, canola oil, sunflower oil and olive oil, they are still fats and are still high in calories. Ask your doctor how much your daily consumption of these fats is safe to consume.
Considerations
Diabetes affects everyone differently, therefore you should need to ask your doctor how many carbohydrates are safe for your to consume. Follow his instructions and consume the right number of calories each day as well; eating too few calories is just as dangerous as eating too many.
Help Guide recommends eating six times a day, splitting your calories evenly between each meal and snack. This regulates your blood sugar levels and prevents overeating. This constant satisfaction helps prevent the desire to eat an unhealthy, sugar-filled snack.
Benefits
Developing healthier eating habits, restricting high-sugar foods, watching your caloric intake and monitoring the amount of fat you consume is no different than a diet for someone who is trying to drop a few pounds. The benefits of restricting these foods to control your diabetes, though, are nothing short of amazing. Not only are you taking control of your current health condition, you are preventing a number of other adverse conditions from taking control of your life.
