Avoiding sugar is not the only factor that needs to be taken into consideration when managing diabetes. Managing your carbohydrate intake is particularly significant. Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet that helps you keep your weight down and keeps your heart healthy is important for managing your diabetes. There are certain foods you should eat to increase your health and certain foods you should avoid to improve your health.
Beans
Adding beans to your diet can be beneficial. The American Diabetes Association considers beans to be a superfood for people with diabetes, because one serving can provide you with a third of your daily fiber needs and beans also contain high levels of magnesium and potassium.
Beans offer a valuable amount of plant-based protein that does not contain the saturated fat that animal-based proteins contain. The fiber and lack of unhealthy fats can help reduce your risk of heart disease.
Whole Grains
Whole grains are packed with the nutrients that refined grains have been stripped of. Eating whole grain products instead of those made with refined grains can help you manage your blood sugar levels; the high fiber content in whole grains allows them to be to digested slowly, which can help you avoid unwanted spikes in blood sugar. Whole grains can also help you manage your weight, which is important for controlling your blood sugar and lowering your heart disease risk.
Leafy Greens
Dark, leafy green vegetables such as kale, spinach and Swiss card are all loaded with vitamins, minerals and fiber. These vegetables contain few calories and their carbohydrates are minimal, making them a healthy food for diabetes, notes the American Diabetes Association.
Trans Fat-Rich Foods
Avoiding foods that contain trans fat is important for everyone, but because of an increased risk of heart disease with diabetes, avoiding trans fats is even more important. Even small amounts of trans fats can increase your bad cholesterol and lower your good. It is important to read ingredient labels to determine if a food contains trans fats, because small amounts are not listed on nutrition labels. Trans fats are solid vegetable fats generally labeled partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. They are used in many processed foods, junk foods and baked goods.
Healthy Fats
Foods that contain healthy fats such as monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats should be a staple in your diet and a replacement for the majority of your saturated fats. Foods that contain these healthy fats include avocados, peanut butter, nuts, seeds, olive oil and canola oil. According to HelpGuide.org, these foods are often high in omega-3 fatty acids, which help reduce inflammation, keep your brain healthy and protect your heart. Specific omega-3 fatty acid rich foods include olive oil, walnuts, flaxseed and salmon.
Sweets
Sweets are often made with refined carbohydrates, which offer you limited nutritional value and can spike your blood sugar levels. Limiting your intake of sweets can help you control your blood sugar and avoid unhealthy weight gain.
White Breads, Pastas and Rice
Because they lack nutrients and negatively affect blood sugar, white bread, white pasta and white rice should be limited. These products made with refined grains that are quickly digested and can thus significantly raise your blood sugar.
