People with diabetes are at greater risk for developing health problems ranging from heart disease to nerve damage. However, by carefully managing dietary sugar and fat, you can reduce these risks significantly. With key food substitutions for diabetes, you can enjoy a rich, varied diet that helps you avoid spikes in your blood-sugar levels.
Fruit Instead of Candy and Juice
Most candy and even some fruit juices contain very high levels of sugar, which can send blood glucose levels soaring in diabetics. While whole fruit also contains sugar in the form of fructose, the presence of fiber lessens the impact on your blood sugar levels. For example, the American Diabetes Association suggests that a piece of food with more than 5 g of fiber means you can subtract 2.5 g from the overall carbohydrate/sugar total. So instead of candy, try frozen berries as an alternative. Opt for water over fruit juice when thirsty.
Monounsaturated Fats
Swapping a limited amount of foods with lots of monounsaturated fats for sugary or fatty foods suits the diabetic diet, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center. The center suggests monounsaturated fat-rich nuts such as almonds and walnuts, or spreads like peanut butter, are good snacks in small doses. These make useful alternatives to saturated fatty snacks such as potato chips or sugary spreads such as jelly. Remember that nuts are high in calories, so should be eaten in limited amounts.
Potato Products
Potatoes contain lots of starchy carbohydrates, which can raise your blood-sugar level fast. Instead, try using mashed turnips or cauliflower as substitutes for mashed potatoes. A 100 g serving of mashed potato contains over 17 g of carbohydrates, while the same amount of cauliflower contains around 4 g and turnips around 5 g. Jicama or sweet potato makes a lighter alternative to potato fries when cut and cooked in a similar way.
Red Meat And Sodium
As diabetics have higher risk of heart disease, many nutritionists recommend limiting the saturated fat and cholesterol in the diet. One way is to avoid red meat, particularly in fatty forms like burgers and fried steaks. Instead, try eating grilled chicken, which contains less fat overall. Many types of oily fish such as mackerel and salmon also contain omega-3 fatty acids, which are linked with a healthier heart. You could swap a beef steak for a tuna steak every so often, or try salmon instead of pork.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Diabetes Diet - Type 2 - All Information
- University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Indulge Your Taste Buds; Dec. 2010
- American Diabetes Association: Carbohydrates
- Joslin Diabetes Center: Keeping a Healthy Kitchen with Diabetes; Sophia Cheung
- MayoClinic.com: Diabetes Complications; Jan. 2011
- Ohio State University Medical Center: Heart Healthy Diet: Low Fat, Low Cholesterol, Low Sodium Diet
