Diabetes is a condition in which your body fails to make or properly use insulin. This can cause you to develop high glucose, or sugar, levels in your blood. In order to avoid this condition, called hyperglycemia, you may need to take certain medications. Consuming a healthy, well-balanced diet can also help reduce and control your blood sugar levels. This can help prevent complications from diabetes, such as kidney damage, vision problems, or heart problems. You should consult your doctor and dietitian for a detailed and individualized meal plan.
Starches
The National Digestive Disorders Information Clearinghouse says that including starches at each meal is healthy for a diabetic. Starches include breads, grains, cereals and some vegetables, and they provide your body with carbohydrates, fiber, minerals and vitamins. Choosing whole-grain starches is particularly good because they help deliver sugar from food to your bloodstream at a steady rate. This supplies you with a steady and controlled rate of energy. Whole grains are also satiating and can prevent you from overeating. Good choices of starches are whole-wheat bread, oatmeal, quinoa, brown rice, beans, sweet potatoes, lentils and corn.
Vegetables and Fruits
Vegetables and fruits are a healthy inclusion on a diabetic diet. Vegetables contain fiber for satiety and also provide your body with essential vitamins and minerals. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), good choices include green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, kale and collards. Other good choices include carrots, broccoli, bell peppers, onions and cabbage. You can add vegetables to salads and cooked meals or eat them raw for snacks to help boost your intake of these healthy foods. Fruits, such as oranges and berries, are also healthy choices because they provide your body with antioxidants. Antioxidants can help protect your body from free radicals, substances that cause cellular damage, illness and infection.
Low-Fat Proteins
Foods high in saturated and trans fat can contribute to high cholesterol and heart disease. Diabetes can increase your risk for stroke and heart disease. Therefore, in order to avoid increasing your risk for poor heart health and worsening diabetic symptoms, you should choose protein sources that are low in fats. Good choices include lean cuts of poultry, fish, tofu, beans, and nuts and seeds. These foods are lower in artery-clogging saturated and trans fat.
Low-Fat Dairy
Dairy products can be a good source of calcium, a mineral that helps build strong bones. Dairy also delivers a good supply of energy-rich carbohydrates to your body. Low-fat dairy foods are good choices, and you should avoid higher-fat dairy sources. Foods high in fat can raise your risk for heart disease and other problems that can complicate diabetes. For a heart-healthy, diabetic meal plan, you can choose low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt and low-fat cheese.
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