Diabetes is a chronic disease marked by an increase in glucose levels in the blood. This increase in glucose causes fluctuations in the hormone, insulin, which controls how much sugar remains in the bloodstream. According to PubMed Health, more than 20 million Americans suffer from some form of diabetes. Eating certain foods can cause you to have an increased risk of developing Type 2 diabetes, while certain foods can also exaggerate blood glucose levels in people who are already diabetic. Your physician may recommend a diet to help you balance blood sugar levels.
Glycemic Index Diet
The low glycemic index diet was originally formulated for diabetics, in an attempt to balance blood glucose levels and minimize the need for medication. The glycemic index, upon which this diet is based, separates carbohydrate-containing foods into low, medium or high categories. Diabetics should avoid foods that are high on the glycemic index, as they cause a rapid increase in blood glucose levels. Eating foods low on the glycemic index will help control blood sugar levels, as these foods cause only small changes in blood glucose levels. Eat foods from the medium group sparingly.
Low-Carb Diet
Low-carbohydrate diets restrict or minimize how much carbohydrate you eat, including bread, grains, and starchy fruits and vegetables. The primary goal of this diet is to help aid in weight loss. If you are diabetic and overweight, your physician may recommend you go on a low-carb diet to prevent complications such as heart disease or high cholesterol. This diet is likely to make you feel fuller longer, which decreases the amount of foods you'll eat per day and also reduces the number of calories you consume each day. According to MayoClinic.com, low-carb diets may also help you lower cholesterol if you focus on sources of unsaturated fats.
Carbohydrate Counting
The American Diabetes Association recommends carbohydrate counting as a way to help manage blood glucose levels. Because carbohydrates raise blood glucose levels naturally, keeping track of the amount of carbohydrates you eat can help manage it by keeping levels in a healthy range. The American Diabetes Association recommends starting with 45 to 60 g of carbohydrates per meal, although your physician may tweak this, depending on your blood glucose levels. To use this diet, you must read nutrition labels to know how much carbohydrates are in each serving of each food you eat.
Create Your Plate
The Create Your Plate diet helps you to focus on meal sizes and make healthier meal choices. This diet works by having you first draw an imaginary line down the center of your dinner plate. Next, you section one of the halves into two, giving the plate one large section and two smaller sections. The largest section should contain nonstarchy carbohydrates. One of the smaller sections should contain starchy foods and the other should contain meat or meat substitutes. This method helps control weight gain and blood glucose.
