Diabetes is a metabolic disorder in which insulin (a hormone from the pancreas) isn't readily available or working correctly to transport glucose into the cells. Without insulin, glucose can't enter the cells and provide the body with energy. It's important to eat a healthy low-sugar diet to keep the demands on insulin low. There is no one list of foods that's always OK to eat. Sometimes it has to do with how a food is prepared. It's more important to look at different diets and styles of food tracking to learn what's best for you. Proper planning allows you to eat a variety of interesting foods.
Low Glycemic Index
Diabetics are often recommended to obtain a low glycemic index form. This list contains all of the fruits, vegetables and other common foods and their glycemic index. The lower the index, the better it is for a diabetic to eat. This means that the body doesn't have to release a bunch of insulin to handle the meal. The more whole a food is in form and the higher in fat it is, the lower the glycemic index. A complete list of these foods can be found on the American Diabetes Association website
The goal is to move away from processed food, for the most common filler is sugar and or salt. The more complex the food, the more the body has to work to break down the food and the less free glucose there is after digestion. According to the American Diabetes Association, people eat 60 percent of meals away from home. Knowing how the food is prepared or asking for certain preparations helps people keep the meals lower in sugar and processed foods. Steamed vegetables have a lower glycemic index than boiled vegetables.
Super Foods
The American Diabetes Association has a list of "super foods" that's helpful in diabetes due to the lower sugars and calories. On this list are foods such as beans (any kind), dark green leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, sweet potatoes, berries, tomatoes, whole grains, nuts, and fish high in omega 3s. All of these foods are helpful because they have a low gylcemic index and because they contain nutrients uncommon in a typical American diet.
DASH Diet Foods
This diet is given more commonly for those with hypertension, but diabetics often have associated hypertension and atherosclerosis. This is due to the extra sugar in the bloodstream tending to form plaques and increasing stress on blood vessels. The Dash diet is very similar to the low glycemic index in terms of approved foods. Eating the DASH diet-approved foods has shown to lower blood pressure in as little as 14 days, according to the DASH diet website (www.dashdiet.org).
