#HealthBytes: Top diet tips to help you manage diabetes
Diabetes is India's fastest growing disease, with around 72 million recorded cases in the year 2017 itself. Characterized by frequent urination, fatigue, and nausea, diabetes can lead to dreadful health issues like cardiovascular disease, kidney damage, skin conditions, and even depression. However, with healthy changes in one's diet, diabetes can be managed. Here are top diet tips to help you deal with diabetes.
Aim for whole foods and fiber
To begin with, include more whole grains and fiber in your diet to manage diabetes. Get more whole grains into the system- with the likes of whole wheat, and brown rice. Further, try and get around 8 grams of fiber per meal, as it will help you stay fuller, manage blood sugar, and improve your heart health. Peas, beans, oats, barley all are good options.
Always count your carbs!
A meal plan with just the right balance of carbohydrates is vital to your overall management of diabetes. Carbohydrates significantly affect your blood sugar levels, and are important for providing you energy through the day. Low carbs consumption will deprive of the required energy, while too many carbs will spike up your blood sugar levels. Whole-grains, fruits, and low-fat dairy foods should be preferred.
Break your diet into smaller portions and don't skip meals
Break down your daily food-intake into 5-6 smaller, nutritious meals. This will help maintain your glucose and energy levels. Also, it'll keep you from unhealthy snacking, thus reducing risk of blood sugar level hikes. Additionally, it is crucial to neither skip meals, nor ever overeat, as these may imbalance your blood sugar levels, whether or not you suffer from diabetes.
What to eat, what not to eat
Stick to food items that won't hike your blood sugar levels. Healthy options include lean meats, poultry, fish, avocados, salad vegetables, eggs, and cheese. Additionally, cut down on saturated fats in your diet. Try and skip high-fat dairy foods. More often than not, packaged and processed foods should be avoided, and if consumed, one should check the labels for added sugars, fats, artificial sweeteners.
Choose the right cooking oil for yourself
In case of diabetes, not all cooking oils are the same. Some fatty cooking oils may worsen your condition, while some can help you manage diabetes. Healthy options like rice bran oil, and sesame oil can help improve insulin sensitivity, manage blood pressure, and keep blood sugar levels in check. Don't fall prey to misleading ads- check for the labels, and then decide.
