When diabetes is not managed properly, it increases the risk of many diseases and can even lead to death. People with diabetes can manage their condition by following a diabetes/sugar diet plan, exercising regularly, and taking medications as prescribed. Managing diabetes can reduce the risk of developing complications and improve the quality of life.
As much as it is necessary to take herbal diabetes medicine and exercise to maintain diabetes, following a sugar diet chart is equally important. By adopting a well-balanced diabetes diet plan, individuals can maintain healthy blood sugar levels and enjoy a healthier lifestyle.
If you strictly follow your personalized diabetic diet chart, you can reduce the need for diabetes medicines or at least reduce your dependency on them. This blog post will explore food you should add to your diet chart to manage your diabetes effectively. So let’s get started….
Food to Add in Your Sugar Diet Chart to Manage Diabetes:
If you have diabetes and need to manage your blood sugar levels, it's important to be mindful of your sugar intake and choose foods that have a minimal impact on your blood glucose. Here are some foods to include in your sugar control diet chart:
- Non-Starchy Vegetables: Such as broccoli, spinach, kale, cucumbers, cauliflower, and bell peppers. These are low in calories and carbohydrates and high in fibre, vitamins, and minerals.
- Whole Grains: Opt for whole grains like brown rice, quinoa, barley, oats, and whole wheat instead of refined grains. Whole grains are higher in fibre and cause a slower rise in blood sugar.
- Lean Proteins: Include sources like skinless chicken, turkey, fish, tofu, legumes, and beans. These provide essential nutrients without raising blood sugar significantly.
- Healthy Fats: Choose foods rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats like avocados, nuts, seeds, and olive oil. Fats can slow down sugar absorption, helping regulate blood sugar levels.
- Low-Fat Dairy: Opt for low-fat or non-fat versions of dairy products like cow milk, low-fat milk, yoghurt, and cheese to reduce saturated fat intake.
- Fruits: While fruits contain natural sugars, they can still be part of a diabetic diet. Choose fruits with lower sugar, such as jamun, berries, apples, pears, plump and papaya.
- Nuts and Seeds: Almonds, walnuts, chia seeds, and flaxseeds are excellent additions to your diet due to their fibre and healthy fat content.
- Herbs and Spices: Use herbs and spices like cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger. As studies have shown, it helps to improve insulin sensitivity.
Food to Avoid in Diabetes:
Here are some foods you should avoid if you follow diabetes/sugar diet plan:
- Avoid sugary beverages, soda, fruit juices, and sweetened drinks, as they can cause rapid blood sugar spikes
- Avoid white rice, white bread, and sugary snacks, as they can lead to high blood sugar levels
- Avoid fried foods, processed meats, and full-fat dairy, as they can increase insulin resistance
- Avoid intake of fruits like grapes, bananas, and mangoes due to their high sugar content
- Avoid pre-packaged meals as they often contain hidden sugars and unhealthy fats
- Apart from the above, consuming alcohol in excess can also affect blood sugar levels drastically
Conclusion:
By following a diabetic diet chart, you can manage diabetes naturally. Incorporating non-starchy vegetables, whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, low-fat dairy and select fruits can help regulate blood sugar effectively. Additionally, using herbs and spices in cooking can improve insulin sensitivity. On the other hand, it's important to avoid sugary beverages, refined grains, fried foods, excessive alcohol, and high-sugar fruits to prevent spikes in blood sugar. By adopting this sugar diabetes plan, you can enjoy a healthier lifestyle and potentially reduce your dependency on diabetes medications.
