#HealthBytes: Five essential diet tips to manage diabetes
Unfortunately, diabetes is growing rapidly in India, with around 72 million cases recorded in 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 diet changes, diabetes can be dealt with. Here are five diet tips to help you manage diabetes.
Incorporate more of whole grains and fiber into your diet
Include more and more whole grains and fiber in your diet. Get more whole grains into the system - the likes of whole wheat and brown rice. Further, try and get around eight grams of fiber per meal, as it will help you stay fuller, manage blood sugar, and improve your heart health. Peas, beans, oats, and barley are all good options.
Always count your carbs
A meal plan with just the right balance of carbohydrates is vital to effectively manage diabetes. Carbohydrates significantly affect your blood sugar levels, but are important for providing you energy through the day. Low-carbs consumption will deprive you of the required energy, while too many carbs can spike up your blood sugar levels. Hence, whole-grains, fruits, and low-fat dairy foods should be preferred.
Break your diet into smaller portions, and never skip meals
Break down your daily food-intake into 5-6 smaller, nutritious meals. This will help maintain your glucose and energy levels. Also, this will keep you from unhealthy snacking, thus reducing risk of hike in sugar levels. Additionally, it is crucial to neither skip meals, nor ever overeat, as that may lead to imbalance in your blood sugar levels, whether or not you suffer from diabetes.
Make the right food choices
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. Notably, 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
For diabetics, not all cooking oils are the same. Some fatty cooking oils may worsen your condition, while some others 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 labels, and then decide.
