Your Diet and Diabetes

Diabetes diagnosis automatically means a change in your diet. Some meals become unhealthy and toxic for your body when consumed as they can cause your blood sugar level to rise. Also keeping your weight considerably low can help you manage the disease better as it has no cure. Here are some foods that are good for Type 2 Diabetics :

Foods good for diabetes

Carbohydrates such as brown rice, whole wheat, quinoa, oatmeal, barley, cornmeal ( divide what you are used to eating into two) eat more or whole grains.
Proteins such as lean meat, chicken or turkey without the skin, fish, eggs, nuts, dried beans and certain peas, such as chickpeas and split peas, meat substitutes, such as tofu.
Fruits such as oranges, melon, berries, apples, bananas, and grapes
Vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, greens, peppers, tomatoes, potatoes, corn, and green peas
Dairy such as nonfat or low fat milk or lactose-free milk if you have intolerance, yogurt, cheese.

Nigerian foods good for diabetes

Contrary to believe that Nigerian food is unhealthy and limited especially for diabetic patients, here is a list from Guardian Nigerian

Nigerian soups: Vegetable soup, Okra soup, Edikan Ikong, Waterleaf soup, Ogbono soup, Egusi soup, Afang soup
Staple foods (swallow): Wheatmeal fufu, Guinea corn fufu, Unripe plantain fufu
Stews and sauces: Tomato stew, Garden egg stew, Shredded chicken sauce, Shrimp sauce, Fresh Fish sauce or stew, Smoked fish sauce
Low carb meals: Brown basmati rice and stew, Unripe plantain porridge, Moi Moi, Boiled plantain with stew, Roasted plantain with fish sauce, Plantain with beans porridge, Beans and whole wheat bread
Healthy snacks: Garden eggs with peanut butter, Coconuts, Boiled groundnuts, Akara balls, Tiger nuts, Nigerian pear.
Comfort foods: Isi ewu, Nkwobi, Cow leg, Cow tongue, Fish pepper soup, Chicken pepper soup, Snail pepper soup, Peppered snail, Liver sauce, Gizzard pepper soup
Healthy drinks: Zobo without sweeteners, Guinea corn (Dawa) kunu, Millet (joro) kunu, Unsweetened yoghurt

Foods to avoid if you have diabetes

Processed carbohydrates like sugar, white bread, anything with flour, cookies, pastries, pasta, etc
Sodas (substitute with water instead)
Processed fruit juices
Food rich in trans fats, high-fat animal products, high-fat dairy products
High fructose corn syrup, artificial sweeteners, and any highly processed food is unhealthy

Can intermittent fasting help me manage diabetes?

Understandably you might want to reduce your food intake in hopes that you reduce weight and one of the most common methods is through intermittent fasting: (Intermittent fasting is staying away from food for certain hours)

However, the impact of intermittent fasting on diabetics is still largely debatable. According to Everyday Health, Limiting your meals to certain times and fasting may lead to multiple health benefits, including lower cholesterol, blood pressure, and blood sugar.

Intermittent fasting may be beneficial for diabetics who want to lose weight but at the same time, there’s a possibility that major adjustments in eating patterns could lead to swings in blood sugar levels, which can be dangerous. For example, If you use insulin or medications and suddenly eat much less than normal, your blood sugar can drop too low. This is known as hypoglycemia and can be risky, causing symptoms such as shakiness, confusion, irritability, rapid heartbeat, low energy, blurred vision, nausea amongst others.

There’s also a risk of hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). It can happen if you eat more than you typically do, which is likely to occur if you’re especially hungry after a period of fasting. Hyperglycemia can increase your risk of diabetes complications

So your best bet and to be on a safer side is to speak with your physician before starting any diet or weight loss plan. If you are a Wellahealth Subscriber you can request for a diet plan for free.

Send this article to someone that has been diagnosed with diabetes or someone that just wants to maintain a healthy blood sugar level.