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Diabetic Diet Plan

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Diabetes is a serious condition affecting millions of people around the world. Quality nutrition can go a long way in preventing diabetes as well as treating diabetes. The word diabetes diet is a misnomer as it is not a rigid menu plan but a lifestyle change that involves eating right.


Diabetic Diet


Fiber is considered invaluable in stabilizing glucose levels and improving blood cholesterol. The advantage of including sufficient quantities of fiber in your diet aids in slowing digestion and the absorption of nutrients. This will result in slower and steadier release of glucose from accompanying carbohydrates in the diet. Fiber soaks up excess bile acids that get converted into blood cholesterol. The accompanying feeling of fullness provided by a fiber rich diet helps persons with type 2 diabetes that are trying to lose weight.


Dietary tips for Diabetes

1. Drinking at least eight glasses of water can keep dehydration at bay. Dehydration raises blood sugars. So it is essential to replace lost fluids.

2. Diabetes is most often complicated by hypertension. Reducing the intake of sodium can be helpful in a diabetic diet.

3. Some studies show that caffeine causes reduced insulin sensitivity. So reducing the cups of coffee and cola might help.

4. Shattering the old myth that sweets were taboo in a diabetic diet, it is now believed that an occasional sugary food or sweet can be consumed provided the other carbohydrate foods are balanced along with the diabetes medication.

5. Achieving and maintaining desirable body weight.

6. Maintaining normal blood glucose levels

7. Preventing heart disease and hypertension that tend to occur along with diabetes

8. Spacing meals throughout the day can help cut down on heavy meals thereby avoiding sudden peaks and troughs of blood glucose levels


Diabetes diet plan

If you are seeking assistance on diet plans as a diabetic, you can consult the local American Diabetes Association or the American Heart Association. They can suggest qualified dieticians and nutritionists who can assist you with an appropriate diabetic diet plan. It is essential to maintain optimum weight and reduce blood cholesterol. Reducing saturated fats with unsaturated or monounsaturated fats must be a priority on any diabetes diet plan. Exchange lists help in charting out diabetes diets.


Foods with similar nutrients and calories are grouped together. This helps the diabetic to plan his meals. They help in avoiding monotony and rigidity in the diabetic diet plan. Diabetic diet and meal planning is all about eating the right amount of food at the right time.

The American Diabetes Association and the American Diabetic Association have developed 6 exchange food lists to aid diabetes with their meal planning. Starch (bread), meat, vegetables, fruits, milk (dairy) and fat are on the list. The food exchange list shows the food choices that can be made within a group. The diabetic diet and meal plan will depend on the type of diabetes that is being tackled. Insulin-dependent diabetes is best controlled by timely meals and diet plans. Non-insulin dependent diabetes diet plans need to be well balanced and directed towards weight control.


The following foods are considered to have insulin-like properties. Including them in a diabetes diet plan can be of benefit:

Garlic, tofu or soybean, raw and green vegetables, wheat germ, Brussels sprouts, fresh flaxseed oil and GLA oils such as found in evening primrose and spirulina.

It is essential that every diabetic becomes aware of how different food groups will affect his condition. Education and awareness go a long way in tackling diabetes with the right diet plan - one that will help you achieve your total health goals.

Blood Sugar Testing for Diabetes

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Diabetic Diet Plan