Diabetic Food List – Best and Worst Food Items
Diabetes or increased blood sugar level is now one of the most common health problems of people living in the United States. The fast-paced lifestyle and changes in food habit of people is one of the major reasons accounting for the increased number of diabetic patients. Once diagnosed, diabetic becomes a chronic disease for the lifetime. The worst thing is that people suffering from irregular blood sugar level often have to compromise with their favorite food.
Good and bad protein
According to the American Diabetes Association, protein is important for a diabetic patient. Yet, it should be the lean protein like turkey or fish and not something with a high concentration of fat. That means you can easily make some tasty delicacies with salmon or turkey for a couple of times in a week. Healthy protein options are available for the vegetarian people as well. You can try out different types of beans and nuts in your diet which should be on the diabetic food list.
While salmon, turkey, beans and nuts form a good source of protein, hot dogs or red meats are a strict no. Hot dogs not only affect your blood sugar level but also it affects your blood pressure level adversely. This, in turn, might increase the risk of cardiac arrest or stroke.
Dairy options
Greek yogurt is one of the best choices in dairy products. Yet, it should be free of artificial sweeteners or flavors. You can include it in your regular evening snack or morning breakfast.
While low-fat dairy products help in keeping a check on diabetes level, chocolates and ice-creams are never recommended, as these are the rich source of fat. Also, avoid any dairy product with added sugar or any other artificial sweetener.
Good and bad grains
Almost all diabetic patients are aware of the fact that whole grains are beneficial for their health. Therefore, you can keep different choices of cereals and whole grains in your diet. Depending on your preference, you can also include quinoa as well as wild rice in your diet. Apart from regulating blood sugar, whole grains can offer you multiple health benefits as well.
Even though whole grains are good for the diabetic patient, processed grains especially white flour can have a negative effect on your health. Therefore, it is better to stay away from pastries, white bread or any breakfast cereal prepared from white flour. Apart from that, you should also avoid pasta and rice in your diet. These grains should be scrapped out from your diabetic food list.
Be careful with fruits
Fresh fruits can be a good choice for late afternoon or early evening snacking. However, make sure to select fruits intelligently. Include different berries on your diabetic food list as these are rich in fiber as well as antioxidants, which are much needed for a healthy body. Guava, lemon or cucumber can also be included in your list of fruits.
While fresh fruits are a good choice, dry fruits can make a negative impact on your blood sugar level. Fruits rich in sugar or fat are also not recommended for people diagnosed with diabetes. Packaged fruit juices are also detrimental to health as these contain preservatives and artificial sweeteners.
Not all vegetables are good
Your diabetic food list should include high fiber and low carbohydrate vegetables instead of starchy ones. When preparing your veggie dishes, you can opt for carrots, asparagus, cauliflower, broccoli and any other green vegetables.
When it comes to vegetables with adverse impact on the health of diabetic, potatoes is the first thing to be avoided. Apart from that, it is also recommended to consume peas and corns once in a blue moon.
Some fats are good
Dieticians always focus on maintaining a low fat diet for diabetic patients. However, all fat are not harmful. You can include pecans, almonds, avocados or any kind of monounsaturated fats. Polyunsaturated fats can also be a good choice as it keeps a check on the cholesterol level.
Foods with bad cholesterol like gravy, cheese or butter should be limited. Junks and fried foods should also be included in the list of worst food for diabetics.
When you are making a diabetic food list, you should always ensure to keep it free from saturated fats. Also there should be a check on the carbohydrate intake. Just noting down the best and worst food for diabetes is not enough. You should also know the recommended portion for each serving, as eating in excess can elevate the blood sugar level significantly. Even though diabetes is a chronic health issue, it can be successfully controlled by bringing positive changes in your lifestyle. Eat healthy and practice physical activity for regulating diabetic level successfully.