Diabetes is one of the most common diseases in the majority of the population and is characterized by increased blood glucose. The treatment of diabetes involves finding the necessary balance between the medical treatment that the specialist has prescribed for the patient and his or her responsible and constant involvement to comply with what has been established. For the person suffering from diabetes it will be much easier to comply with all this if he/she has acquired healthy eating habits. As a specialist in nutrition and endocrinology, I would like to be able to recommend and guide you to achieve a healthy diet and thus, also control that blood glucose levels are optimal. Together, we will try to strike a balance between healthy eating and your medical treatment.
What diet should you follow if you suffer from diabetes?
INCLUDES:
- Low-fat proteins and dairy products: skinless chicken, white meat, salmon, tuna, mackerel, tofu, egg whites, legumes such as chickpeas and milk, cheese or yogurt, although there are alternative foods such as almond or oat milk.
- Whole grains: pasta, bread or cereals.
- Vegetables: carrots, peppers, potatoes, broccoli, tomatoes, corn.
- Fruits: orange, red fruits, melon, apple, etc.
- Water – Sweeteners such as panela (sugar cane)
- Healthy fats: nuts, avocado, canola oil and seeds.
AVOID:
- Butter, margarine
- Precooked products: pizzas, pasties, pies, etc.
- Dairy products, red meat and sausages
- Fried foods
- Excessive amounts of salt or sugar in foods
- Industrial pastries
- Ice cream
- Sugary drinks: soft drinks, sodas or energy drinks
What is the best time to eat if I am a diabetic?
In order to adjust your meal times in the best possible way, the most important thing is to know the type of diabetes you have. Depending on the type of diabetes treatment you have as a patient and the type of insulin your medication contains, the exact amount of carbohydrates to be eaten will be different. The tighter the treatment, the easier it will be to adjust the accuracy of meal times.
Having an established meal schedule helps to avoid forgetting any intake or medication. If this happens, not following the correct diet or forgetting to eat in one of the marked time slots can cause the blood glucose to drop and this can be very harmful for the patient and the treatment. If you have mild diabetes there may be more flexibility in setting meal times and feedings per day. As a nutrition specialist, you can contact me and I can advise you on your situation to comply with treatment and healthy eating appropriate to your type of diabetes.
What is the best amount of food for diabetes?
Another very important aspect of nutrition that you can take into account is the recommended amount of food to consume to maintain your body’s blood glucose concentration and the most appropriate weight. In the past, it was traditional to measure the portions eaten by counting all the carbohydrates consumed per day. But nowadays there is a much simpler and more effective method known as the “plate method”. This form of nutrition consists of dividing a plate of about 15 centimeters in diameter into three unequal parts: one half will be occupied by vegetables and the other half will be divided into two quarters: one quarter for proteins and the other quarter for grains or carbohydrates. It is also advisable to take a portion of fruit to finish the meal.
As a specialist I encourage you to ask me any questions you may have and to use all these tips. I will also be at your disposal to help you in any of the following areas to achieve a more personalized treatment:
- Achieve the recommended blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
- Obtain your ideal recommended weight and even reduce it if necessary.
- Prevent serious problems related to your disease.
- Make you feel more vital.