Healthy Eating For Diabetics: What is Forbidden And Allowed, And The Most Important Tips

Diabetes is diagnosed in the event of high levels of blood sugar, or what is known as glucose, significantly and continuously, and it should be noted that this sugar is the main source of energy in the body, and humans consume it from its food sources, as for insulin (in English: Insulin); It is a hormone produced by the pancreas that helps transfer glucose to the cells to provide them with energy. The inability of the body to produce sufficient quantities of this hormone, or the inability of the body to use it if it is produced, leads to the accumulation of glucose in the blood and its failure to reach the cells, and thus its high levels and diabetes.

Types of Diabetes

There are several types of diabetes, the most important of which are the following:

• Type 1 diabetes: which occurs when the body attacks the immune system and destroys the cells that produce insulin.
• Type 2 diabetes: which occurs when the body does not produce sufficient amounts of insulin, or if the cells of the body do not recognize it and thus do not benefit from it.
• Gestational diabetes: which occurs when blood sugar levels rise during pregnancy, and the body is unable to produce sufficient amounts of insulin to lower the sugar.

Healthy Eating For Diabetics

Although there is no cure for diabetes, following some methods and advice may help alleviate it and improve health, and the most important of these methods is paying attention to a healthy diet that helps the following: 

• Maintaining an ideal body weight.
• Achieving normal results in laboratory readings associated with diabetes.
• Reducing the risk of diabetes-related complications.

Foods That Diabetics Can Eat

A diabetic patient can eat different types of foods, and consulting a doctor helps provide the patient with a diet that suits his needs, in which the desired and preferred foods are available, with the importance of diversifying food choices by consuming them from all food groups according to the appropriate amount, and these food groups are mentioned according to the diet My healthy plate: 

• Non-starchy vegetables: such as; Broccoli, carrots, green leafy vegetables, sweet peppers, and tomatoes.
• fruits: quot; Oranges, watermelons, berries, apples, bananas, and grapes.
• Starchy foods and grains: especially whole grains, which are advised to make up half of the consumed amount of grains. Examples of starches and grains are; wheat bread, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, quinoa, bread and pasta, starchy vegetables; Like potatoes, corn, and green peas.
• Protein-rich foods: such as low-fat meat, turkey or chicken without skin, fish, eggs, cheese, and dried legumes; Like chickpeas.
• Milk and its derivatives: it is recommended to consume milk or milk with little or no fat.
• Foods rich in healthy fats: which are beneficial for heart health, such as; liquid oils at room temperature such as; Canola, olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocados.

Foods that diabetics are advised to reduce

Some people may think that having diabetes will prevent them from eating their favorite foods, and this is not true, as different types of foods can be enjoyed, but with attention to reducing the quantities eaten of some types of foods, and limiting the frequency of consumption of these foods, and the following points explain the most prominent foods And the drinks that should be limited:

• Fried Foods: quot; French fries.
• Foods Rich in Sugars: such as; Ice cream, desserts, and some baked goods.
• Drinks containing added sugars: such as; Juice, soft drinks, sports and energy drinks, and it is usually recommended to drink water instead, and sugar substitutes can be added to some drinks, such as; coffee, tea.
• Foods rich in saturated fats, such as; The cream.
• Foods rich in trans fats, such as; Pizza.
• Foods high in salt and sodium, such as; Canned meat.

Meal Planning For Diabetics

Good nutrition is one of the most important basic requirements in caring for a diabetic patient, as consuming appropriate foods helps to improve his blood sugar levels and maintain health in the long term, It is worth noting that there are several methods that can be followed by a diabetic patient to achieve this goal. Nutrition, as it is preferable to combine them, which may be difficult for a diabetic patient alone, so it is better to visit a dietitian to obtain appropriate nutritional education and meal planning for a diabetic patient who needs the following:

• Calorie calculation: The number of calories a person consumes varies depending on gender, age, level of physical activity, body weight and size, etc. Usually, the amount of calories that diabetics need daily to maintain their health and weight ranges between 1,500 to 1,800 calories per day.
• Monitoring the body’s reaction when eating carbohydrates: The American Diabetes Association recommends that carbohydrate consumption by diabetics constitute approximately 45% of the total calories consumed, and to determine whether the meals eaten contain the appropriate amount of carbohydrates, it is recommended to measure the level of glucose in the blood using a meter sugar before eating a meal, and 1-2 hours after consuming the meal, and the meal is considered appropriate if the sugar levels do not rise to more than 139 milligrams per deciliter or 8 millimoles per liter.

Calculating carbohydrates from food:

• It is important to pay attention to consuming the ideal amount of carbohydrates within the diet for diabetics, taking into account the addition of the desired options for the person, It should be noted that carbohydrates, proteins and fibers available in food differ in their effect on blood sugar levels, as eating carbohydrates raises the level of diabetes. blood sugar faster than eating proteins or fats, and on the other hand, fiber can help improve blood sugar levels, and therefore foods that contain carbohydrates and fiber together, such as sweet potatoes, do not raise blood sugar levels quickly, unlike foods that contain carbohydrates without fiber. , like; Soft drinks.
• The dietitian helps the diabetic patient know the size of the portions, how to read the list of nutritional information for foods, in addition to clarifying the amount that can be consumed from carbohydrates in each basic or light meal if insulin is taken with a change in the dose accordingly, One serving of high carbohydrate foods, such as; Starches, fruits, milk, etc. contain 15 grams of carbohydrates, while one serving of non-starchy vegetables contains only 5 grams of carbohydrates.

Choosing foods with a lower glycemic index: The glycemic index of foods is defined by how quickly they raise the blood sugar level, and the glycemic index of carbohydrates has been classified based on their effect on the blood sugar level between a value between 0 and 100, so that the lower values ​​are for foods with a low glycemic index, and the following are examples On foods with low and high glycemic index:

• Foods with a high glycemic index: These are foods that are quickly digested and absorbed in the body, which makes them raise blood sugar levels very quickly, and stimulate hunger after eating them in a short period, including: bread, mashed potatoes, watermelon, and fruit juice.
• Foods with a low glycemic index: They are foods that are slow to digest and absorb in the body, which makes them raise blood sugar levels more slowly, including: milk and its low-fat or fat-free products, whole-wheat bread, pasta, noodles, and some types of rice such as basmati, and grains such as barley. , oats, bulgur, semolina, and legumes, such as; Soybeans, white beans, peas, lentils, and fruits, such as; Apples, oranges, pears, peaches, grapes, kiwis, bananas, plums, and vegetables, such as; Sweet potatoes, sweet corn.

Dividing the plate: It is an ideal and simple way to control the amount of food eaten, and it is applied by using a circular plate with a diameter of approximately 22 centimeters, and filling half of the plate with non-starchy vegetables such as salad, green legumes, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, or Carrots, or vegetable stew such as green beans, okra, molokhia, and others. As for the remaining half of the dish, it is divided equally between foods that contain low-fat proteins such as chicken and eggs, and foods high in carbohydrates such as grains and starches such as potatoes, rice, and pasta.

Tips for diabetics

• Reducing weight: Studies have shown that reducing weight by 10% may help alleviate type 2 diabetes in overweight and obese patients, by reducing blood sugar levels to reach the normal level.
• Read the food label and know the hidden sources of sugar: Sugar is included as an ingredient in many packaged products, fast foods, and some basic products such as bread, cereal, canned baked goods, pasta sauce, butter, instant mashed potatoes, low-fat meals, and ketchup. While making sure to read the list of nutritional information and pay attention to the following:

1. Read the total amount of sugar in the food list, taking into account that some producers do not separate the amount of added sugars alone from the natural sugar available in the food.
2. Reading the amount of sugar, honey, and molasses when reading the nutritional information of the product. Added sugars can also be referred to as corn syrup, high-fructose corn syrup, and Evaporated cane juice. , agave nectar, invert sugar, and various types of sugars such as; Fructose, dextrose, lactose, and maltose.
3. Pay attention to the information related to added sugars, which are usually found at the end of the nutritional information list, and therefore it is important to pay attention to them, as these products contain a high amount of sugars and calories and it is important to avoid consuming them.

• Eat regularly at specific times: Consuming food at a specific time helps improve the body’s regulation of blood sugar levels and weight instead of overeating during one day or in one meal and then skipping the rest of the meals. It is recommended to eat a medium, specific and fixed amount for each meal. nutritional, and start with breakfast to provide the body with the energy it needs while maintaining the stability of blood sugar levels, in addition to consuming small and frequent meals during the day at the rate of 6 meals to maintain the amount consumed according to the recommendations.
• Writing a food note: writing down the daily food intake in a notebook or using applications dedicated to that helps to identify problems facing a diabetic patient such as consuming high calories in the afternoon snack, or drinking sugar-sweetened tea in the morning, in addition to raising awareness of the quality of food. The food consumed, the reason for its consumption, and the amount consumed of it, which helps to limit the consumption of some snacks without realizing their large quantity or type or the extent of feeling hungry when consuming them, and ending the dish without feeling it.
• Increasing physical activity: Exercise contributes to weight control, and can improve insulin sensitivity. It is usually recommended to start with walking for half an hour or divide it into 3 rounds of 10 minutes each. Swimming, cycling, and other types of exercise can also be practiced. Medium-intensity sports.

It is worth noting that every person with diabetes needs a plan suitable for him that includes his own diet that is compatible with his needs and different food choices, including his favorite foods,[8] in addition to following many changes in lifestyle, such as; Consuming healthy diets, reducing calories in the event of overweight, increasing the level of physical activity, and consuming medications prescribed by a doctor.