Perhaps one of the most talked about things when it comes to diabetes is the foods to eat and foods to avoid with diabetes. This should definitely not be a surprise. Diet is a major aspect of diabetes. Most of the people who suffer from diabetes and especially type 2 diabetes are victims of poor dietary habits. On the other hand, diet management is one of the most important remedies of diabetes. As medics will tell you, diet is everything when it comes to diabetes management and cure. As such, the list of foods to eat and foods to avoid with diabetes is usually very clear.
A diabetes meal plan focuses on lowering blood glucose, cholesterol levels, blood pressure and the risk of diabetes complications. In this regard, here is a list of some of the foods to avoid with diabetes.
High sugar foods: Diabetes is basically a condition in which blood sugar is elevated. This is as a result of reduced or lack of insulin production or failure by the body to effectively convert glucose into energy. As such, high sugar foods better known as foods with high glycemic index should be avoided or their intake highly limited. This includes foods with a high level of simple sugars for example fruit juices and some fruits such as mangoes, custard apple, grapes and dates.
Starchy vegetables such as squash, potatoes, carrots and parsnips should also be limited as should beans, peas and beets. Such foods will only serve to increase your blood sugar level. On this note, sugar in all its forms such as jaggery, white sugar, syrup, honey as well as high sugar snacks such as cakes, jellies, cookies, chocolates, pies, jam, syrups, doughnuts, ice cream and other artificial sweeteners should be totally avoided.
Fried foods: When it comes to the foods to avoid with diabetes, the cooking method plays a big role. Some foods may not be as evil if they are cooked well but if cooked in tons of fat, they will definitely be detrimental to the health of a diabetic. An example is French fries. As if the starchy vegetable that makes them is not bad enough, deep frying them makes them a total disaster to a diabetic’s health. Instead of frying your foods you can opt to boil, steam bake or sauté them so that they can be totally healthy.
Fats and cholesterol: Contrary to popular belief, not all fats will enter in to the red list of foods to avoid with diabetes. Some of the fats are actually healthy and will aid in weight loss. What should be avoided are saturated fats and trans-fats. Foods high in cholesterol such as egg yolks and high fat dairy products should also be avoided.
Processed and high sodium foods: Processed foods such as highly refined flours make the list of foods to avoid with diabetes. These flours only serve to increase blood sugar. Equally bad are processed canned foods such as beans and meats as well as other products such as soy sauce, mayonnaise, mustard and salad dressings. These foods are high in sodium and they increase the blood pressure risk in the diabetic.