January 30, 2008

Diabetic Diet Food

Carbohydrates

As mentioned above, carbohydrates should be chosen wisely in the diabetic diet. This is because some forms of carbohydrate found in foods impact blood sugar in different ways and in different amounts. Good carbohydrates for diabetics to focus on are whole grains, fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These foods have a low Glycemic Load.

The Glycemic Load is a measurement calculated from the Glycemic Index and rates foods in terms of their impact on blood sugar levels.

Proteins

The main concern diabetics should have with consuming animal based protein products is weight gain due to excess fat. As mentioned above, have a lot of excess body fat can have a negative impact on your body’s ability to manage and use its own insulin. Lean protein sources such as those found in fowl and fish sources are preferable to those found in fatty beef (however lean cuts of beef are perfectly suitable as part of a well rounded diet.

Fiber

Most fruits and vegetables are great sources of soluble fiber and again, as mentioned above, these are a perfect diabetic diet diabetic diet food because soluble fiber can slow down the body’s ability to absorb glucose through the intestinal tract.

Are Sugars Out of the Question?

Being diabetic doesn’t mean you have to give up your favorite deserts and sweet foods. However, these foods need to be eating with very little frequency (once or twice a week) and portions need to be strictly maintained. Because the simple sugars used in most of these types of foods are rapidly digested, blood glucose levels can rapidly elevate if too much is ingested.

Making the Transition

The vast majority of people living with diabetes are not born with the condition. A diabetes diagnosis for the most part occurs later in life and this will mean lifestyle and behavioral changes that may be difficult to implement. A dietician who specializes in diabetics can be a tremendous help in preparing you to for life with the disease. By following sound diabetic nutritional guidelines and planning your meals around diabetic diet food as well as engaging in regular exercise, the impact of diabetes should be manageable if not altogether unnoticeable.