Diabetes Food List, Do Diabetes Food List Really Work For Diabetics?

What is Diabetes?

Diabetes is a disease that occurs when your blood glucose, also called blood sugar, is too high. Blood glucose is your main source of energy and comes from the food you eat. Insulin, a hormone made by the pancreas, helps glucose from food get into your cells to be used for energy. Sometimes your body doesn’t make enough—or any—insulin or doesn’t use insulin well. Glucose then stays in your blood and doesn’t reach your cells. Foot Problems

Over time,

having too much glucose in your blood can cause health problems. Although diabetes has no cure, you can take steps to manage your diabetes and stay healthy.

Sometimes people call diabetes “a touch of sugar” or “borderline diabetes.” These terms suggest that someone doesn’t really have diabetes or has a less serious case, but every case of diabetes is serious.

The most common types of diabetes are type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.

I. Type 1 diabetes:

If you have type 1 diabetes, your body does not make insulin. Your immune system attacks and destroys the cells in your pancreas that make insulin. Type 1 diabetes is usually diagnosed in children and young adults, although it can appear at any age. People with type 1 diabetes need to take insulin every day to stay alive.

II. Type 2 diabetes:

If you have type 2 diabetes, your body does not make or use insulin well. You can develop type 2 diabetes at any age, even during childhood. However, this type of diabetes occurs most often in middle-aged and older people. Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes.

III. Gestational diabetes:

Gestational diabetes develops in some women when they are pregnant. Most of the time, this type of diabetes goes away after the baby is born. However, if you’ve had gestational diabetes, you have a greater chance of developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Sometimes diabetes diagnosed during pregnancy is actually type 2 diabetes.

IV. Other types of diabetes:

Less common types include monogenic diabetes, which is an inherited form of diabetes, and cystic fibrosis-related diabetes External link.

Who is more likely to develop type 2 diabetes?

You are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you are age 45 or older, have a family history of diabetes, or are overweight. Physical inactivity, race, and certain health problems such as high blood pressure also affect your chance of developing type 2 diabetes.

You are also more likely to develop type 2 diabetes if you have prediabetes or had gestational diabetes when you were pregnant. Learn more about risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

Over time, high blood glucose leads to problems such as:

Heart disease.
Stroke.
Kidney disease.
Eye problems.
Dental disease.
Nerve damage.
Foot problems.

You can take steps to lower your chances of developing these diabetes-related health problems.

Can Children get Type 2 Diabetes?

The answer is Yes.

In the past, doctors thought that only adults were at risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
However, an increasing number of children in the United States are now being diagnosed with the disease.
Doctors think this increase is mostly because more children are overweight or obese and are less physically active.

What is The Diabetes Food List?

Being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is a life-changing event. One of the main challenges is making changes in your diet. One of the first questions that almost every patient diagnosed with type 2 diabetes asks is:

“What am I Supposed To Eat Now?”

What you eat is a very important part of maintaining blood sugars in the target range. If a type 2 diabetic has no idea what to eat, being able to control blood sugar levels will be near impossible. The goal in treating type 2 diabetes successfully is to make lifestyle changes. My strategy when explaining diet is to keep it simple.

Your mindset should be one of adopting changes that enhance your lifestyle. Find something that works well for you. There are a lot of websites out there on the Internet touting one diet or another. Some even speak about being able to “reverse type 2 diabetes.”

Recently,

the American Diabetes Association made some changes that make it easier for a newly diagnosed diabetic to get into action.

Do Diabetes Food List Really Work?

In the past, there was a lot of talk about the ‘Diabetes Food list’.
Diabetes food lists were thought of as restrictive.
It’s not likely that a patient is going to follow such a diet for a long time.

The Fact is:

that the foods on a diabetes food list will work for anyone who is committed to a healthy lifestyle.

Diabetes Food List is:

A list helps people living with diabetes understand foods that help maintain blood sugars within the target range.
They will also help to reduce hyperglycemia.
There is a ton of information out there about what makes up a diabetes food list. It’s OK to follow these.
But I recommend just using them as a guideline that will help you to adopt healthy food choices.

One method that can help you manage your diet properly is the plate method. This method of food preparation proposes that your meals are portioned and separated based on the breakup of food that is going on the plate you’re using.

This can help you determine the portion size as well as ensuring you have portions of each of the important food groups that comprise a properly balanced diet.

Following the plate, the method has been proven in studies to help diabetes patients correctly plan their meals and improve their intake of previously missed food groups, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC).

Additionally, the method has also been shown to aid those living with diabetes with the maintenance of their blood glucose levels, resulting in better overall diabetes health.

How To Eat Healthy?

Here’re Some of The Current Recommendations on How To Eat Healthy While Living With Type 2 Diabetes:

1. Create Your Plate:

The American Diabetes Association recently did away with the diabetes food pyramid and adapted the “create your plate.”
This is a strategy that makes it less overwhelming for someone just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes to get straight into action planning healthy meals.

So Here are The Steps to Create a Plate:

Take a standard-sized dinner plate.
Divide it into three sections.
Start by dividing in half.
Then divide one of the halves in two.
There you have three sections.
Since it is divided into three sections, one section will be larger.
On the larger section of the plate. place you non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, greens, lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes, etc.
On one of the smaller sections, place your starchy foods like rice (preferably brown rice), grains, corn, pasta, beans, etc.
On the other small section place, a serving of meat or a meat substitute such as turkey, chicken, fish, etc. food lists food lists food lists food lists food lists food lists food lists

On The Side,

You may add an 8 oz.
Serving milk. Or if you are lactose intolerant like a number of adults are, you can have some almond, soy, or coconut milk.
Water also works just fine.
Then a small serving of fruit. Preferably fresh fruit. You have created your plate.

2. Carbohydrate Counting:

One of the important strategies for a person living with type 2 diabetes is to know the amount of sugars they are eating.
This will help to reduce the complication of hyperglycemia.
Up till the mid-1990s, carbohydrates were touted as being bad for anyone with diabetes.
Now we know that to not entirely be the case.
Naturally, everything, including carbohydrates, must be eaten in moderation.

The advantages of Carbohydrate Counting:

A great Tool is Carbohydrate Counting or “Carb Counting” as it is Popularly Called.

The strategy is:

To round up the total amount of carbohydrates that you are allowed in a day.
And divide this equally among your meals – including snacks.

One of the advantages of carbohydrate counting is:

That it reduces the tendency for the blood sugar levels to fluctuate.
This helps to prevent huge swings in insulin levels that could lead to fluctuations in blood sugar levels.

If you plan to use carbohydrate counting exclusively, then you may need the assistance of a nutritionist. They will help to customize a meal plan for you. A good place to start is between 45-60 grams of carbohydrates per day.

Remember That,

Carbohydrates are in starchy foods like bread, grains, and pasta.
They are also in fruits and vegetables, milk products.
Reading food labels makes it easier to measure how much carbohydrates you are getting in a meal.

Diabetes Meal Planning:

A meal plan is your guide for when what, and how much to eat to get the nutrition you need while keeping your blood sugar levels in your target range. A good meal plan will take into account your goals, tastes, and lifestyle, as well as any medicines you’re taking.

You’ll want to plan for regular, balanced meals to avoid high or low blood sugar levels. Eating about the same amount of carbs at each meal can help.

Carbs, protein, fat, and fiber in food all affect your blood sugar in different ways.
Carbs can raise your blood sugar faster and higher than protein or fat.
Fiber can help you manage your blood sugar, so carbs that have fiber in them, like sweet potatoes, won’t raise your blood sugar as fast as carbs with little or no fiber, such as soda.

Another way to manage the carbs you eat is using the glycemic (GI).

The GI ranks carbs in food from 0 to 100 according to how much they affect blood sugar. Low GI foods are more slowly digested and absorbed by your body, so you stay full longer. They don’t have a big impact on your blood sugar. High GI foods are digested and absorbed more quickly. They have a bigger impact on your blood sugar, and you’ll get hungry sooner.

Some examples:

High GI: Bread (white and wheat), mashed potatoes, watermelon, fruit juice.
Low GI: Beans, brown rice, tomatoes, yogurt, apples, milk.

The Plate Method:

It’s easy to eat more food than you need without realizing it. The plate method is a simple, visual way to make sure you get enough non-starchy vegetables and lean protein and limit the amount of higher-carb food that has the greatest potential to spike your blood sugar.

Start with a 9-inch dinner plate: Fill,

Half with non-starchy vegetables, such as salad, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and carrots.
One quarter with a lean protein, such as chicken, turkey, beans, tofu, or eggs.
a quarter with a grain or starchy food, such as potatoes, rice, or pasta (or skip the starch altogether and double up on non-starchy veggies).

Portion Size And Serving Size:

Aren’t always the same. A portion is the amount of food you choose to eat at one time, while a serving is a specific amount of food, such as one slice of bread or 8 ounces (1 cup) of milk.

These days,

Portions at restaurants are quite a bit larger than they were several years ago. One entrée can equal 3 or 4 servings! Studies show that people tend to eat more when they’re served more food, so getting portions under control is really important for managing weight and blood sugar.

If you’re eating out,

have half of your meal wrapped up to go so you can enjoy it at a later time.
At home, measure out snacks; don’t eat straight from the bag or box.
At dinnertime, dish out one serving of each dish per plate.
Reduce the temptation to go back for seconds by keeping the serving bowls out of reach.
And with this “handy” guide, you’ll always have a way to estimate portion size at your fingertips:

3 ounces of meat, fish, or poultry
The palm of the hand (no fingers).
1 ounce of meat or cheese
Thumb (tip to base).
1 cup or 1 medium fruit
Fist.
1–2 ounces of nuts or pretzels
Cupped hand.
1 tablespoon
Thumb tip (tip to 1^st joint)
1 teaspoon

Fingertip (tip to 1^st joint).

What is Diabetes Superfoods?

The American Diabetes Association has a list of ten superfoods that it recommends. I like the way that certain foods get tagged as “Superfoods.”

Just as I like to point out,

These “Superfoods” should be a part of the diet of anyone looking to live healthy.
The added benefit for a diabetic is that these foods help to give extra nutrients and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium.
In addition, they also contain powerful antioxidants.
These superfoods help to not only control blood sugar levels.
But also maintain the health of the cell membranes.

Here are the top 10 Superfoods That everyone should Be Eating:

Berries of all kinds (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, etc.)
Dark leafy vegetables- such as spinach, kale, and asparagus.
Beans- all varieties. Beans are high in fiber and low in glycemic index.
Fish particularly fish that is rich in omega 3 sources such as salmon, herring, sardines.
Fat-free milk & yogurt.
Nuts.
Tomatoes.
Sweet potatoes.
Whole grains that have not been processed.
Citrus fruits.

This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the healthy ways to eat as a diabetic. It is my hope that this article will answer the question, ‘What am I supposed to eat?’

If you find this article useful, don’t forget to share it with your friends and family, as you might help someone in need. Thanks.

Disclaimer: “Nothing in this article makes any claim to offer cures or treatment of any disease or illness. If you are sick please consult with your doctor.”

Sourcest

https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/eat-well/meal-plan-method.html- http://www.diabetesforecast.org/2015/adm/diabetes-plate-method/what-is-the-plate-method.html – https://www.diabetes.org/ –