Diabetes Diet and Nutrition
Living with diabetes doesn’t mean that you have to stick to an impossible diet. Rather, it means that you have to learn more about the basics of nutrition, so that your body will get the healthy food that it needs.
When you have diabetes, you need to maintain fairly even blood sugar levels. This means that you need to eat three meals a day, and include some healthy snacks into your schedule. Try not to space your meals more than six hours apart.
Drink lots of water. If you reach for a can of pop or juice every time you get thirsty, you will raise your blood sugar level.
Try to avoid sugars and sweets such as soda, desserts, candy, jam, and honey. These will raise your blood sugar levels. Instead, try to eat things with artificial sweetener in them. If you are concerned about eating too much aspartame, try using Splenda.
Be smart when it comes to high fat foods. Ask yourself if you really need the potato chips, pastries, or fried food. High fat foods will cause you to gain weight, which will negatively impact your diabetes. Maintaining a healthy weight helps your blood glucose levels, and it is good for your heart.
Whole grain foods are good for your heart, and they may help you feel more full. This includes beans, whole grain breads and cereals and brown rice.
Fruits and vegetables are key to a healthy diet when you have diabetes because they provide not only whole grains but also important vitamins to keep your body running healthily. Fruits and vegetables are not only high in nutrients, but they are also low in calories.
See our meal planning helper, dinner recipes, or dessert recipes for more information about maintaining a healthy diabetes diet.
Just like any diet, a diabetes diet is not complete unless you are also active. Exercise is another key ingredient in helping you stay healthy.