what is the best diet for a diabetic person

what is the best diet for a diabetic person?

There is no specific diet for diabetes. But the foods you eat not only affect how you manage your diabetes but also your health and energy. For example, the carbohydrates you eat and drink are broken down into glucose.

The type and amount you eat can make a difference in controlling your blood sugar and diabetes.

This information will help you identify and choose from five main food groups.

Eating from these five food groups

How much you need to eat depends on your age, gender, activity level, and goals. But no food contains all the essential nutrients your body needs.

This is why a healthy diet is first and foremost a matter of variety and choosing different daily foods from each major food group.

And when we say balanced, we mean eating more of some foods and less of others. But portion sizes have increased in recent years as the plates and bowls we use have become larger. And larger portions can make it harder to control your weight. We have more information for you on how to manage a healthy weight.

We've highlighted the benefits of each food group below - some help protect your heart and others affect your blood sugar more slowly - which is important for you to know. Get to know them and learn how healthy choices can help reduce your risk of diabetes complications.

What are the main food groups?

Fruits and vegetables

Starchy foods, like bread, rice, and pasta

Protein-rich foods, such as beans, legumes, nuts, eggs, meat, and fish

Products dairy and alternatives

Oils and spreads

Fruits and vegetables

Having diabetes doesn't mean you can't eat fruit. Fruits and vegetables are naturally low in calories and high in vitamins, minerals, and fiber. They also add flavor and variety to every meal.

Benefits

Helps keep your digestive system working well

Helps protect against heart disease, stroke, and some cancers

Starchy foods

Starchy foods are things like potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, chapatis, naan and bananas. All of them contain a large amount of carbohydrates, which, in turn, are broken down into glucose and are used by our cells as fuel.

The problem with some starchy foods is that they can increase blood sugar levels quickly, which can make it harder to control your diabetes.

Benefits

Fiber keeps your digestive system healthy

Some affect your blood sugar more slowly

Whole grains help protect your heart

Protein-rich foods like beans, nuts, legumes, eggs, meat and fish

Meat and fish are rich in protein, which keeps your muscles strong. But a healthy diet means less red and processed meat – which have been linked to cancer and heart disease. Oily fish like mackerel, salmon, and sardines are high in omega-3 oils, which can help protect the heart.

Benefits

Helps build strong muscles

Fish oil protects your heart

Dairy products and alternatives

Milk, cheese, and yogurt are high in calcium and protein – great for bones, your teeth, and dental muscles. But some dairy products are high in fat, especially saturated fat, so choose low-fat alternatives.

Benefits

Good for bones and teeth

Keeps muscles healthy

Oils and spreads

We need fat in our diet, but we need less saturated fat. Indeed, some saturated fats can increase blood cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart disease and stroke. These less-healthy options are butter, palm oil, and coconut oil.

Benefits

Unsaturated fats help protect your heart

Foods high in fat, salt and sugar

You don't need any of these as part of a healthy diet. The less often, the better. But we know that you're bound to eat these foods from time to time, so it's important to know how they can affect your body. These foods include biscuits, crisps, chocolate, cakes, ice cream, butter and sugary drinks. These sugary foods and drinks are high in calories and increase blood sugar levels, so opt for diet, light, or low-calorie alternatives. And the best drink to choose is water – it contains no calories.

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what is the best diet for a diabetic person