The Perfect Diet for Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes is a disease where your body can no longer use the insulin present on its own. There are over 27 million people with type 2 diabetes in the U.S alone. Type 2 diabetes is a condition where the pancreas does not produce insulin or does not produce enough of the hormone. It is insulin that helps the cells turn the glucose present in the food that we consume into energy.

In the case of type 2 diabetes, this function does not take place as required, leading to increased blood sugar levels. While several medical interventions and alternative medicine therapy options are available, the key to good long-term blood sugar level management is consuming a balanced diet. Here are some great diabetic food options that you should consider, especially if you are a type 2 diabetic:

1. Recommended foods on a diabetic diet

Any food that you consume should pass the following test:

• Does the carbohydrates have a low glycemic load and does it come primarily from vegetables? Glycemic is essentially an index (glycemic index and load) in the medical world. To explain further, carbohydrates are the greatest source to raise blood sugar levels. This index and load measure the impact of carbohydrates on blood sugar. Foods that have low glycemic load ensure that blood sugar levels rise modestly and are thus better choices for type 2 diabetes. What determines the glycemic load is the amount of fiber content, fat, and protein.
• Secondly, the source of fats and proteins should primarily come from plants. Fats from animals increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, dairy products do not seem to have ill effects on the body. Plant-based fats such as nuts, seeds, avocado, olive oil, etc., are associated with lower cardiovascular disease. When it comes to proteins, animal proteins have high unhealthy saturated fats. Good protein choices like beans, eggs, peas, tofu and soy foods, legumes, etc., are healthy choices. Remember one cannot avoid taking proteins because it is an essential nutrient for a healthy system.

2. Highly recommended foods

In simple terms, what is recommended would be a combination of the following foods:

• Vegetables
• An extremely limited quantity of processed red meat and sugar
• Very less carbohydrate content in food so that blood sugars don’t rise

3. ADA recommendations

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends that in order to manage type 2 diabetes, one must ensure that there is a balance between exercise and a healthy diet. ADA has stated that there is no ‘one ideal approach for diet for type 2 diabetes’ and the dietary plan should be individualized. However, the association does advocate people to keep a tab on:

• Low glycemic load
• To avoid sugar-sweetened beverages which also includes soda
• To check the quality and quantity of fat that is consumed.

4. Diabetes superfoods

In addition to all the above information above, here are some top diabetic superfoods:

• Chia seeds: Rich in fiber, protein and omega-3 fatty acid.
• Wild salmon: They are a great source for anti-inflammatory omega-3 fatty acids.
• White balsamic vinegar: This is best consumed as a dressing for the salad.
• Cinnamon: This superfood lowers blood glucose level and is best taken via a daily dosage of one teaspoon a day. It is known to control postprandial (after meals) sugar levels.
• Lentils: These are rich in vitamins, proteins, and fiber.