Tips to Create an Effective Diabetes Diet Plan

Diabetes is a condition that is caused due to deficiency of insulin that results in high blood sugar levels. Diabetes is categorized as:

• Type I – In this condition the patient needs supplemental insulin.
• Type II – In this condition the patient often needs to take oral tablets.

In both the conditions, it’s possible to improve the condition using effective diet plan. Type 2 Diabetes has often been drastically improved, even completely reversed using diets and other natural approaches.

This article mostly applies to type 2 diabetes.

So there is no need to press the panic button if you or someone close to you has been diagnosed with Diabetes Type II disorder. You should however always consult your doctor and follow his directions in details.

When dealing with diabetes the key is to create and adhere to an eating plan that tells you when to eat, what to eat, and how to eat. Remember, the focus should be on taking healthy food intake at regular intervals and not starve yourself. Denying yourself essential nutrients will not help you a bit, instead will create new problems.  

Typically, most of us take three heavy meals a day. Discard this habit. Instead eat five or six light meals every day. One meal you cannot afford to miss is breakfast. Also, keep a tab on the number of calories you take each day. For instance, if you have eaten a heavy lunch, then eat salads in dinner.

One technique that helps you eat less is eating slowly. Did you know that the human brain takes approximately 20 minutes to decide if the consumed quantity is enough? Yes… that is right. Chew more to eat less.

Now that we have seen the benefits of eating slowly, let’s take a look at what constitute a healthy diet:

• 50% of green and red vegetables
• 25% of starch carbohydrates, such as bread, rice, whole grain, potato, and pasta
• 25% of proteins.

Ensure that your meals have the right proportion of vegetables, carbohydrates, and proteins in it. Also, minimize the intake of sugar. If you occasionally must have sweets or chocolates, take them in smaller proportions.

Red meats, saturated, and trans-fats (hydrogenated oils) are a big NO-NO for diabetes patient. But there is no need to worry; healthy alternatives are available. Instead of red meats eat salmon and tuna. Similarly, replace saturated and trans-fats food with olive oil, avocados, and nuts – all of them are healthy source of fats.

Two tips that you need to keep in mind while on diabetes diet are:

• Replace junk, packaged, and other unhealthy food in the house with vegetables and fruits. Remember, if it is not there, you cannot eat it.
• Avoid comfort eating. Always eat when you are hungry and not when craving kicks in.

If you are interested in knowing more about how to eat right each time or need pointers on how to improve type 2 diabetes, check our diabetes guide.