Many diabetics complain about their diet because of the limited food choices they have.
Is this true? Does having Type 2 diabetes mean you need to cut most of your caloric intake and shun away from the most delicious foods just because you have this "unfortunate" lifestyle disease? If you are already getting depressed with your health problem because of those many "don'ts" you have in your diet, this is what you should know: having diabetes does not mean you have to starve yourself, it only means that you have to make more healthy choices in order to control your health problem.
As mentioned at Mayoclinic.
com, sticking to your diabetic diet means that you have to eat a variety of nutritious foods in the recommended amounts in order to control your blood sugar.
It also means that you have to stick to a regular meal schedule.
You see, a diabetic diet shows you the most nourishing foods which are able to set you free from the effects of uncontrolled blood sugar.
Sounds good, right? What is the purpose of having this diabetic diet? If you are diagnosed as having high blood sugar levels, your doctor will recommend you see a dietitian.
This is mostly done to guide you to make healthy food choices to help you control the effects of your Type 2 diabetes.
In fact, your dietitian's advice is a very useful tool for controlling your blood sugar level.
And not only does it control your blood sugar, it also helps you in shedding those extra pounds off your belly! A diabetic diet plan guides you toward a better, healthier lifestyle which you can follow for the rest of your life.
So, what food choices do I have with this diabetic diet plan? The American Diabetes Association mentions that a healthy diabetic plan requires a set of lucky numbers: 50-25-25.
What does this set stand for? These numbers mean fifty percent vegetables, fruits, nuts and legumes, twenty-five percent protein and twenty-five percent starches and grains.
1.
Dietary fiber: Vegetables, fruits, nuts and legumes are strongly recommended because of the healthy fiber these foods contain.
According to Mayoclinic.
com, fiber lowers your risk for cardiovascular problems as well as helping you to obtain a healthy blood sugar level.
2.
Protein: Mayoclinic.
com states fish is the healthiest option for your protein source.
Why? Fish is a great choice as it has less fat and cholesterol compared to the usual meat and poultry.
Furthermore, it also contains omega-3, a healthy fatty-acid that decreases your total blood fat and as a consequence, lowers your risk in developing heart diseases and other cardiovascular problems.
3.
Starches and grains: Simple and complex carbohydrate sources come from starches and grains...
the healthiest carbohydrate sources are vegetables, fruits, legumes and whole grains.
Following a nutritious and well-balanced diet is one of the most useful tools in combating the effects of Type 2 diabetes and uncontrolled blood sugar levels.
Having diabetes does not mean eating boring foods.
It only means eating the correct amounts of the "right" delicious foods, at the "right" times.