What Can You Eat If You’re Diabetic?
What foods can you eat if you’re diabetic?
If you have diabetes and also overweight, your number one goal is to lose weight. Weight loss can make it easier to reverse Type 2 diabetes, proven by science.
“What we found in our research was that when people lose around 7% of their body weight, their insulin sensitivity improves by 57%,”
says the medical director of the Obesity Clinical Program at the Joslin Diabetes Center, Osama Hamdy.
A sustainable and safe weight loss is highly dependant on the food we eat. Yes, exercise is important but nutrition plays a larger role.
How is that so?
Imagine you’ve been exercising consistently, every week without fail. You’re well-disciplined with your workout routine. But, not so much on your diet – you eat anything and everything, justifying that you deserve it after your hard work. What if you overeat? Not only you successfully burnt your calories, now you’re adding more, even beyond what your body’s kcal.
What can you eat, then? Here are 4 foods that you must know.
Brown rice instead of white
White rice has a high glycemic index (GI). GI measures how much a specific food raises your blood sugar level. Brown rice has a lower GI compared to white rice and it has the ability to slow down the release of sugar into the blood. Hence, it doesn’t cause a spike in your blood sugar level. However, bear in mind that you still need to watch your eating portion. Moderation is key even if it’s healthy.
Eat more vegetables and don’t skip your fruits!
Fibre is important for our well-being, especially for those who want to lose weight. The more fibre you eat, the longer the feeling of fullness. This will cause you to not overeat. Eat more vegetables as they are rich in fibre (just like whole grains, seeds and nuts).
Fruits as well! You may be wondering if diabetics are allowed to eat fruits. The answer is YES. Diabetics should avoid fruits is a total myth (click here to learn 6 common diabetes myths). Fruits contain natural sugar so they are safe to be eaten (don’t forget the number of minerals and vitamins they contain). You just need to eat in moderation. Portion control is key.
Eat healthier fats
Our body needs fats to function. Not all fats are harmful. Research has proven that healthy fats like seeds, nuts, olive oil and avocado can help in preventing or reversing Type 2 diabetes. You are highly encouraged to avoid foods containing saturated fats such as butter, ghee, lard and pastries.
Reduce animal-based protein
Animal-based protein has been associated with an increased risk of Type 2 diabetes. It is always best to incorporate plant-based protein as well into your diet. Examples such as dark leafy greens, broccoli, tofu, tempeh, lentils and chickpeas have high protein content.
You don’t have to make a complete switch. Alternate your source of protein. Remember to also cook your meat in a healthy way. This means boiling, steaming or baking it with less to no oil.
These are some of the foods you can eat if you’re a diabetic. Diabetes can be reversed! You need to live a healthy lifestyle and that includes your diet. Healthy eating doesn’t have to be tasteless and boring. Check out Meals by Savor Of Life 🙂
