Diabetes is a chronic disease wherein your blood sugar or glucose levels are too high. If you have diabetes you are likely to be more at risk of developing serious complications such as kidney disease, heart disease, prone to more infections and even eye problems like blindness. There is no cure for diabetes, and it is a condition you have to manage life-long.
Foods that you eat come into major play when dealing with diabetes. If you are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, taking care of your eating choices and habits, becomes essential in order to maintain your blood sugar levels and keep it stable. Having said that, following a type 2 diabetes diet doesn’t mean you have to be restrictive of things you love to eat. Nothing is entirely off limits. Some food choices are just better than others. Making the right choices at mealtime is a balancing act; the trick is to pick out the right combination of carbs, proteins and fats. Being wary of a meal plan for type 2 diabetes will help your blood sugar levels stay as close to normal as possible and avoid serious swings of symptoms- from frequent urination to weakness, fatigue, headaches and dizziness.
To hit your blood sugar target range, listed below are some of the foods to look for AND to look out for to help manage type 2 diabetes.
Foods to Look for
Your body needs carbs and not carbs are off-limits when you are managing diabetes. Under the Carbohydrates section you got:
- Whole grains like brown rice, whole grain bread, quinoa, oatmeal, or millet
- Sweet potatoes
- Whole wheat pasta
On the Drinks menu, you have:
- No form of unflavored water
- Unsweetened tea
- Black coffee or with low-fat milk and sugar substitute
- Alcohol like beer, wine or mixed drinks
With Proteins, you have a wide variety of selection to choose from and stay away from:
- Fatty fish like salmon which contain omega-3
- Plant-based proteins like beans, seeds, and nuts
- Tofu
- Chicken
- Eggs
- Greek yogurt
Fruits and Vegetables, include:
- Berries such as blueberries, strawberries
- Light steamed, roasted, or grilled veggies
- Oranges
- Leavy vegetables like spinach, kale and arugula.
- Apples or pears with the skin on
- Carrots or red peppers and white onion
- Bananas
Foods to Look Out for
Carbs:
- Breakfast cereals with lots of sugar and less whole grains
- White bread
- Processed grains like white rice or pasta
- Fried foods such as French fries
For Drinks, you have:
- Regular soft drinks and sugary sodas
- Energy drinks are a big no no
- Sweetened ice-tea
- Regular or heavy beer
- Coffee with heavy sugar and cream
Proteins include:
- Higher-fat cuts of meat beef, bacon
- Fried meats
- Cheeses
- Sausages and pepperoni
With fruits and vegetables, you’ve got:
- White potatoes
- Dried fruits
- Corn
- Packaged juices and canned syrups
- Peas and pickles
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