Keep Your Sugar Levels In Check With The Best Diabetes Diet This World Diabetes Day

Diabetes is a growing challenge affecting India, as a large number of people experience elevated blood sugar levels impacting their health adversely. Diabetes is a chronic condition which results when the pancreas fails to produce adequate insulin or when the body fails to use the insulin it produces effectively. As a result, people experience an increased concentration of glucose in their blood, which is called hyperglycaemia. As per the World Bank records, the prevalence of diabetes in India in the population coming in the age group of 20 to 70 years latest in 2021 is 9.6%. There are two prominent types of diabetes, namely, Type 1 diabetes (wherein the body produces no insulin or a lack of insulin) and Type 2 diabetes (wherein the human body either fails to produce sufficient insulin or fails to use insulin efficiently i.e. insulin resistance).

Type 2 is the most common type of diabetes that results due to excess weight gain and lack of physical activity. Unhealthy diets, sedentary lifestyles, and the use of tobacco are some of the contributing factors to the development of diabetes. Obesity and overweight are the most prominent risk factors that account for diabetes in adults. Managing these risk factors can help prevent or treat diabetes naturally and effectively. For this purpose, every year, the 14^th of November is celebrated as World Diabetes Day to spread awareness about diabetes and educate people globally about the prevention and the impact of the chronic condition of human health. The theme of World Diabetes Day 2022 is “Education to Protect Tomorrow”, under the larger campaign of World Diabetes Day 2021-2023 focusing on “Access to Diabetes Care”. It emphasises spreading diabetes awareness and prevention. It’s one of the largest annual campaigns spreading diabetes awareness with the participation of over 160 nations and influencing more than 100 crores of people. It also emphasizes better access to treatment and quality information to manage diabetes. A diabetes control diet is one of the crucial ways to keep your blood sugar levels in check naturally and prevent the hazardous effects of diabetes.

Heart disease, nerve damage (neuropathy), stroke, chronic kidney disease, gum disease, oral health issues, eye problems (retinopathy), and diabetic foot problems that can lead to gangrene and amputation if left untreated are some of the serious complications of diabetes. A diabetes diet plan for Indians plays an active role in preventing a spike in blood glucose levels and keeping the blood sugar in check to prevent subsequent health complications. The best weight loss program for diabetes helps people keep their weight in check and prevent obesity and overweight, which are key causes of various cardiovascular diseases and diabetes health risks and complications. Such a weight loss program and diabetes management plan involve a diet for you to follow daily. Check out how diabetes diet plans for Indians can help you prevent the elevation in blood sugar levels naturally.

Diabetes Diet Plan:

A healthy diabetes diet is based on eating right and does not involve starving for sugar and weight management. It involves eating nutritious meals at regular, right timings for better use of insulin. Consulting a certified dietician can help you receive a diabetes diet plan with Indian food options based on your health goals, lifestyle, and tastes. The dietician will also help you improve your eating habits and guide you on your activity level. Discover all about diet for diabetes below.

Best Foods to Eat for Preventing and Managing Diabetes:

Prediabetics and diabetic individuals need to take care of their food intake and blood glucose levels to prevent diabetes health risks. For that purpose, you need to make healthy food choices and make your calories count with nutritious foods. Here’s a list of nutritious options recommended for blood sugar management and a weight gain diet chart for diabetes.

1. Healthy Carbohydrates:

Sugar (i.e. simple carbohydrates) breaks down easily into your blood glucose during digestion. So, when managing diabetes, focus on including complex or healthy carbohydrates in your diet plan. Prefer to add nutritious foods such as:

• Whole grains
• Fresh fruits
• Vegetables such as broccoli, green beans, and spinach
• Legumes, such as peas and beans
• Low-fat dairy food options such as milk.

While including these nutritious carbohydrates in your diabetes control diet, avoid foods containing less healthy carbohydrates food options, such as beverages and foods with added sugar, fats, and sodium.

2. Fibre Abundant Foods:

The intake of fibre through your regular diet moderates how your body digests foods and aids in keeping your blood sugar levels in check. So, include foods rich in fibre in your diet that include fruits, whole grains, legumes, vegetables, nuts, and seeds.

3. Heart-Healthy Fish:

If you are consuming fish for good protein intake, prefer eating heart-healthy fish twice a week. Salmon, sardines, and tuna are some of the healthy fish rich in healthy fats and omega-3 fatty acids. The consumption of these fats can help prevent heart disease.

4. Healthy Fats:

Foods rich in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats help reduce your cholesterol levels. Also, these foods help reduce your risk of diabetes and other health conditions, such as cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and more. So, enrich your weight gain diet chart for diabetes with:

• Nuts
• Canola, peanut, and olive oil
• Avocados

Make sure that you consume these foods in moderation as they are high in calories.

Foods to Avoid for Preventing and Managing Diabetes:

Diabetes causes elevated blood sugar levels. It is a concerning health condition that increases your risk of stroke and heart disease by accelerating the development of hardened and clogged arteries. So, while following a diabetes diet plan with Indian foods, you should avoid unhealthy foods in your meal plan. This helps prevent the risk of potential health hazards and enables you to have a heart-healthy diet. Here’s a list of kinds of foods that you should avoid when going for the best weight loss program for diabetes.

1. High-Carb Foods and Beverages:

   Avoid foods and drinks high in carbohydrates and sugar. For this, you need to avoid:

• Sugar Foods:

  Candies, canned fruits, foods that have added sugar, cookies, sweetened cereals, and cake, among others.

• Starchy Vegetables:

  White potatoes

• Beverages:

  Drinks with added sugar, such as juices, energy or sports drinks, and regular soda.

• Foods made using White Flour:

  White rice, white bread, pasta, and tortillas.

2. Trans Fats:

   Keep foods containing trans fats at bay. Avoid processed foods and baked food products.

3. Saturated Fats:

   Stay away from food containing saturated fats. Avoid high-fat dairy food options, such as butter, and animal-based proteins, beef, bacon sausages, and hot dogs.

4. Cholesterol Food Sources:

   Foods that can elevate your cholesterol levels are harmful to your health. So, avoid cholesterol sources, such as high-fat animal proteins, such as egg yolks, organ meats, and liver, and high-fat dairy food options.

5. Sodium:

   If you have high blood pressure issues, make sure that you limit your intake of salt (sodium). Sodium can aggravate your hypertension problems. So, consult your doctor or nutritionist to restrict your salt intake and have only the minimum required sodium in your weight gain diet chart for diabetes.

3 Effective Dietary Techniques to Manage Blood Sugar Levels:

Besides these foods to include and avoid in your diabetic diet plan, incorporate other effective techniques to keep your blood sugar levels in check. They include:

1. Carbohydrates Counting:

   It involves keeping a track of the number of carbohydrates you consume daily. You may consult a dietician and work with him/her to limit your intake of carbohydrates in each meal and every day. This is quite an effective technique to keep your blood sugar levels in your target range. Diabetic individuals who take insulin can find this technique beneficial to help them learn how much insulin they need.

2. Opt for Plate Method:

Often, we end up eating more food than we need without evening realizing that we are overeating. The plate method helps regulate your portion size and prevent you from overeating. It’s a simple visual way to ensure you receive sufficient non-starchy vegetables, proteins, and other necessary nutrients while restricting high-carbohydrate intake, which impacts your blood glucose levels.

So, while implementing this method, if you have a nine-inch dinner plate, you can:

• Fill half of the plate with non-starchy veggies, such as salad, carrots, broccoli, cabbage, and green beans, among others.
• Fill a quarter of your meal plate with proteins
• Fill the rest of the quarter of the plate with carbohydrate food sources. It may include grains, fresh fruits, yoghurt, and beans. In this, you may also add a cup of milk, which is a nutritious source of carbohydrates.

While choosing a beverage for your best weight loss program for diabetes, choose a low-calorie drink, such as plain water or unsweetened iced tea. You may include healthy or nutritious snacks between your meals.

3. Watch Your Portion Sizes:

Portion size is the quantity of food you opt to eat at a time. Of late, portion sizes for cuisines and meal plans at restaurants are considerably larger than they were years ago. As people happen to eat more when they are served more food, you are likely to end up overeating when you receive larger portion sizes in your meals. This can hamper your weight management and cause a spike in your blood glucose levels. So, when you are eating at home, ensure you limit your portion size. A certified nutritionist can help you with this. Measure out your snacks at home. Don’t eat them straight from the pack or bag. When eating meals at home, regulate your temptation to eat delicacies over and again by keeping the serving bowls out of reach. When you are eating at restaurants, you can ask for half of your meal to be wrapped, as the portion sizes are already quite large. You may eat this meal later at home.

So, let’s make our best efforts to keep our blood glucose levels in check naturally this World Diabetes Day by adopting these healthy diet tips. Consulting certified dieticians, such as health experts at Health Total, can help you receive a customised diabetes diet plan with Indian food options by including the right nutritious foods and eliminating unhealthy choices. Our diet chart for diabetes not only helps you manage your blood glucose levels but also nourishes you with all crucial nutrients, manages your weight, strengthens your immune system, and avoids potential health risks. So, make no delay, get in touch with us at Health Total, and keep your blood sugar and weight in check with our individualized best weight loss program for diabetes.

Sign up for a FREE consultation with Health Total experts to get more tips on managing your sugar levels with diet or for managing any other health condition. Call toll-free at 1-800-843-0206 and book an appointment!