Type 2 Diabetes Diet Definition And Facts
- Type 2 diabetes involves problems getting enough glucose into the cells. When the sugar can’t get where it is supposed to be, it leads to elevated blood sugar levels in the bloodstream, which can lead to complications such as kidney, nerve, and eye damage, and cardiovascular disease.
- Foods to eat for a type 2 diabetic diet meal plan include complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, whole wheat, quinoa, oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, beans, and lentils. Foods to avoid include simple carbohydrates, which are processed, such as sugar, pasta, white bread, flour, and cookies, pastries.
- Foods with a low glycemic load only cause a modest rise in blood sugar and are better choices for people with diabetes. Good glycemic control can help in preventing long-term complications of type 2 diabetes.
- Fats don’t have much of a direct effect on blood sugar but they can be useful in slowing the absorption of carbohydrates.
- Protein provides steady energy with little effect on blood sugar. It keeps blood sugar stable, and can help with sugar cravings and feeling full after eating. Protein-packed foods to eat include beans, legumes, eggs, seafood, dairy, peas, tofu, and lean meats and poultry.
- Five diabetes“superfoods” to eat include chia seeds, wild salmon, white balsamic vinegar, cinnamon, and lentils.
- Healthy diabetes meal plans include plenty of vegetables, and limited processed sugars and red meat.
Glycemic index and load
Carbohydrates can be classified as either
Best Carbs To Help Manage Blood Sugar
Carbs for diabetes? If someone has been diagnosed with diabetes, it doesnt mean that they have to give up carbohydrates forever. It is only refined and processed carbs that are harmful to people with diabetes. The complex carbohydrates, consumed in moderation, are an essential constituent of a diabetics meal plan. The key is to choose carbs that are rich in fibre and nutrients so that they are digested slowly and the energy released is gradual.
How Do You Use The Food Label To Count Carbohydrates
Looking at a food label, find the serving size and the total carbohydrate in that one serving. Note: Total carbohydrate includes sugar, starch, and fiber. Use the grams of total carbohydrate when carbohydrate counting.
To calculate the number of carbohydrate choices in that particular serving, simply divide the amount of total carbohydrate by 15.
Refer to the following information to assist with calculating carbohydrate choices:
- Grams of Carbohydrate 0-5
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Healthy Carb Intake For People With Diabetes
The Centers for Disease Prevention and Control recommends that people with diabetes get about 45% of their daily calories from carbohydrates. Put another way, for a 2,000 calories diet that equates to about three or four servings of carbohydrates.
For those with diabetes, eating well is not just a matter of counting grams and calories, though. Choosing nutritious foods is key, says Jennifer Smith, Director of Lifestyle and Nutrition at Integrated Diabetes Services in Madison, Wisconsin.
There are two main types of carbs:
Simple carbs hit the bloodstream quickly and can lead to a higher spike in blood sugar levels compared to complex carbs.
“If you’re doing 45% carbohydrates because that’s what you’ve been told to do, but it’s all white rice and white bread and Fruit Loops, that’s not healthy,” Smith says. “Simple sugars have a big impact on blood sugar, while more complex carbohydrates like grains, beans, and legumes have more fiber in them, which slows blood sugar impact once your body takes it into your system.”
Which Type Of Fats Are Recommended
Fats have little direct effect on blood sugar but, as part of a meal, they are useful in slowing down the absorption of carbohydrates. Fats also have effects on health that are not related to blood sugar. For example:
- Animal meat fats increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. However, dairy, and specifically fermented dairy such as yogurt, appears to decrease this risk.
- Plant-based fats such as olive oil, nuts, seeds, and avocado are associated with lower cardiovascular disease risk.
- Fat also contributes to feelings of satiety and can play a role in managing overeating and carbohydrate cravings. A portion of healthy fats is much more satisfying and healthy than jam on white toast.
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How Are Carbs Measured
Carbs are measured in grams. On packaged foods, you can find total carb grams on the Nutrition Facts label. You can also check this list or use a carb-counting app to find grams of carbs in foods and drinks.
For diabetes meal planning, 1 carb serving is about 15 grams of carbs. This isnt always the same as what you think of as a serving of food. For example, most people would count a small baked potato as 1 serving. However, at about 30 grams of carbs, it counts as 2 carb servings.
What To Think About When Meal Planning
Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates are the bodies main source of energy and the nutrient that impacts blood sugar the most. People with diabetes need to monitor their carbohydrate intake because excess carbohydrates, particularly in the form of white, refined, processed and sugary foods, can elevate blood sugars, triglyceride levels and ultimately result in weight gain. When thinking about carbohydrates, youll want to think about portions as well as type.
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Busting A Few Nutrition Myths
Avoid grain-based foods: You do not need to eat whole grain foods to get fiber and good carbs. You can obtain plenty of fiber from vegetables, nuts and seeds. And grain-based foods, even whole grains are high in carbs and will raise blood sugar.
Enjoy dairy: Dairy products are fine to eat, even full fat varieties. There is no evidence to show these are bad for our health. And in fact, new evidence suggests they are very beneficial. In terms of carbs, cheese and cottage cheese are lower in carbs than milk and yogurt.
Become a detective: When you go shopping, dont rely on front-of-pack labelling. Food companies are great at enticing you to purchase foods, or telling you that a food is healthy, but it may not be true. The only way youll know is to read food labels and learn to understand the nutrition facts panel. When looking at nutrition labels, dont just look at the total calories, observe the amount of carbs, fiber and how much sugar an item contains.
Carbs are more important than calories: But overall, the best bet for your diabetes diet is to focus on carb control. When you can observe your daily intake of carbs and lower them, you will see results pretty quickly. And just to be clear, we are talking about a low carb diet here, not a no carb diet! Sure, in the long term, calorie intake is important to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. If you need to, on a lower carb diet, you can control calorie intake by focusing on the amount of food you eat.
Very Low Carb Ketogenic Diets
Very low carb diets typically induce mild to moderate ketosis, a state in which your body uses ketones and fat, rather than sugar, as its main energy sources.
Ketosis usually occurs at a daily intake of fewer than 50 grams of total carbs .
Very low carb ketogenic diets were prescribed for people with diabetes even before insulin was discovered in 1921 .
Several studies indicate that restricting carb intake to 2050 grams per day can significantly reduce blood sugar levels, promote weight loss, and improve cardiovascular health for people with diabetes .
In addition, these improvements often occur very quickly.
For instance, in a small 3-month study, people consumed either a low carb diet containing up to 50 grams of carbs per day or a calorie-restricted low fat diet.
The low carb group averaged a 0.6% decrease in hemoglobin A1c and lost more than twice as much weight as the low fat group. Whats more, 44% of them discontinued at least one diabetes medication compared with 11% of the low fat group .
In fact, in several studies, participants have reduced or discontinued use of insulin and other diabetes medications due to improvements in blood sugar control .
Diets containing 2050 grams of carbs per day have also been shown to lower blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of disease in people with prediabetes .
Another study found that the diet might actually improve kidney function in people with type 2 diabetes and normal renal function or mild kidney disease .
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Your Practical Action Steps Right Now
- Breakfast: 30 g carbs
- Dinner: 30 g crabs
- 2 x snacks: 15 g carbs each or 3 x snacks 10 g carbs each
If you want to work on losing weight and getting optimal results for blood sugar and a1c aim for 50-80 g carbs per day.
- Breakfast: 15-20 g carbs
- 2 x snacks: 5-10 g carbs each
- Before bed: 10 g carbs
If you dont know what carbohydrate foods are, or which ones are best to eat take the 30 Day Turnaround Program our members discover that after years of trying diet after diet without success, our process truly turns their lives around!
P.S. Please share this info with friends, family or colleagues it could be life changing.
*Reverse diabetes: while diabetes is not reversible from a diagnostic standpoint once you have it, you have it diabetes can be reversible from a physiological standpoint, in many. That is, you can endeavor to bring your blood sugar and A1c levels within a normal healthy range, improve your metabolism, reduce the need for meds and live a healthy, happy, normal life.
With a few simple changes to your diet lowering carb intake and eating whole foods you can start seeing your numbers move in a downward direction, fast!
Take the 30 Day Turnaround Program well show you how easy it is to do.
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You Also Asked: What Is The Best Diet For Diabetics
The diet that is best for diabetes is one you can keep up with, enjoy, and fits within your lifestyle and culture.
Some people have the misconception that desi foods are unhealthy. I respectfully disagree with this view.
The cuisines of South Asia have evolved over more than three millennia. It is a vivid display of culture and heritage, as well as fascinating history. The art of combining spices and perfecting them is what, in my opinion, defines Desi cooking.
Turmeric, cumin, cinnamon and cloves are just a few of the spices included in the Ayurvedic diet, and have medicinal and healing qualities according to Ayurvedic medicine.
Indian food, then, is more than just an item on a menu. South Asian culture promotes home cooking and embraces the use of fresh nutritious ingredients in dishes, rather than processed ones.
If you’re South Asian and want to learn how to balance out of control blood sugars, check out D-School. It was born out of my lived experience with type 2 diabetes, love for Desi cooking, and expertise in diabetes.
What about the best western diets for glycemic control?
Science supports the Mediterranean or predominantly plant-based diet, in order to manage blood sugars successfully. Diabetes Canadaalso endorses it because of its nutritional value and health benefits.
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Wonderful Honey Roasted Pistachios
This newer flavor satisfies both sweet and crunchy cravings. And although you may think it’d be too high in carbs and off-limits, a ¼ cup serving clocks in at only 7 grams carbohydrate. You also get 2 grams fiber and 5 grams protein. Plus, research suggests that eating pistachios may help with glucose and insulin control in people with diabetes. If honey roasted isn’t your flavor of choice, look for Chili Roasted or Salt & Pepper for a snack with some zing. .
Can Diabetics In Bread What Type Of Bread Are Good For Diabetics
A great choice for sliced bread is a Sprouted Grain Bread which is high in protein and fiber, and easier to digest. . Dont be fooled by whole-wheat pieces of bread. Whole wheat breads are different from whole grain breads and differ in nutritional benefits.
Breads and bakery items are also quite hard for my patients to part with. You dont have to completely break up with them! You just need to be smart about what options are available as alternatives.Another option thats a great substitute for a bun or English muffin is an almond flour bread. Did you know you can make one of these with just 90 seconds in the microwave?! The recipe is so simple anyone can make it and again its quick.
Other bread alternatives to white bread:
-Ezekiel Bread. Ezekiel bread is one of the healthiest breads available.Ezekiel bread contains sprouted grains and legumes, including wheat, soybeans, millet, barley, spelt, and lentils.
Rye bread is made from rye, a type of grain that is related to wheat. Rye bread is denser than regular bread, as well as much higher in fiber. Rye bread causes a slower rise in blood sugar than wheat bread. However, it also has a stronger, more unique flavor. You may need to acquire its taste.
I hope this article helped you. Stay tuned for new articles regarding more food alternatives to help your diabetes.
Ahmet Ergin, MD, FACE, CDCES, ECNUVirtual/online Endocrinologist in FL and NY
2260 Palm Beach Lakes Blvd. Ste 212 Unit #7
West Palm Beach Florida
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Will Supplements And Vitamins Help My Diabetes
No clear proof exists that taking dietary supplements such as vitamins, minerals, herbs, or spices can help manage diabetes.1 You may need supplements if you cannot get enough vitamins and minerals from foods. Talk with your health care provider before you take any dietary supplement since some can cause side effects or affect how your medicines work.2
Rethinking Mainstream Carb Recommendations
Over the years its been pretty common practice to recommend a low fat, high carbohydrate diet to people with type 2 diabetes or prediabetes.
Even as little as a few months ago, the American Diabetes Association were still stating that: A place to start is at about 45-75 grams of carbohydrate at a meal.
That would equate to around 135-225 g carbohydrates per day, excluding snacks.
And globally, diabetes associations have kept emphasizing that people with type 2 diabetes should eat the same as the general population , that everything in moderation is fine .
So quite frankly, these large organizations have had you fooled none of their dietary information has been based on real science!
And the fact is, 45-75 g per meal of carbohydrates per meal is way too high!
If youve been eating 225+ grams of carbs per day and wondering why you cant get your blood glucose levels or A1c under control, theres a simple answer youre eating too many carbs!
What the science shows is you must forget the mainstream carb recommendations and flip the nutrition circle on its head. Because the goal is to keep your carb intake to less than 25%, not 60% as these large health organizations have been pushing for years.
As you can see, these recommendations suited for the general public are highly flawed recommendations for people with type 2 diabetes, and are in fact, keeping you sick!
Like we always say: Diabetes prevention and diabetes treatment are two completely different things.
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What Is Medical Nutrition Therapy
Medical nutrition therapy is a service provided by an RD to create personal eating plans based on your needs and likes. For people with diabetes, medical nutrition therapy has been shown to improve diabetes management. Medicare pays for medical nutrition therapy for people with diabetes If you have insurance other than Medicare, ask if it covers medical nutrition therapy for diabetes.
What About Sugar Alcohols
Sugar alcohols, such as mannitol and sorbitol, are carbohydrates that are absorbed very slowly and therefore affect your blood sugar significantly less than sugars and starches. Because of this, they are often used as sweeteners in sugar-free foods. Sugar alcohols are not “free,” and must still be counted as part of the total carbohydrate content of any food. Too many sugar alcohols can lead to diarrhea.
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Prevent Low Blood Glucose
Because physical activity lowers your blood glucose, you should protect yourself against low blood glucose levels, also called hypoglycemia. You are most likely to have hypoglycemia if you take insulin or certain other diabetes medicines, such as a sulfonylurea. Hypoglycemia also can occur after a long intense workout or if you have skipped a meal before being active. Hypoglycemia can happen during or up to 24 hours after physical activity.
Planning is key to preventing hypoglycemia. For instance, if you take insulin, your health care provider might suggest you take less insulin or eat a small snack with carbohydrates before, during, or after physical activity, especially intense activity.4
You may need to check your blood glucose level before, during, and right after you are physically active.
What Are The Different Types Of Carbs
There are 3 types of carbs:
Sugars and starches raise your blood sugar, but fiber doesnt.
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