How to Control Diabetes through Your Diet?

Healthy eating is the cornerstone of diabetes management. Simple dietary choices and a healthy lifestyle are the keys to tackling diabetes. Before we discuss the foods to control diabetes, let us understand the science behind them.

The Impact of Diet on Diabetes

In diabetes, your body struggles to maintain blood sugar levels. Hence, foods that help stabilize it are ideal. Here is why blood sugar management with food is crucial:

1. Reduces Blood Sugar 

Simple carbohydrates can raise blood sugar levels. Hence, foods that control blood sugar are ideal. For example, complex carbohydrates that are rich in fibre, proteins, etc. are the best sugar control foods.

2. Weight Management

Effective blood sugar regulation requires a healthy weight. A well-planned and balanced diet will prevent weight gain, achieve the target weight, and improve insulin sensitivity. 

3. Insulin Sensitivity

It is the body’s ability to respond to insulin and regulate blood sugar levels. It can be improved by eating a diet rich in healthy fats, complex carbs, and lean protein. These nutrients help reduce inflammation, promote glucose absorption by cells, and prevent insulin resistance.

4. Prevent Diabetes-related Complications

When you take food for sugar control, it will prevent uncontrolled diabetes. Going forward, this will help in avoiding diabetes-related complications like heart disease, kidney problems, and nerve damage. 

How to Use the Power of Food to Regulate Your Blood Sugar

Diabetes management is challenging. People with diabetes often feel depressed about having to miss out on many of their favourite foods.

However, the power of a well-made diet plan for blood sugar regulation is all about enjoying the meal that works best for your body. Here’s how: 

1. Having Carbohydrates

A major chunk of our meals includes carbohydrates. Be it rice, chapati, poha, upma, ragi, or anything else, we all love having our carbs. Carbohydrates are directly converted into glucose during digestion and affect blood sugar. 

Your source of carbohydrates may need a little modification. Choose complex carbohydrates over simple ones. Maida (refined flour), for instance, is a simple carb.

Prefer using whole grain atta with dals like chana, urad, etc. to incorporate complex carbs. These foods are low in their glycemic index and are rich in fibre, thus reducing blood sugar effectively.

2. Understanding Glycemic Index (GI)

Low-GI foods like complex carbohydrates (whole wheat, barley), dals (pulses), legumes, sprouts, vegetables, etc. are slowly digested, resulting in modest increases in blood sugar. 

3. Eating Enough Fibre

Fibre works by slowing carbohydrate digestion and absorption, resulting in a gradual rise in blood sugar levels. Furthermore, it improves the feeling of fullness, aids in body weight management, and helps with better overall blood sugar management.

4. Protein Intake

Proteins affect blood glucose levels and insulin production in the body. Opt for lean protein options that are not only amazing for weight control but are tasty too! These include chicken, fish and vegetarian protein sources like dal, chickpeas, kidney beans, paneer, tofu, etc.

5. Eating Healthy Fats

Fat isn’t bad. It all depends on the type of fat you eat. Healthy fats contribute to blood sugar regulation by improving insulin sensitivity. Omega-3 fatty acids in fish, or the fats in nuts like walnuts, almonds, etc., are important to regulate your blood sugar.

6. Do Not Forget the Antioxidants  

Antioxidants are the silent soldiers that help with all diseases, including diabetes. High blood sugar levels often induce inflammation through free radicals.

Antioxidants, like in black tea, vegetables like onions, garlic, and carrots, spices like turmeric, and many other kinds of foods, are vital to lower your blood sugar.

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Ways to Use the Power of Food in Blood Sugar Regulation 

It is not enough to choose the right foods to control diabetes. You also have to eat them correctly:

1. Diet Plan

It is best to plan a diet chart with the help of an expert dietician to reduce blood sugar like a pro. Crafting a balanced meal that has a mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and beneficial fats is effective in maintaining stable blood glucose levels.

2. Meal Timings

Maintaining a regular meal plan and adequately spacing out meals is essential to lower blood sugar. Aligning carbohydrate consumption with medicine or insulin shots can improve blood sugar control.

3. Portion Control

You can use the Plate Method to decide on the quantity of each food. Fill half the plate with non-starchy vegetables, a quarter with lean protein, and the remaining quarter with whole grains or starchy vegetables.

FitterTake

Foods to control diabetes are a real game changer. Consider consulting our expert diabetologists and dieticians on Fitterfly’s Diabetes Care Program to learn when and how to prepare a diabetes-friendly diet chart.

You can also directly sign up for our program if you wish to know more. 

To know if you can reverse your diabetes, try our Fitterfly Diabetes Reversal Calculator.

Without much adieu, speak with us by just dialing a missed call at 08069450746, and we will definitely get back to you. Together, let us make the journey towards healing from diabetes more healthy and enjoyable.