Subscribe10 Ways to Treat Diabetes With Diet
The following is a guest article by Amy Tenderich, MA, author of www.diabetesmine.com and co-author of ‘Know Your Numbers, Outlive Your Diabetes’, and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of Diet Blog authors.
You probably know by now that there’s no such thing as an official "diabetes diet." In fact, there is no such thing as a food that a person with diabetes can never eat. Even chocolate and other sweets are possible, in moderation. But if you have diabetes, you will need to be both prudent and food-savvy every time you open your mouth to consume something.
From our “do-it-yourself” guide to a healthy life with diabetes, Know Your Numbers, Outlive Your Diabetes (January 2007), allow me to share 10 tips on eating with diabetes:
- Know exactly what your goals are – are you focusing on lowering your A1c (average blood sugar), lipid levels, blood pressure, or weight? (please don’t try everything at once!) Each of these requires a different eating focus: carbohydrates for your A1c; fats for lipid levels; salt, fruits and vegetables for blood pressure; and attention to calories and total carbohydrate intake for controlling your weight.
- Learn about the foods you already eat – most people eat only about 30 different foods or less on a regular basis. What is their calorie content? Their carb content? Type and quantity of fat? Which are protein-heavy versus carb-heavy choices?
- Eat more of the good stuff you like – almost everyone eats a fair amount of healthy foods already. Instead of making drastic changes, think about modifying your diet to include more of the good parts, while limiting the less helpful parts.
- Practice reading food labels – practice makes perfect. The biggest mistake people make is misunderstanding the “serving size.” It’s not uncommon to find a 4-¼ ounce bag of potato chips that shows a serving size of FIVE. Most people don’t plan on sharing that bag with four friends. If you eat the whole bag, you’re likely to consume about 750 calories, including 75% of your daily recommended fat intake!
- Hunt down the corn syrup – at the very bottom of food labels, you’ll find the ingredients listed in order by weight. If corn syrup is at or near the top of the list (or on the list…), axe that food from your diet. Who needs it?
- Know your fats – lots of press lately on this. Avoid trans fats like the plaque, and go for the “good fats” including poly- and mono-unsaturated varieties.
- Curb the carbs – just because you have diabetes doesn’t mean you’re forced to eat extreme low-carb, a’la Atkins. But be aware: the more carbs you consume, the more you will struggle to control your blood glucose. Ideally, set a cap amount of carbs you plan to eat at each meal, and stick with it. The more consistent you are, the better your blood sugar control.
- “Sugar-free” is not carb-free! — never let marketing labels fool you into believing that some carbs “don’t count”
- Cram the fiber – no matter how you slice it, lots of fiber is good for you. Experts recommend at least 20 to 35 grams per day, or even up to 50 grams per day if you have Type 2 diabetes and need to lose weight. Very large amounts of fiber (approx. 50 g per day) have been shown to improve blood glucose levels, lipids, and even insulin levels in the body.
- Take baby steps – don’t try to go from “eating bad” to “eating good” overnight. Instead, make gradual changes, phasing more of the healthy foods you like and perhaps more fiber and protein into your diet. Keep an eye on portion size (most Americans’ enemy!) Try gradually reducing the amount of food you generally put on your plate.
Note: There’s a lot of controversy over the ADA’s (American Diabetes Association’s) food pyramid for people with diabetes, because they recommend more breads, grains, and starches (carb-heavy foods) than anything else. We have to side with the patients-in-the-know: keep the carbs low for better control of blood sugar.
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BRAVO, Amy! I'm so happy to see your promotion of sugar/carbohydrate control as a means for controlling diabetes. You are setting a good example for the American Diabetes Association (ADA) to follow. Keep it up!
ReplyNice article. I have been doing the apple cider vinegar shots for my high sugar levels. I have type 2 diabetes and if my a1c doesnt come down the doctor is putting me on medicine. I am trying to avoid medicine and doing the apple cider vinegar twice a day. I also read were flaxseed helps with cholesterol and high blood pressure. Wish me luck!
ReplyMy mother in law has type 2 diabetes and she does some of these things, but she could definitely improve her eating habits. For example, she does watch her sugar, but she doesn't watch her calories so she ends up gaining weight. This is a good list of guidelines for diabetics...good article!
ReplyDiabetes is caused by an unbalanced about of fat and the bad carbs in the diet.
First, if you have or just got recently got diagnosed with diabetes, eat lots of omega-3 based foods, such as fish, flaxseeds, and walnuts. Have a big slab of oily salmon a few times a week to get your omega 3s.
Next, when you introduce oils back in your diet, avoid those cheap, junk fats and oils from your diet. Be aware of even some "trans fat free" margarines that are on the store shelves, like ParKay or Country Crock. Read these labels and look out for any (processing) words before any oil. If you see the words: Hydrogenated, Fully Hydrogenated, Partially Hydrogenated, Interestrified, Fractionated, or Modified, avoid them. Chances are, they contain trans fats and chemicals.
Be especially aware of fully hydrogenated oils. They are NOT saturated fats. In fact, they contain the most trans fats (eladic acid) per 14 gram serving.
When it comes to choosing oils, aim for the healthier ones, like butter, olive oil, krill oil, clean, organic animal fat, hempseed oil, and any oils that don't contain excessive amounts of omega 6 fatty acids. Sunflower and cottenseed oils are the worst oils to use. Avoid them.
Eat a fiber rich diet. Whole grain pancakes contain a ton of fiber, while vegetables and whole grain bread also contain a good source of fiber. Put some animal protein in your diet, like lean meat, pultery, and chicken. If you use traditional margarines, like Country Crock and Parkay, replace it with butter or natural blend margarines like Benecal or Smart Balance. If you use vegetable shortening, replace that with lard or coconut oil. Vegetable shortening, especially Cottenseed or Sunflower shortening are the worst fats to cook with.
Eventually, if you add enough omega 3s and fiber in your diet, your blood sugar should stabolise within the normal range without the need of medication or insulin.
Replyhi i really liked ur advice my dad has diabetes, and i just found out i have it too. I am 25 and i cant believe i have diabetes. i wish not to take medication or insulin, i want to try the diet. I hope i can do it wish me luck.
ReplyMITA
Nice read. Good advice for anyone really.
ReplyEven though it is an article on diet, I think exercise deserved to be mentioned.
ReplyThey should also advise spreading one's meals out over the course of a day, rather than 3 whoppers. Big meals cause a greater need for insulin, than do smaller meals.
ReplyI need to know how to get more fiber in my diet without eating too many carbs. Do I take lots of psyllium or flax? I can't eat whole grains because it raises my blood sugar because of the flour used to bake it with. All the whole grain bread I've tried to buy has high fructose corn syrup or some other kind of sugar. I can't bake it at home because of the flour and blood sugar problems. So how am I supposed to get more fiber? Please comment, anyone.
ReplyHi,
If you're still eating SOME carbs and not attempting Atkins/Bernstein approach--
try beans and lentils (make soup! cheap and good)
try actual whole grains--quinoa, buckwheat, brown rice, whole oats (cook them the night before and then finish cooking for breakfast!), wheat berries (put them in salads!)
all these are available in bulk at most health food stores or food co-ops, and sometimes in the "ethnic food" area of the supermarket.
for me all these match the timing of my meal boluses much better than flour, though I can also manage whole-grain-only bread in moderation at meals with protein and fat.
Good luck!
Laura G. (type 1 28 years, vegetarian)
ReplyVegetables. Or nuts.
Everyone should eat nuts. They're a real superfood. Vegetables too, I suppose... ha! But I'm just in love with nuts.
ReplyNuts have been my saviour -- rich in fiber, vitamin e, protein, and low glycemic-index carbs.
ReplyThanks for the good article and practical advice.
Reply