Diabetes Diets

Smart diet choices, along with regular physical exercise or activity, can help to control the blood glucose levels, blood cholesterol level and maintain a healthy weight.

Diabetes diets - Fats

Fats are considered as heavy diet with highest energy content of all diets. Eating too much of fat can increase body weight and in long run it may be difficult to manage the blood glucose levels.

Still small amounts of healthier fats (unsaturated fats) may improve the health and reduce the risk of heart diseases. Thus both the type of fat as well as the amount consumed is important.

• Avoid unhealthy fats (Saturated fat, Trans fat & Cholesterol)
• Include small quantity of healthy fats (Monounsaturated fat, Polyunsaturated fat & Omega 3 fatty acids)

Saturated fat - Unhealthy diabetes diet
Limit or even avoid saturated fat because it raises LDL cholesterol (consider as a bad cholesterol) levels in blood.

Some of the sources of saturated fats are:Animal foods (fatty meat, milk, butter and cheese), Vegetable fats (palm oil and coconut products such as copha, coconut milk or cream).

How to reduce saturated fat consumption?

• Limit fat milk, yoghurt, ice cream and custard.
• Limit lean meat and remove any fat off before cooking.
• Chicken without skin (remove before cooking).
• Limit butter, lard, cream, sour cream, copha, coconut milk, coconut cream and hard cooking margarines.
• Limit cheese usage and try low fat varieties.
• Limit or even avoid bakery stuffs - pastries, cakes, puddings, chocolate and cream biscuits.
• Try to avoid processed and pre-packaged food items.
• Avoid fried foods such as chips, fried chicken and battered fish.

Trans Fat - unhealthy diabetes diet
Trans fat too increase blood cholesterol levels and it even worst than saturated fats. Trans fat is nothing but hydrogenated oil: liquid oil is converted in to solid by hydrogenation.

Some of the sources of trans fat are:Processed and baked foods (such as chips, crackers, muffins, cookies and cakes), Stick margarines & Shortening and Some fast food items (read the label for content).

Cholesterol -  unhealthy diabetes diet
Body makes cholesterol in the blood, balance come from the diet we eat. So it is wise to avoid cholesterol rich diets.

Some of the sources of cholesterols are: Dairy products with fat, Egg yolks, Animal liver and other organs, Poultry skin and high fat meats.

Diabetes diets - Healthy fats

• Monounsaturated fat, 
• Polyunsaturated fat & 
• Omega 3 fatty acids

Healthy fats are called so because they can lower bad (LDL) cholesterol and helps prevent clogging of the arteries.

Monounsaturated fats - Healthy diabetes diet
Some of the sources of monounsaturated fats are: Canola oil, Olive oil, Peanut butter and oil, Avocado,  Almonds, cashews, pecans, peanuts and Sesame seeds

Polyunsaturated fats - Healthy diabetes diet
Some of the sources of polyunsaturated fats are: Oils (Corn oil, Cottonseed oil, Safflower oil, Soybean oil, Sunflower oil),  Walnuts, Pumpkin or sunflower seeds, Soft (tub) margarine, Mayonnaise, and Salad dressings.

Omega 3 fatty acids - Healthy diabertes diet
Some of the sources of Omega 3 fatty acids are: Some fish varieties (Albacore tuna, Herring, Mackerel, Rainbow trout, Sardines and Salmon), Some plant foods (Tofu and other soybean products, Walnuts, Flaxseed & flaxseed oil and Canola oil).

Diabetes diets - Protein

Protein provides some important nutrients for good health. Most of the protein foods cannot directly affect the blood glucose levels. Protein foods include lean meat, skinless poultry, seafood, eggs, unsalted nuts and soy products (tofu and legumes - dried beans and lentils). But legumes can also have carbohydrates and so can affect the blood glucose levels.

Diabetes diets - Carbohydrate

Carbohydrates are the best and fast energy source for the body. It is easily digested and breaks down to form glucose in the bloodstream. Carbohydrates are not an essential nutrient for humans: the body can make all its energy from proteins and fats. However, the brain and neurons cannot burn fat and needs glucose for energy.

Amount of carbohydrate consumed will affect how the blood glucose levels rise after a meal. Too large a serve can mean too large a glucose level rise. Most of the foods contain carbohydrates, which the body breaks down and digested into simple sugars that is the major source of energy for the body.

Types of Carbohydrates
There are two major types of carbohydrates in foods, they are simple (monosaccharides and disaccharides) and complex carbohydrates (oligosaccharides and polysaccharides).