Our cells need energy, and this comes from the carbohydrates or the glucose that you consume. However, if you have type 2 diabetes, then your body cells would not be able to absorb the glucose particles from the food into your blood. This can lead to a feeling of weakness and sluggishness among other problems.
Insulin helps in the transportation of the sugar or glucose to the cells of the brain, the muscles, and also other parts of the body. However, due to type 2 diabetes, insulin production decreases and this is why cells don’t get enough of glucose.
Due to the insufficient levels of insulin, the blood sugar level increases as the sugar start getting accumulated in the bloodstream. If this thing continues without any checkup or medical intervention at the crucial phase, the cells then develop a protection or shield against the insulin. Thus, they don’t absorb the required amount of glucose. This, in turn, influences the pancreas to produce more insulin; however, during this process, the sugar level in the blood becomes elevated, and the person develops type 2 diabetes.
However, you can control the high blood sugar level in type 2 diabetes with a customized type 2 diabetes diet which includes a specific amount of carbohydrates, vitamins, protein, fat, salt, and fiber.
What is type 2 diabetes diet?
A proper and healthy diet is necessary for a type 2 diabetic patient as they need to get the required amount of nutrients and energy from the food. The major constituents of the type 2 diabetes diet are carbohydrates, fats, salts, and fiber.
You need to understand how these four items can affect your blood sugar level and accordingly you should plan your type 2 diabetes diet. The main idea of this kind of diet plans is to monitor the amount of food intake, thus keeping an eye on the blood sugar level.
Carbohydrates
This is the source of our body energy, and it is also the cause of raising the blood sugar level if not taken into right proportion. You can have foods like various fruits, bread, cereals, milk, rice, yogurt, vegetables which are starchy like potatoes, beans, and corns which can provide enough of carbohydrates. You need to keep a check on the proportion of the sugar you are consuming. It should not exceed the amount which your body insulin cannot resist.
You can have whole grains that have minerals, phytochemicals, and various vitamins which are good for health. However, avoid white flour which is refined or processed as it doesn’t have the same amount of nutritional value.
Proteins
The ADA or the American Diabetes Association suggests having proteins which have low fat in the saturated form. You can get such protein from the seafood like fish or even a turkey can help you in that case.
You must have seafood at least thrice in a week time, especially salmon as it also contains omega-3 fats which are healthy for your heart. If you are looking for some protein from the vegetables, then you must go for different types of beans as they form a significant part of type 2 diabetes diet. You can also include nuts which have a considerable amount of protein along with fats which are healthy, but you need to limit the amount of intake because of the high measures of calories.
Avoid processed meats such as hotdogs which have saturated fat which isn’t good for your health and also a high amount of sodium that adds to the risk of high BP, heart attack, or stroke.
Vegetables and fruits
Your type 2 diabetes diet must contain lots of vegetables and fruits. You must have green vegetables with fresh leaves, broccoli, asparagus, cauliflower, etc. Try avoiding corns to a considerable proportion or potatoes which are high in starch.
If you are craving for some sweet or sugary items, try having some berries as this will not only control the blood sugar level but are also full of antioxidants. Try avoiding dried things like dates as they have a high degree of sugar content.
Fats
You need to plan your type 2 diabetes diet with such fat products which are healthy for your heart and body. Try having avocados, pecans, or almonds which have monounsaturated fats. You can also try polyunsaturated fats which are present in walnuts, sunflower oil, etc. as they help in controlling the blood cholesterol level. You cannot opt for saturated fats if you are following a type 2 diabetes diet and want to lead a healthy life. Try avoiding cheese and butter, or limit their intake to a minimum.
Type 2 diabetes can be life-threatening if not controlled in the right way. Moreover, diabetes is such a disease which worsens all other problems in your body. So, maintaining a proper type 2 diabetes diet is necessary to live a healthy life when you are diabetic with type 2 diabetes.
