Top foods to eat and avoid with diabetes

Published: March 15, 2022

When it comes to diabetes, the food we eat can be the cause but also a remedy. Unfortunately, although avoiding type 2 diabetes is fairly easy with the right choice of food and moderate physical activity, it is estimated that right now, 415 million people worldwide are living with diabetes. And the majority of people who are aware of the condition and treating it are solely relying on prescription drugs. However, that is only a way of treating the symptoms rather than the real underlying cause of the condition. The best way of keeping your diabetes under control is to change your lifestyle. Get on a healthy diet and learn what foods to eat and avoid with diabetes, start learning Zumba dance or join a gym, and your condition will significantly improve even to a point where you won’t need prescription drugs anymore.

What is causing your diabetes?

An unhealthy lifestyle is the leading cause of type 2 diabetes. Eating bad foods, excess body weight, avoiding physical activity, smoking, are some of the most important factors that can lead to diabetes. Of course, even though there are so many factors that are included in the process, the food we eat is the number one thing that we need to pay attention to. Once you move on to the proper diet you can start thinking about adding a workout routine to the mix to boost your overall health.

Go regular checkups with your physician

It is important to understand that even though diabetes is a serious condition that can cause many serious health issues, its symptoms can often go unnoticed for years. That is why DubaiPT suggests that you do regular checkups with your physician. Especially if you have some of the habits we described above like bad diet, inactivity, excess weight, etc. Discovering the condition early gives you better chances for fighting it. If you are experiencing daily headaches, increased thirst, blurred vision, frequent urination, you are probably experiencing problems with high blood sugar and you need to visit your doctor.

So what are the top foods to eat and avoid with diabetes?

Before we start spelling out the top foods to eat and avoid with diabetes, you should know one thing, if you ask for a meal plan for diabetics Dubai nutritionists can prepare for you, you will need to stick to your diet indefinitely. Unfortunately, there is no cure for diabetes, however, with a proper diet and moderate physical activity, you can keep the condition under control and in the best cases even force it to remission.

The best news is, the diabetes meal plan includes eating good and tasty foods every day. Of course, you will have to say goodbye to many foods you are used to enjoying like sweets, fast food, over-processed food, sweetened beverages, and foods that have a lot of simple carbs. Leave those foods only for special occasions. The majority of your diet will include fresh and healthy ingredients, that have a lot of protein, fibers, healthy fats, and complex carbs. Here are the basics.

Eat more complex carbs

As we already mentioned, you will need to avoid simple carbs that you can find in sweets, white flour, white rice, and concentrate on getting necessary carbohydrates from healthy whole-grain foods, such as brown rice, oatmeal, quinoa, millet, or amaranth, baked sweet potato, and similar. You will want to avoid processed grains, such as white rice or white flour, and even cereals made from white flour with little whole grains and lots of added sugar and other artificial sweeteners. Also avoid common foods like white bread, French fries, fried white-flour tortillas as they are also a source of simple carbs.

Vegetables are a rich source of nutrients

When it comes to vegetables, they play the main role in all the best Dubai meal plans. And that is what you will find in a meal plan designed for diabetics.  They are the best source of vitamins and fibers that are necessary for many bodily processes and functions. When you are following a diabetic meal plan concentrate on eating fresh or frozen veggies and greens such as kale, spinach, arugula, carrots, red peppers, onions, or eggplants, eaten raw, lightly steamed, roasted, or grilled. Be sure that you avoid potatoes and corn as they also count as carbs, canned vegetables with lots of added sodium, or veggies cooked with lots of added butter, cheese, or cream.

Fruits are also good for your health but you need to eat them moderately if you are suffering from diabetes

When it comes to fruits, they are also a welcomed ingredient in a diabetes-friendly meal plan and a healthy source of vitamins, minerals, and fibers. However since they can often be packed with sugar, you need to be careful and limit your fruit consumption. When on a diabetes meal plan eat blackberries, blueberries, green bananas, apples, and others within normal limits. And strictly avoid eating canned fruit with added sugar, chewy fruit rolls, jams, and even fruit drinks, which are often packed with sugar.

Concentrate on eating protein-packed foods

One of the best things that you can do when it comes to diabetes is to start eating protein-rich foods. Our body is using protein as building blocks for muscle, but it is also very effective when it comes to dealing with increased blood sugar.  Luckily, there are many great and tasty protein-rich foods that you can eat if you are suffering from diabetes like chicken, turkey, beef, fish, other seafood, as well as beans, cheese, eggs, nuts, and tofu. When it comes to food to avoid, avoid eating fried meat, cuts of meat that are higher in fat, bacon, poultry with skin, regular cheeses, deep-fried fish.

What to drink?

Of course, when you are on a diabetes meal plan, you also need to watch out for what you are drinking. When it comes to dairy products, 1% or skim milk, and low-fat yogurt are pretty safe options, just make sure that they do not have added sugar. You can drink coffee without adding sweeteners. Unsweetened tea with or without a slice of lemon is also a good choice. Still. The best thing you can do is to concentrate on drinking water. Water is the best thing for your body and the thing that will help your body function properly.

Consistency is the key

Those are the top foods to eat and avoid with diabetes. Remember, the most important thing is to stay consistent with your diet. If you can do that, you will lead a good and healthy life despite diabetes.