| Nearly 8 percent of the American population suffers from one form of diabetes or another. Americans are the worlds biggest consumers and that also goes for their food. Obesity is one major health problem in the United States right now. Obesity has long been a factor involved in the development of diabetes and one way of stopping the increasing number of diabetic patients is through proper diet. Preventing a disease is always better and more economical than going for the cure. Below is a simple guide to eating for diabetic patients. You Are What You Eat Carbohydrates Foods rich in carbohydrates have the greatest effect in blood sugar levels in the body. They maybe classified either as simple or complex carbohydrates. Examples of complex carbohydrates are those found in starches such as corn, pasta, flour or potatoes. Fruits and sugars contain simple carbohydrates. A gram of carbohydrate is equivalent to four calories. Recommended diet for diabetic patients is that their carbohydrate intake should only provide 50 to 60 percent of their calorie intake in a day. Complex carbohydrates found in fruits and vegetables are preferred over starch heavy foods. Studies suggest that replacing simple carbohydrates with complex fiber sources lower blood glucose levels. Complex carbohydrate food like fruits and vegetables also contain fibers which is good for the health in preventing cancers and heart diseases. Simple carbohydrates or sugars are divided into two groups. Sucrose is those found in table sugars. They are not only dangerous in increasing levels of glucose in the blood but were also found to increase cholesterol levels in the body. Fruits also contain sugars and this are called fructose. Although fructose is less harmful than table sugars they also increase levels of glucose in the blood. As a whole sugar are dangerous and should be avoided. Numerous sugar replacements are available in the market for diabetic sufferers. Proteins Foods containing protein such as meats and fishes are used to maintain blood sugar levels for diabetic patients. These are usually taken during bedtime for blood glucose maintenance. Proteins should provide around 12 to 20 percent of a persons daily calorie intake. Animal meat is discouraged as they contain fats which could lead to heart disease. Fish meat is the better alternative because they contain low levels of fat. Fish also contains Omega3 which contains good fat and reduce levels of bad fats in the body. Other sources of protein are soybeans and tofu. Fats And Oils Fatty food and oils should always be avoided id possible. Fatty foods are the main causes of obesity a known factor in causing diabetes. They also contain high levels of cholesterol and could cause other diseases such as heart disease and may lead to stroke. Animal fats are highly discouraged but there are certain oils which are beneficial to the body. Omega3 contained in fishes is one of the good oils for the body. Changing Attitudes Discipline is an important ingredient in having a diet. Diets main goal is to reduce a persons weight and eliminate one cause of diabetes. For persons already suffering from diabetes knowing the right food and how much you can take is important in managing your blood glucose levels. Lifestyle changes are always hard but to achieve a healthy body is always a good reason to start. |
