Healthy Eating and Your Diabetes
A healthy diet is very important to help with control of your diabetes. The aim is to keep your blood sugar level and blood fat levels in the normal range.
If you are overweight, reducing your weight will improve your diabetes control. Aim to lose weight slowly over time rather than crash dieting.
Remember everyone with diabetes should receive dietary advice and support from a dietitian. So, if you have not already, ask your G.P or healthcare team to refer you to a dietitian for dietary advice that takes your lifestyle and specific requirements into account.
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Guidelines for a healthy diet for people with diabetes:
Eat Regularly
It is important to eat regularly- breakfast, lunch, and tea and include some starchy carbohydrate foods such as bread, cereals, potato, rice and pasta at each meal.
When carbohydrate foods are digested, sugar is released into the blood. The rate at which they raise blood glucose varies.
The glycaemia index (GI) is used as a measure of how quickly foods that contain carbohydrate raise blood glucose levels. Foods with a low GI raise blood glucose levels more slowly than foods with a higher GI.
There are several ways in which low GI foods may be beneficial for people with diabetes which include:
- By eating slowly absorbed carbohydrate (low GI) foods, it may help to level out blood glucose after meals. This will help reduce your average blood glucose HbA1c over time.
- A diet based mainly on low GI foods may improve insulin sensitivity. Lower GI foods help you feel fuller for longer. This may be helpful, particularly if you are trying to lose weight. It is not the magic answer for you weight loss.
- Lower GI diets have been associated with improved levels of good cholesterol.
Remember portion sizes of carbohydrate food in your meals and snacks are important in their effect on your diabetes control. A meal with a low GI but a high amount of carbohydrate e.g Indian or pizza will cause a high blood glucose level.
Please ask your dietitian for further information if you wish to know more about glycaemic index.
Cut down on fried and fatty foods
Fat in food will not affect blood sugar levels. It can affect the amount of fat (mainly cholesterol and Triglycerides) in the blood, which can cause heart problems.
There are two different types of fat:
- Saturated Fat
- Unsaturated Fat (which includes monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fat)
Saturated fats can damage the heart by raising cholesterol levels, whereas unsaturated fats can be beneficial to heart health, by lowering cholesterol levels.
People with diabetes are encouraged to cut down on the total amount of fat eaten, particularly saturated fat and choose monounsaturated fats. A dietitian will explain how to achieve this.
Eat more fruit and vegetables
Aim for five portions a day in total, for example 3 portions of fruit and 2 portions of vegetable.
As fruit contains naturally occurring sugar, it is suggested to spread the fruit through the day rather than taking it all at one time. This will avoid a sudden rise in blood sugar level.
Examples of a portion are:
- Small mixed salad
- 2-3 tablespoons of vegetables
- One item of fresh fruit i.e. medium apple, pear, banana, 10 grapes, 2 small Satsuma’s
- 2 tablespoons tinned fruit (in its own juice)
- 1 tablespoon dried raisins or sultana’s
- 1 small glass of pure fruit juice (unsweetened) – Pure fruit juice even if it is unsweetened can raise blood sugar. If taken, it is best to keep to one serving daily and taken with a meal
Cut down on sugar and sugary foods
Sugar and foods containing sugar e.g. cakes, biscuits and chocolate can cause the blood sugar to rise quickly. Artificial sweeteners can be used to sweeten drinks etc. instead of sugar. Choose sugar free or low sugar fizzy drinks and cordials.
Many foods contain hidden sugars. A dietitian will advise on foods to be avoided and suitable alternatives.
Eat less salt
Control of blood pressure is important for people with diabetes. Use less salt as a high intake can increase your blood pressure. Low sodium salt substitutes are not recommended. Your dietitian will show you how to reduce your salt intake.
Use the tips below as a guide to reduce salt intake:
- Avoid adding salt at the table
- Use less salt in cooking
- Salt substitutes are not recommended. Try to wean yourself off salt instead
- Flavour food with herbs, spices, pepper, lemon juice
- Use fresh foods rather than convenience foods where possible
Diabetic foods
There is no need to buy special ‘diabetic’ foods such as chocolate, sweets and biscuits. They are expensive, unnecessary and high in fat and calories. They can also have a laxative affect. They have no added benefit for people with diabetes.