Diabetes and Nutrition: Understanding the Importance of a Balanced Diet

Diabetes is the number one cause of disability and death worldwide and has become a major public health problem. However, first of all, it is important to know that if one day you are diagnosed with diabetes, this medical condition will not necessarily condemn you to have to eat bland and unsavory food and having to follow a Spartan regime. Indeed, the most important thing will not be so much to deprive yourself of everything, but to adapt by opting for a healthier and more balanced diet.

In these circumstances, we suggest that you consider in more detail what a balanced diet for people with diabetes consists of, as well as what type of menu they will have to eat.

A few words about diabetes

Carbohydrates, which are actually sugars, are the first resource from which the human body draws its vital energy. To maintain a balanced concentration of blood sugar, the pancreas secretes a hormone, insulin, to keep blood sugar levels stable. In diabetics, an abnormal secretion of insulin or a faulty detection by the cells causes a surplus of sugar in the blood, which gives the phenomenon of hyperglycemia.

In the case of type 1 and 2 diabetes, insulin is deregulated. With regard to type 2 diabetes, insulin is secreted so much in people who have it that the cells of the organism become insensitive and the human body continues to stimulate its secretion as long as the level of the detected sugar remains pupil.

In summary, diabetes is the result of an excess of blood sugar levels (hyperglycemia) which comes to regulate the metabolism of cells and can develop important and serious complications in the eyes, kidneys, and blood vessels as well as only in the heart. To remedy these problems, a healthy and balanced diet will prove to be necessary and essential for the person suffering from type 2 diabetes, while the person suffering from type 1 diabetes will have to take insulin injections for life, via a syringe.

What do we mean by a balanced diet?

A balanced diet is one that provides all the nutrients essential to the proper functioning of the body in terms of lipids, carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. In addition, it must be based on food intake during the three main meals of the day. In people with diabetes, missing a meal can lead to deficiencies and imbalances in blood sugar.

People with type 2 diabetes must choose foods with a very low glycemic index, consume fiber, avoid added sugars, and promote good quality fats in order to prevent hypoglycemia, and cardiovascular disease and seek to achieve a healthy weight.

Prohibited foods for diabetics

To avoid the risk of hypoglycemia, it is imperative to avoid certain types of food which can harm the body, cause weight gain, mark an increase in the level of sugar in the blood, and see the risk of long-term cardiovascular disease.

Added sugars

Controlling carbohydrate intake is the main priority in a diabetic diet. You should mainly avoid industrial products in which there is a high concentration of added sugars that you can distinguish under the following names: sucrose, glucose, fructose, dextrose, and syrups. The main foods high in added sugars are commercial breakfast cereals, sweetened yogurts, sauces, salad dressings, condiments, energy bars, cookies, cakes, jams, jellies, and spreads.

Saturated fatty acids

You should give preference to cheeses and lean meats and limit your consumption of butter and cream while paying attention to foods rich in omega-6.

Mainly, you should avoid consuming hydrogenated vegetable oils, butter, cream, cheese, fatty meats, deli meats, and corn, sunflower, and sesame oils.

Industrial foods

It is particularly important to avoid all industrial foods which usually contain excessively high proportions of added sugars and fats. Next, you need to steer clear of foods that contain fructose. Finally, you must exempt yourself from consuming more than two glasses of alcohol per day and from ingesting fried or breaded foods, salt, and soft drinks.

Typical meal to favor for people with diabetes

It is very important for people with diabetes to eat three meals a day at normal times to control diabetes and stabilize blood sugar, because skipping a meal can cause insulin deficiency in the blood to affect blood sugar. general well-being.

For breakfast

Breakfast is even more important in people with diabetes, because it must count on 25% of the daily caloric intake. To do this, it is usually composed of a whole grain product (made from wheat, oats, or wholemeal bread), a drink, and a dairy product. To avoid monotony, you can also eat ham, cheese, milk, or eggs.

For lunch and dinner

The ideal meal should contain one-third of vegetables, and one-third of protein such as meat, fish, or eggs. Finally, the third must be devoted to the least hyperglycemic starchy foods, such as pulses, al dente pasta, sweet potatoes, or cooked potatoes.

Finally, if you feel energy drops, you can have a few small snacks made from nuts, small pieces of dark chocolate, peanut butter toast, etc.