Diet Plan for People with Diabetes

Diabetes- scientifically known as Diabetes mellitus– is a metabolic disorder where the patient suffers through high blood glucose(blood sugar), the reason being inadequate production of insulin in the body. The other reason can also be when the body cells do not respond properly to insulin or both. One should follow a diet plan for diabetes to curb it. There are a lot of ways to reduce sugar in your diet.

Patients with high blood sugar typically experience frequent urination( scientifically called ‘Polyuria’), which shows the symptoms of increase in thirst (Polydipsia) or hunger (Polyphagia). If the disease is not treated well it may cause serious  long term issues in the body like cardiovascular disease, stroke, chronic kidney disease, foot ulcers, and also damage to the eyes.

There are three major types of Diabetes mellitus:

1. Type 1 Diabetes mellitus(DM): An auto-immune disease, in this the pancreas fail to produce enough insulin required by the body. It was earlier known as ‘insulin dependent diabetes mellitus’ (IDDM). Approximately 10% of the patients fall under Type 1 DM. People usually develop this type of diabetes before the age of 40, mostly as adults or as a teenager. Patients of type 1 diabetes have to take insulin injections for their entire life, and should get blood-glucose tests done on regular basis. They also need to follow a special diet.

  2. Type 2 diabetes: This is the most common type which occurs to 90% diabetic patients. This occurs mostly in adulthood caused due to overweight or if one is physically inactive.

The International Diabetes Foundation mention four major symptoms of Type 2 Diabetes. They are:

a. Frequent Urination

b. weight loss

c. Lack of energy

d. Excessive thirst

Bodies which are overweight especially who has central obesity, belly fat or abdominal obesity are at higher risk of becoming victim of type 2 Diabetes as compared to bodies which are healthy and have appropriate weight.

Genetics play vital role in type 2 diabetes. Any of the blood relatives having diabetes can increase the risk of it to the next generation too. And once the person becomes victim of it has to take lot of care as far as health, diet and physical activity is concerned.

3. Gestational diabetes: This type of diabetes affects female during their pregnancy. It generally develops in the third trimester and then disappears after the baby is born.

Woman who has Gestational diabetes during pregnancy have greater chances of having type 2 later on in life. As there is hormonal changes during second and third trimester, along with growth of foetus, that pregnant woman starts needing insulin two or three times more than that of a normal woman.

Gestational Diabetes occurs 3-5% of all the pregnancies  and most of the cases can be controlled by proper diet and exercise. Very few of them require insulin to control this type of diabetes.

But if this remains undiagnosed or not treated properly, it may result into increase of complications during the child birth.

Diabetes is a metabolism disorder:

As we have read earlier, Diabetes is a metabolic disorder. Metabolism is the process where our food gets digested and further our body uses it for energy and growth. Most of the food that we eat breaks down into glucose and makes way to our bloodstream. Cells present in the blood uses this glucose for our energy and growth. As soon as the glucose enter the cells the glucose level comes down.  But if there is lack of insulin(released by pancreas), the glucose is unable to enter the cells. So in a body, which has diabetes, does not release enough insulin or does not release insulin at all. This results into too much of glucose present in the blood which ultimately brings up the risk of sugar level in the body. This can be fought be following a right diet plan for diabetes. Remember, a diet is all about the calories per day we consume.

5 Common Diet Plan for Diabetes Myths:

1. Eating sugar causes diabetes:

Eating too much of sugar is not the only factor that causes diabetes. Other important factors can be overweight, having high blood pressure, genetics, being sedentary are some of the important other factors that can result into diabetes. Sweetened drinks such as cold drinks, fruit punches, sodas etc contain very high level of sugar and must be avoided. Else the other sugary food can be taken in decent amount and does not lead to diabetes easily.

2. Carbohydrates is a big no in the diets of diabetic patient:

Carbohydrates are not always your enemies and should not be completely avoided by a diabetic patient. They are equally important to be consumed, like other minerals, by a person. The type of Carb and the quantity in which is it taken by the diabetic patient is important! Food which are low at GI(Glycemic levels- the measure of at what rate food having Carbs impact sugar levels) are always better to eat than the food containing high GI. Examples of low GI are:

a. oatmeal

b. whole wheat bread

c. dried beans

d. vegetables which have less starch like broccoli, spinach or tomatoes.

The portion of the carbs play vital role in this.

3. Desserts are your biggest enemies:

Again here the portion in which one eats desserts come into picture. Do not indulge into too much of dessert nor should one totally avoid it. Zero consumption of dessert may increase your cravings and then finally one may end up eating excess of it. So a small portion of dessert say a slice of cake, or having 1 cookie can help you shut down your cravings and may not much impact the diabetic factor in your body.

4. Fruit is not good for the health:

Any fruit on earth can be eaten by a diabetic person as it contains natural sugar. Though some fruits are high on natural sugar but can always be taken by checking their portions: like having 1/2 medium sized banana, or having 1/2 cup slices mangoes will do no harm to the body.

5. Sugar-free products can be consumed:

Pick up any sugar free sweet or drink cannot guarantee total absence of sugar level in it. It may still contain decent level of carbs or calories which can be harmful for a diabetic patient. But one can always check the proportion of carbs or sugar calories present in a food or a drink before having it.

Food chart for a diabetic patient:

A proper diet plan for diabetes should be followed in order to curb it.

Early Morning (7 am)

1 tsp. of methi seeds (soaked overnight )

Early Morning (7:30 am)

1 cup of tea + 2 marie biscuits

Breakfast (8 – 8:30)

Oats/museli/wheat flakes + 1/2 cup non fat milk

OR

1 bowl of poha/upma

OR

2 egg whites + 2 slices of multigrain bread (non vegetarians)

Mid morning snack (11 am)

1 fruit (orange/apple/pear/papaya/1 bowl watermelon)

OR

1/2 bowl roasted chana/1 bowl sprouts

Lunch

1 whole cucumber and onion (salad) + 1 chapati (no ghee) + 1 cup vegetable + 1 cup dal + 1/2 cup brown rice (non vegetarians can substitute dal and rice with 1-2 pcs of grilled fish/chicken )

OR

Daliya khichadi +  bowl of salad + 1 bowl of non fat curd

Evening (4 pm)

1 cup green tea + 2 marie biscuits

OR

1 glass of butter milk

OR

4 almonds + 2 walnuts + 2 egg whites (non vegetarians)

Dinner (before 8 pm)

1 cup bottle guard + coriander soup + 1/2 cup brown rice + 1 cup low fat curd + 1 cup vegetable

OR

2 phulka + 1 vegetable sabji + 1 bowl of rice

OR

Grilled paneer/fish/chicken + 1 bowl of salad (non vegetarians)

Bedtime

1 cup milk with one pinch cinnamon powder added in it.

Also note that:

• The person can change the vegetable according to his/her preferences  daily but should stick to time and food portion
• Minimum amount of oil should be added in the person’s meal.
• Any other type of food consumed by the person should be boiled, roasted or baked nature.
• One can follow the diet for 6 days and can have a slice of cake or a spoonful of sweet on 7th day to cut down the cravings.
• Minimum of 10 glasses of water intake should be done.

Foods that should be totally avoided:

1. Cold drinks, sodas, fruits smoothies, milk shakes etc should be totally avoided by the diabetic person as they have lot of sugar.
2. Oily food like pakoras, farsan, egg yolk, fried fish/chicken coconuts, creams, and other milk products.
3. Pickles and fried papad should not be consumed.
4. Fruits like banana, mango, litchi, chiku should be avoided
5. In vegetables, potatoes and sweet potatoes should be consumed the least.

If a diabetic patient follow some guidelines and keep regular check on his/her sugar glucose in the body can easily live a healthy life with no worries or harm.

A right diet plan for diabetes should include a lot of fruits and vegetables.

If a diabetic person is looking for weight loss tips you can also check faster ways to lose weight.