We all need to eat a healthy, well balanced diet but for diabetics it is especially important. A Type 2 diabetic diet is actually very similar to what most people should eat in terms of eating a wide variety of natural, low fat foods. The main difference is that a diabetic has to pay special attention to their blood sugar levels, and certain types of foods may be potentially more detrimental to their health.
A diabetic needs to pay special attention to the carbohydrates they eat. This is because the body breaks carbohydrates down into glucose, a form of sugar, when they are digested. They provide fuel that our body needs, but because a diabetic doesn’t always produce the correct amount of insulin too many simple carbohydrates can produce a blood sugar level that’s too high and not enough carbohydrates can result in a blood sugar that is too low. Simple sugars are found in foods such as fruit and refined sugar. Complex carbohydrates are found in foods such as whole grains, vegetables, beans, and nuts. These are digested as a slower rate and provide your body with a steadier source of energy than simple carbohydrates.
Diabetics also have a higher risk of developing other types of diseases such as heart disease and high blood pressure. Therefore, they have to pay close attention to fat and salt levels. When it comes to protein and dairy products, low fat and low calorie versions should be selected such as lean cuts of meat, low fat cheese and other dairy products made from skim milk.
Another very important part of a diabetic diet is to eat on a consistent basis. Meals should be eaten around the same time each day. You should also not skip meals or regular snacks, but excessive snacking between meals should be avoided.
It is also important to eat a low fat, low calories diet. Around 1800 calories is generally recommended for a diabetic, with around 50% of calories coming from carbohydrates, 30% from fat and 20% from protein.
Before starting on any type 2 diabetic diet, you should consult with your physician and perhaps a nutritionist or dietitian who understands the health issues that a diabetic faces. You can also get great ideas for meals from diabetic cookbooks and you can even find free diabetic recipes over the internet. The main thing is to not rely on junk food and overly processed foods, but eat a wide variety of natural, low calories foods instead.