If you’ve been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, or have even had it for a while, it can be difficult to know what you should eat to manage your condition and remain as healthy as possible. While there’s no ‘one size fits all’ diet that will work for every person living with this disease, there are some guidelines that are useful to help get you started.
The key to keeping diabetes in check is to manage your blood sugar levels and maintain a healthy weight. This will reduce the risks of further complications. Luckily, there are plenty of delicious foods you can include in your diet that will help you with this goal. Here are a few suggestions from Healthline:
● Fruit and vegetables
● Beans and legumes
● Nuts and seeds
● Whole grains like brown rice, quinoa
● Lean animal proteins
Of course, not all these foods are created equal and some should still be eaten in moderation. Some fruits, for example, can still be high in natural sugars, so should only consumed on occasion.
Key considerations
When deciding what to include in your diet to help manage your diabetes it’s important to be more mindful of the foods you’re eating. You’ll want to choose foods that are nutrient-dense, so you’re able to get plenty of nutrients while limiting your overall calorie intake.
When choosing your meals here are a few questions to consider:
● Are these foods low in cholesterol?
● Are these foods low in saturated fat?
● Are these foods free from trans fats?
● Are these foods low in added sugars?
What you’re ultimately aiming for is a well-balanced diet with small portions and that’s low on carbs and saturated fats.
What about carb counting?
While carbs don’t always need to be cut out of your diet completely, keeping an eye on your intake is a good idea to help maintain healthy blood sugar levels. This is especially important for those also taking insulin injections. For more guidance on this, talk to your medical professional.
It’s also important to consider healthy carbohydrates as a part of an overall healthy diet, paired with lean protein and healthy fats to create a nutritious meal or snack.
Gourmet Meals has a variety of meals available that are diabetes-friendly and delicious. Select from a range of meals that are high in fibre and protein, low in saturated fats and salt and fall within the recommended carbohydrate and sugar intake for diabetics. Check out our range of healthy, diabetic-friendly meals.
Please bear in mind that although our desserts are very tasty, they are not diabetes-friendly! We recommend that desserts containing high levels of sugar and cream should be avoided by those with diabetes.
For more information about diabetes and how to manage it, plus a wealth of other useful resources, check out the Diabetes Australia website.
Tags: Diabetes, Diabetes Type 2, Best Foods For Diabetes, Diabetes Diets,
