Avoid These Foods If You Have Diabetes

Your diet is your medicine in many ways if you have diabetes. Foods high in carbohydrates, fat, sodium increases risk for high blood pressure, high cholesterol, cardiovascular disease and uncontrolled sugar meaning you must stay away from these foods.

Here are some foods that people with diabetes must avoid:

1.      If you have diabetes, avoid sweetened drinks which include regular pop/soda, iced teas and fruit punches as these are loaded with sugar and calories and usually have little or no nutritional value.

2.      Stay away from whole milk since it has too much fat which can lead to weight gain. Instead go for 2 percent, 1 percent, or skim milk. Drink almond milk, soy milk or rice milk if you are lactose intolerant but make sure to get the low sugar varieties.

3.      Avoid specialty coffee drinks like cappuccinos as this can add up to lots of extra sugar, calories and saturated fat. The best substitutes are straight java with artificial sweetener or a small splash of skim milk.

4.      Try to avoid hot dogs or eat them only occasionally as these grilled favorites are high in saturated fat and sodium.

5.      Instead of sweetened cereals go for plain cereals and add a little artificial sweetener to that since sweetened cereals are high in carbohydrates.

6.      Regular pancake syrup is a big no-no as it’s very high in carbohydrates. Better that you go for light or low-calorie syrup as that usually contains at least half the carbs of regular.

7.      Though sherbet is a good alternative to ice cream for many people, but a half cup sherbet has almost double the carbohydrates of a half cup of ice cream.

8.      Fried foods are the worst for people with diabetes as it leads to high cholesterol and weight gain. Fried foods like French fries, fried chicken, etc. not only cause diabetes, but also make diabetes worse.

List of best foods for individuals with diabetes:

1.      Legumes are loaded with fiber and protein, and include various beans like kidney, lima, etc. which will help you feel full with fewer calories.

2.      Berries like strawberries, blueberries, etc. are full of antioxidants, Vitamin C and fiber.

3.      Nuts like almonds, walnuts are a great source of protein, vitamins, minerals, fiber, antioxidants and healthy fats, and reduces cholesterol and promotes health of the ticker. But consume in moderation as these are high in calories.

4.      Sweet potatoes are a great source of potassium, fiber and vitamin C.

5.      Cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, cauliflower, kale, broccoli, Brussels sprouts are rich in potassium, folate and vitamin C.

These foods have been termed the best for diabetics since all of them have a low glycemic index and offer required nutrients required to stay healthy. The Glycemic Index is a number from 0-100 assigned to food according to how they affect blood glucose levels with pure glucose arbitrarily given the value of 100. Carbohydrates with a low GI value (55 or less) cause a lower and slower rise in blood glucose, and therefore insulin levels. That’s why low-glycemic diet is considered to be the best form of diet for individuals who’ve diabetes. Diabetes management is crucial to keeping cardiovascular disease at bay. Diabetes is a major heart disease risk factor.