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Type 2 Diabetes Diet |
Type 2 diabetes dietType 2 diabetes occurs either due to insulin resistance or because of over sensitivity to insulin.
In both the cases, diet and exercise play a major role in treating diabetes type 2 so that the blood sugar level can be normalized.
Glucose level in the blood is determined with the kinds of food we eat. If we consume fatty food with high calories, the risk to diabetes and their related complications increase.
Carbohydrates are the main source of glucose.
It is broken down into glucose by various digestive enzymes and later gets absorbed in the bloodstream. Hence, after our meals the blood glucose levels suddenly rise. If one has type 2 diabetes then, the body is not able to release adequate insulin to combat the high glucose levels. This is where the role of an appropriate type 2 diabetes diet starts.
The aim is to choose those foods that digest slowly so that the blood glucose levels will rise slowly. A diabetes type 2 diet should be low in calorific content so that some weight can be reduced. Since, in most cases type 2 diabetics are obese it is better to consume less fats. The risk to heart diseases and circulatory disorders is high in case of type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes brings with it risk of high blood pressure, eye problem and threat of kidney damage. A type 2 diabetes diet should include mainly fruits, green leafy vegetables, and it should be cooked in such a manner that minimum fat and salt are added while cooking. Saturated fat intake should be avoided or restricted so as to decrease the triglycerides and cholesterol in the blood. Alcohol consumption should be reduced if not stopped completely.
It is preferred to have three to four meals coupled with four-five snacks each day in a type 2 diabetes diet plan.
One should not stay empty stomach for more than five hours. It can lead to creation of ketones in the body.
The first step in a diabetes type 2 diet is to sit with a registered dietician and get a diet planned out for yourself. It varies depending upon your height, weight, glucose level, lifestyle, taste, culture, financial conditions, etc.
Your food intake especially that of carbohydrate will be calculated in terms of Glycaemic Index (GI) and the focus is to keep the GI to the optimum levels. Sugar intake should be reduced drastically since it has very little nutritional value and has nothing but empty calories.
If you can take extra effort and note in some book the calorie contents of carbohydrates, fat and protein in various food types. Care should be taken not to skip meals or undernourish yourself. This may lead to hypoglycaemia.
A type 2 diabetes diet plan is simply a balanced diet schedule, which emphasizes on weight control and increasing the metabolism. A constant check on the calories and intake of healthy foods is not only good for diabetics but for everyone in general.
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