5 methods to control diabetes through diet

Diet is the cornerstone of diabetes management, and an appropriate diet can help maintain optimal blood glucose levels and prevent or delay the long-term complications of diabetes. We'll go over 5 of the dietary changes you can make.

• Diabetics should consult a registered dietitian when looking to modify their diet.
• To maintain healthy blood glucose levels, meals and snacks should be balanced to provide a mixture of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
• Adults may need to reduce fat and cholesterol intake to protect against heart and kidney disease.
• If you're overweight, focus on weight loss by decreasing caloric intake and increasing daily activity levels.

• Carbohydrates are the basic currency of glucose. For most diabetics, carbohydrate-rich foods such as vegetables, breads, cereals, and pasta should account for 45 to 60 percent of their daily calories.
• Because the fibre content of these carbohydrates slows down the release of glucose, high-fibre starches such as barley, oat cereals, beans, peas, and lentils help suppress any sharp increases in blood sugar levels after meals.
• Dietary guidelines allow for simple carbohydrates like syrups, sugars, and sweeteners to be included in the diet in moderation.
• As opposed to recommendations in the past, the emphasis is now on monitoring total carbohydrate consumption at each meal/snack rather than the source of carbohydrate. However, carbohydrates are not equal when it comes to nutrition. Complex carbohydrates such as grains and cereals provide vitamins, minerals, and fibre, whereas sugars and sweeteners provide mostly calories. Therefore, complex carbohydrates should make up the bulk of the diabetic diet, and sugars only a small amount.
• Soluble fibre  (the kind found in oatmeal) may actually help lower blood-sugar levels, and it also helps lower cholesterol. Insoluble fibre, found in whole grains and many vegetables, helps you feel full on fewer calories.

• Some carbohydrate foods are digested and absorbed into your bloodstream quickly, while others are digested and converted to blood ­glucose more slowly. The glycemic index (GI) measures a carbohydrate food's effect on blood glucose.
• Research has found that including foods with a low GI in the diet can improve blood sugar control in diabetics.
• Examples of low-GI foods are peas, beans, lentils, fruits like apples, pears and oranges, barley, bran cereals, pasta, milk, and yogurt.
• High-GI foods include potatoes, rice cakes, cornflakes, soft drinks, watermelon, pretzels, and soda crackers.
• A food's GI can vary according to the method of preparation. For example, a baked potato has a higher GI than a boiled one.

• A deficiency of chromium, a trace mineral, has been associated with reduced glucose ­tolerance.
• You can find chromium in foods like wheat bran, whole grains, chicken breast, ­mushrooms, and blackstrap molasses.
• Research on chromium supplements has shown that they may provide a beneficial effect on blood-glucose control for diabetics.
• Your ­multivitamin may contain chromium in small amounts (up to 50 micrograms). If you choose to take a chromium supplement, take no more than 200 micrograms per day.

• There is no research to support either an increased or decreased protein intake for uncomplicated diabetes, so the recommended amounts for non­diabetics is also appropriate for adults with diabetes.
• High-quality protein foods (lean meats, meat substitutes, and lower-fat dairy foods) should supply 10 to 20 percent of daily calories.

• People with diabetes should follow a lower-fat diet. High-fat diets contribute to obesity and high cholesterol levels. Saturated fats from animal foods and hydrogenated fats in packaged foods should also be limited.
• On the other hand, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats — such as those found in vegetable oils, nuts, fish, and avocados — are good for the heart and also slow the digestion process, helping to stabilize blood-sugar levels.

It's important to consult a dietitian when making significant dietary changes. This guide can help guide your conversation and gives you some simple starting places if you're looking to make small, impactful dietary adjustments. It isn't hard to change your diet for the better, and doing so can improve your health in a big way.