Foods to Avoid When You’re Diabetic

Watching what you eat is an important component of diabetes management.  If you eat the right foods, you can establish a balance in your body’s glucose levels, keep your diabetes under control, and avoid the complications caused by diabetes.  But if you eat the wrong foods, you could be counteracting the effect of your diabetes medication and aggravating your condition.  Your doctor should inform you about the foods you can eat and the foods you should avoid.  Generally speaking, high-protein foods are safe for diabetics whereas foods foods with high-glycemic index are big no-no’s.  If you read on, you’ll find an overview of what foods to avoid when you’re diabetic.

Starchy foods

Starch is a complex carbohydrate that naturally occurs in beans, grains, and vegetables.  For a normal person, starch is an excellent source of energy.  For a diabetic, however, starchy foods should be avoided or consumed in limited amounts.  Starch will only increase your blood glucose levels to uncontrollable levels, but the problem is that most starchy foods like potatoes are also rich in other vitamins.

The best way to strike a balance is to avoid consuming refined starches – processed grains that no longer have their nutritious and fiber-rich parts, leaving only the starchy interior behind.  These refined starches can be found in pasta, cereals, pastries, and white bread.  Since potatoes are rich in potassium, they can be consumed in very limited amounts, and only if they are baked without heaps of butter.  Beans are also a healthy starch food because they provide fiber and anti-oxidants. Other starchy foods that are safe to consume are oats, barley, whole wheat flour, rye flour, or brown rice.

Refined sugars

Refined sugars can raise your glucose levels faster and higher than any other foods.  For most diabetics, avoiding foods with refined sugars is the most difficult part of following a diet; it was probably through eating sugary foods that their diabetes developed in the first place! However, being diabetic does not mean you can never have something sweet to eat after a meal.  It’s only a matter of finding sugar-free alternatives to your favorite desserts, and limiting the consumption of your favorite sweet treats. Natural sweeteners like honey and molasses are also safe to use in moderate amounts.

Avoiding refined sugar doesn’t end at dessert. Be careful of what you drink as well!  Most commercially available drinks and sodas contain as much refined sugar as a slice of cake.  Unless you’re sure that the drink you’re buying uses natural sweeteners, stick to diet sodas, natural fruit juice, or water.

Fatty foods

Not many people know this, but it is also important to cut out fatty foods from a diabetic’s diet.  Although fatty foods may not necessarily affect your glucose levels, they can increase the risk of a stroke or heart attack, two of the most common complications of diabetes.  Avoid all fatty meats and processed foods that contain trans-fats, saturated fats, and monosaturated fats. All processed meats, including hot dogs, bacon, sausages, and chicken skin, must also be cut out from your diet.

 

Arif Rahim

CheapDiabetesMedicalSupply.com