vishnupriyas451@gmail.com Diabetes is one of the fastest-growing global diseases. The IDF Diabetes Atlas (2021) reports that 10.5% of adults aged 20-79 have diabetes, and nearly half do not know they have it.
Diabetes is a leading cause of blindness, kidney failure, heart disease, stroke, and lower limb amputation. Controlling blood sugar levels is the primary task for diabetic patients.
Sugar enters our bloodstream from our food, and dietary management is a crucial factor in controlling diabetes. Here are some excellent foods that one should include to help manage diabetes:
Green Leafy Vegetables:
These vegetables are low in calories and carbohydrates, helping to keep blood sugar levels balanced.
They are rich in fiber, which aids in properly absorbing sugar. Incorporating spinach, methi leaves, and drumstick leaves into regular meals is beneficial. Drumstick leaves have been shown to significantly reduce diabetes, as they are rich in ascorbic acid, which promotes insulin secretion and lowers sugar levels.
Health Benefits of Green:
Green leafy vegetables are crucial for health and growth due to their essential nutrients.
– They are rich in minerals and iron, preventing anemia, especially in pregnant women and children.
– Regularly including greens in your diet promotes overall health.
– Greens provide calcium, beta-carotene, and vitamin C. To keep vitamin C intact, avoid prolonged cooking.
– Also, greens contain some B-complex vitamins.
– Many parents avoid greens due to concerns about diarrhea in children. However, proper washing under running water removes contaminants that could cause issues.
– For infants, serve greens that are cooked, mashed, and sieved to remove fibrous parts. Avoid overcooking, and don’t discard cooking water. Cover the cooking pot and avoid sun-drying leaves, as carotene can be lost.
– Don’t judge the value of greens by their cost; they are inexpensive but highly nutritious.
– Encourage the cultivation of green leafy vegetables in kitchen gardens, roof gardens, and school gardens. Planting trees like drumstick and agathi can also provide a steady supply with minimal effort.
Whole Grains:
Substituting refined grains with whole grains can significantly help in reducing diabetes. Whole grains contain more fiber and nutrients than refined grains and have a lower glycemic index (GI), meaning they have less impact on blood sugar levels. Foods like brown rice, ragi, and other whole grains are excellent choices for controlling blood sugar.
Ragi, in particular, is an outstanding option among millets; it reduces oxidative stress and inflammation, which aids in diabetes management.
Benefits of taking Wholegrains:
Lower your risk of heart disease
- One of the significant health benefits of whole grains is their ability to reduce the risk of heart disease.
- Researchers have found that heart-healthy diets should incorporate more whole grains and limit refined grains.
- However, many studies group various types of whole grains together, making it challenging to identify the specific benefits of individual foods.
- Still, there is clear evidence that whole-grain breads, cereals, and added bran are specifically associated with a lower risk of heart disease.
Reduce Your Risk of Kidney Stones
- Kidney stones are painful crystals that form from minerals in the urine.
- They can develop when your urine is highly concentrated or when there are elevated levels of stone-forming minerals present.
- One type of kidney stone occurs due to low levels of citrate in the urine.
- Consuming many fruits and vegetables, particularly citrus fruits, can help increase citrate levels, thereby reducing the risk of kidney stones.
- Drinking citrus juices and eating these fruits can serve as a natural alternative to potassium citrate supplements.
Berries:
Berries such as strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and especially jamun are excellent for diabetics. They contain antioxidants that help reduce oxidative stress,
which is common in diabetic patients. Additionally, berries are high in vitamin C, known to help maintain balanced blood sugar levels.
Berries Are Good for Your Heart
- When it comes to foods that are both delicious and beneficial for your heart, berries stand out.
- All types of berries are rich in antioxidants, which are substances that help combat cell damage.
- Berries are among the tastiest and most versatile sources of these phytonutrients—plant-based chemical compounds.
- Each type of berry has slightly different qualities and varying amounts of these nutrients, so it’s beneficial to include a mix of them in your diet.
Beans:
Beans are low on the glycemic index and effectively lower blood sugar levels. For instance, the GI of soybeans is 15, kidney beans is 28, and chickpeas is 33. They consist of complex carbohydrates, meaning the body digests them more slowly, making them great for weight management and blood sugar control.
Beans provide essential health benefits due to their nutrient content. They are rich in antioxidants, which help reduce cell damage from free radicals and may prevent chronic diseases. Dark-colored beans, in particular, have higher antioxidant levels.
The health benefits of beans :
Digestion: Beans are high in insoluble fiber, which adds bulk to stools and alleviates constipation. This fiber also supports beneficial bacteria in the digestive system.
Lower cancer risk: Beans are rich in phytonutrients and antioxidants that support overall health and may reduce the risk of certain cancers, including breast, colon, and prostate cancer.
Citrus Fruits:
Citrus fruits are rich in essential vitamins and minerals your body needs to function properly, including B vitamins, potassium, phosphorus, magnesium, and copper. They are also a good source of fiber; just one cup of orange segments provides about four grams of fiber. Fiber offers several health benefits, such as improving digestive health and aiding in weight loss.
Oranges are particularly high in soluble fiber, which helps lower cholesterol levels. Kidney stones are painful mineral crystals that can form when your urine is highly concentrated or when there are elevated levels of stone-forming minerals.
Reduce your risk of kidney stones.
- One type of kidney stone is associated with low levels of citrate in the urine.
- Many fruits and vegetables, especially citrus fruits, can increase the levels of citrate in your urine, thereby lowering the risk of kidney stones.
- Incorporating citrus fruits like oranges and lemons into your daily diet can also have excellent anti-diabetic effects.
- Modern research suggests that these fruits contain bioflavonoids with anti-diabetic properties.
- They are rich in vitamins and minerals without adding excessive carbohydrates, and the vitamin C present in citrus fruits aids in controlling blood sugar levels.
Conclusion:
In summary, a diabetic person’s diet should primarily consist of green leafy vegetables, whole grains, berries, beans, and citrus fruits.
It’s crucial to avoid foods that can spike blood sugar levels. Stay away from high-glycemic foods such as white rice, white bread, pumpkin, white potatoes, refined sugar, sugary drinks, sweet cakes, pastries, biscuits, and packaged snacks, as these can rapidly increase blood sugar levels.
Additionally, aim to eat every two hours. A common mistake is skipping breakfast or having a late breakfast. It’s important to eat something within the first hour after waking up. You might consider warm lemon juice with chia seeds or warm water mixed with amla powder and a pinch of turmeric as your morning drink. These can help maintain stable blood sugar levels throughout the day.
Be Follow:
- Keep your mind free from worries.
- Flexibility and humility are essential.
- Diabetics often fall into a perfectionist mindset, striving for everything to be flawless, which can lead to dissatisfaction.
- Instead, focus on cultivating kindness towards others and practicing understanding.
- Yoga teaches that diabetes can be a psychosomatic condition, where the mind’s state influences the body.
- Worry and anxiety can negatively affect diabetes management.
- Strive to live a happy and peaceful life, as it is your life.
