Diabetes mellitus does not have clearly defined degrees that can be expressed by numerical indices. Usually, mild, moderate and severe degrees of the course of the disease are distinguished. But there are two varieties of this disease - the first type (insulin-dependent) and the second type (insulin-independent).
It is especially important that such patients follow the rules of rational nutrition, since in this case it is the correction of the diet that is the main method of treatment.
Why a diet?
In type 2 diabetes, tissue sensitivity to insulin is altered and insulin resistance occurs. Despite sufficient production of this hormone, glucose cannot be absorbed and enters the cells in sufficient quantity, which leads to an increase in its level in the blood. As a result, the patient develops complications of the disease that affect nerve fibers, blood vessels, tissues of the lower extremities, the retina of the eye, etc.
Most patients with type 2 diabetes are overweight or even obese. Due to slow metabolism, the weight loss process is not as fast for them as for healthy people, but it is extremely necessary for them to lose weight. Normalization of body weight is one of the conditions for good health and maintaining blood sugar at the target level.
What to eat with diabetes to normalize tissue sensitivity to insulin and lower blood sugar? The patient's daily menu should be reduced in calories and contain mainly slow, not fast carbohydrates. Usually, doctors recommend following diet number 9. At the stage of weight loss, the amount of fat in dishes should be reduced (it is better to give preference to vegetable fats). It is important for a diabetic to get enough protein, because it is a building material and contributes to the gradual replacement of fatty tissue by muscle fibers.
Rational nutrition improves tissue sensitivity to insulin and normalizes blood sugar regulation.
The main goals of the diet for type 2 diabetes:
- weight loss and reduction of body fat;
- normalization of blood glucose levels;
- maintain blood pressure within acceptable limits;
- lower blood cholesterol levels;
- prevention of serious complications of the disease.
A diet for type 2 diabetes is not a temporary measure, but a system that must be followed constantly. This is the only way to keep blood sugar levels normal and stay healthy for a long time. In most cases, switching to an adequate diet is enough to control diabetes. But even if the doctor recommends the patient to take hypoglycemic pills, this in no way cancels the diet. Without nutritional control, no medical method will bring a lasting effect (even insulin injections).
Healthy natural foods help maintain normal blood sugar levels and control blood pressure.
Food preparation methods
In type 2 diabetes, it is desirable for patients to prepare food in a gentle manner. The best types of cooking are culinary processes such as steaming, boiling and baking. Fried foods can only be consumed occasionally by diabetics, and are best cooked in a little vegetable oil, or better yet, on a grill pan with a non-stick coating. With these cooking methods, the maximum of vitamins and nutrients is preserved. In finished form, these dishes do not load the pancreas and other organs of the digestive tract.
You can also simmer dishes in your own juices, while choosing only foods that are low in calories and fat. It is undesirable to add store-bought sauces, marinades and a large amount of salt to food. To improve the taste, it is better to use permitted seasonings: greens, lemon juice, garlic, pepper and dried aromatic herbs.
Me at
Meat is a very important source of protein for diabetics because it contains essential amino acids that cannot be produced by the human body. But choosing it, you need to know some rules so as not to accidentally harm your health. First, the meat should be dietary. For sick people, chicken, turkey, rabbit, and lean veal are best. Secondly, it should be perfectly cool, it should not contain a large number of veins and muscle films, since they are digested for a long time and can create a feeling of heaviness, slowing down the intestines.
The amount of meat in the diet should be limited, but at the same time the daily dose should provide a person with a sufficient amount of protein. The distribution of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is chosen individually for each patient by the attending physician. It depends on many factors - weight, body mass index, age, anatomical features and the presence of concomitant diseases. A correctly selected ratio of calories and nutrients ensures the normal supply of the body with energy, vitamins and minerals.
Types of meat prohibited for diabetes:
- GOOSE;
- duck;
- pork;
- mutton;
- fatty beef.
Patients should not eat bacon, smoked meats, sausages and rich meat broths. It is allowed to cook soups with poultry meat, but the water must be changed after the first boil. You cannot cook soup with bone broth, as it is difficult to digest and creates an extra load on the pancreas and liver. The skin should always be removed from poultry during cooking so that excess fat does not enter the dish. It is always better to give preference to tenderloin and white meat, in which there is a minimum of connective tissue and fatty streaks.
It is desirable to replace animal fats with vegetable fats as much as possible. Olive, corn and flaxseed oils are considered the most beneficial for diabetic patients.
A fish
Fish should be present in the diet of a diabetic patient at least once a week. It is a source of protein, fats and healthy amino acids. Consumption of fish products helps to improve the condition of bones and muscles, and also contributes to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The most useful fish allowed, according to the rules of the diet, for diabetics is lean fish, which is baked or steamed.
Diabetics can eat tilapia, hake, pollock, tuna, cod. It is also advisable to periodically include red fish (trout, salmon, salmon) in your diet, as it is rich in omega acids. These biologically active substances protect the body from the development of cardiovascular diseases and help reduce the level of "bad" cholesterol.
Patients should not eat smoked and salted fish, as this can cause problems with the pancreas, as well as provoke the appearance of edema and the development of hypertension. Since type 2 diabetes usually develops in middle-aged and older people, high blood pressure issues are relevant for many of them. The use of very salty foods (including red fish) can cause overpressure and worsen the condition of the heart and blood vessels.
When cooking fish, it is better to add a minimum of salt to it, replacing it with other spices and seasonings. It is desirable to cook it without adding oil, since this product itself already contains a certain amount of healthy fats. So that the fillet is not dry, it can be baked in a special plastic sleeve. Fish cooked in this way contains more moisture and has a tender texture.
Diabetics are forbidden to eat white fish of fatty varieties (for example, pangasius, notothenia, herring, catfish and mackerel). Despite their pleasant taste, these products, unfortunately, can provoke the appearance of extra pounds and cause problems with the pancreas. Low-fat fish and seafood are a healthy natural source of vitamins and minerals that are perfectly absorbed by the body.
It is useful for diabetics to eat boiled seafood. Shrimps, squids and octopuses contain a large amount of protein, vitamins and phosphorus.
Vegetables
The diet for type 2 diabetes is based on the predominance of plant foods in the diet, so vegetables in all their forms should be a major part of the food that sufferers eat. They contain very little sugar and at the same time are rich in fiber, vitamins and other valuable chemical elements. The most useful vegetables for diabetes are green and red. This is due to the fact that they contain a large amount of antioxidants which prevent the formation of harmful free radicals. Eating tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and green onions can increase human immunity and improve digestion.
The following vegetables are also helpful for patients:
- cauliflower;
- Jerusalem artichoke;
- pumpkin;
- onions and blue onions;
- broccoli;
- radish;
- zucchini and eggplant.
Beets are also very useful for diabetics, as they contain amino acids, enzymes and slow carbohydrates. There is no fat in this vegetable, so its calorie content is low. Beet dishes have anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, increase immunity and strengthen the walls of blood vessels. Another important property of beets for diabetics is the smooth regulation of intestinal motility, which helps to avoid constipation and a feeling of heaviness in the stomach.
A balanced diet for type 2 diabetes even allows including potatoes in the diet, but this vegetable should not be fundamental when choosing and preparing meals. It contains a lot of starch and has a relatively high calorie content (compared to other vegetables), so its amount should be strictly limited.
In order for vegetables to bring only good to the body, they must be properly prepared. If the vegetables can be eaten raw, and the diabetic has no problems with digestion, then it is better to use them in this form, since this preserves the maximum of useful elements, vitamins and minerals. But if the patient has concomitant problems with the gastrointestinal tract (for example, inflammatory diseases), then all vegetables should be subjected to preliminary heat treatment.
It is strongly not recommended to fry vegetables or stew them with a lot of butter and vegetable oil, as they absorb fat, and the benefits of such a dish will be much less than the harm. Fatty and fried foods not only disrupt the functional activity of the pancreas, but also often provoke a set of extra pounds.
Vegetables cooked with excess oil are high in calories and can raise blood cholesterol levels.
Fruit
Some patients, after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, try to eliminate all fruit from the diet, leaving only sour green apples and sometimes pears. But this is not necessary, since most fruits have a low glycemic index and contain a small amount of carbohydrates and calories. For diabetics, all fruits and berries with a low and medium glycemic index are useful, as they contain a lot of vitamins, organic acids, pigments and mineral compounds.
- apples;
- pears;
- tangerines;
- oranges;
- Grapefruits;
- apricots;
- plums;
- currant;
- Cherry;
- cranberries;
- raspberries.
Fruits contain carbohydrates, so their amount in the diet should be limited. It is advisable to consume them in the morning (maximum until 4: 00 p. m. ) so that the sugar does not turn into body fat. Before going to bed and on an empty stomach in the morning, it is also better not to eat fruit, as this can lead to irritation of the gastric mucosa and a series of extra pounds.
The forbidden fruits for type 2 diabetes are melon, watermelon and figs because they have a high glycemic index and are high in sugar. For the same reason, it is undesirable for patients to consume dried fruits such as dates and dried figs.
Peaches and bananas can be present in the diet of a diabetic, but it is advisable not to eat them more than once or twice a week. For daily use, it is better to give preference to plums, apples and citrus fruits, as they help improve digestion and contain a lot of coarse fiber. They contain a lot of vitamins and minerals necessary for the well-coordinated and full-fledged work of the whole organism.
Fruit is a healthy and tasty treat that can help you overcome cravings for forbidden sweet foods. Patients who eat fruit regularly find it easier to follow a diet and a daily routine.
Cereals and pasta
What can patients eat from cereals and pasta? There are a lot of permitted products on this list, from which you can cook delicious and healthy dishes. Cereals and pasta should be the source of slow carbohydrates that the patient needs for brain function and energy. Doctor recommended products include:
- buckwheat;
- oats that require cooking (not instant cereal);
- bulgur;
- peas;
- durum wheat pasta;
- Wheat groats;
- unpolished rice;
- Millet.
Diabetics are strongly discouraged from eating white rice, semolina and instant oatmeal. These products are high in carbohydrates, calories and few biologically valuable substances. All in all, these cereals simply saturate the body and satisfy the feeling of hunger. Excessive consumption of these grains can lead to weight gain and digestive problems.
But even permitted cereals must be properly cooked and eaten. Porridge is best cooked in water without adding oils and fats. It is best to eat them for breakfast, since carbohydrates should provide the patient with energy for the whole day. These simple recommendations should always be remembered, because correctly selected and cooked cereals will only bring benefits and will not harm human health.
With type 2 diabetes, you have to eat in a fractional way. It is advisable to divide the daily diet into 5-6 meals.
What should you give up?
Patients with type 2 diabetes should completely exclude these dishes and foods from the diet:
- sugar and products containing it;
- fatty dishes prepared with a large amount of vegetables or butter;
- smoked meats;
- semi-finished products and fast food;
- pickles;
- salty and spicy hard cheeses;
- premium flour-based bakery products.
You cannot make exceptions to the rules and occasionally use something from the forbidden list. With type 2 diabetes, the patient does not receive insulin injections, and the only chance to maintain blood sugar at a normal level is to eat well, while observing other recommendations of the attending physician.
Sample menu of the day
It is better to prepare a menu for the day in advance, calculating its calorie content and the ratio of fats, proteins and carbohydrates in the dishes. Table 1 shows the calorie content and chemical makeup of some foods allowed on Diet #9. Guided by these data, the recommendations of the attending physician and the composition, which is always indicated on the packaging of products, you can easily create a diet with optimal energy value.
A sample menu for the day might look like this:
- breakfast - oatmeal, a slice of low-fat cheese, whole-grain bread without yeast;
- snack - nuts or apple;
- lunch - vegetable broth, boiled chicken breast or turkey, buckwheat porridge, berry juice;
- afternoon snack - allowed fruit and a glass of rosehip broth;
- dinner - steamed fish with vegetables or low-fat cottage cheese, a glass of compote without sugar;
- a snack before bedtime - 200 ml of low-fat kefir.
A type 2 diabetic's diet can be truly varied and delicious. The lack of sweet foods is compensated with healthy fruits and nuts, and fatty meat is replaced with diet options. A big plus of this menu is that it can be cooked for the whole family. Restricting animal fats and sugar is helpful even for healthy people, and in the case of diabetes is a prerequisite for maintaining normal health for many years.