What are the best and worst foods for managing type 2 diabetes? Discover the key dietary strategies and food choices that can help control blood sugar, promote weight loss, and improve overall health.

Mastering Your Diabetes Diet: The Best Foods to Prioritize

When it comes to managing type 2 diabetes, the foods you choose to eat can make a significant difference in your overall health and well-being. Focusing on nutrient-dense, low-glycemic options can help you maintain stable blood sugar levels, promote weight loss, and reduce your risk of diabetes-related complications.

Vegetables: Your Diabetes-Friendly Superstars

Vegetables are a cornerstone of a healthy diabetes diet. Opt for non-starchy varieties like leafy greens, broccoli, cauliflower, and zucchini, which are low in carbs and high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrient-rich options can help you feel full and satisfied while keeping your blood sugar in check.

Whole Grains: Prioritize Complex Carbohydrates

When it comes to carbohydrates, it’s important to choose whole grains over refined options. Whole grains like quinoa, brown rice, and whole-wheat bread are digested more slowly, leading to a gentler rise in blood sugar levels. They also provide valuable fiber, which can aid in weight management and heart health.

Lean Proteins: Building Blocks for Diabetes Management

Incorporating lean proteins, such as poultry, fish, and legumes, into your meals can help stabilize your blood sugar, promote satiety, and support muscle maintenance. These nutrient-dense options are also less likely to cause spikes in blood glucose levels compared to high-carb, high-fat foods.

Healthy Fats: The Diabetes-Friendly Difference

Not all fats are created equal. Unsaturated fats, found in foods like avocado, nuts, and olive oil, can actually benefit your health by reducing inflammation and improving heart health. These healthy fats can also help you feel full and satisfied, making it easier to stick to your diabetes-friendly eating plan.

Avoiding the Pitfalls: Foods to Limit or Eliminate

While incorporating the right foods can be beneficial, it’s equally important to be mindful of the foods that can negatively impact your diabetes management. Understanding which foods to limit or avoid can help you maintain stable blood sugar levels and prevent diabetes-related complications.

Refined Carbohydrates: Steer Clear of the White Stuff

Refined carbohydrates, such as white bread, pastries, and sugary cereals, can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels, leading to energy crashes and increased hunger. These processed foods also tend to be low in fiber and nutrients, providing little nutritional value.

Added Sugars: Taming the Sweet Tooth

Foods and beverages high in added sugars, like soda, candy, and desserts, can wreak havoc on your blood sugar control. These empty calories provide little to no nutritional benefit and can contribute to weight gain, inflammation, and other diabetes-related complications.

High-Fat, High-Sodium Foods: Avoiding the Unhealthy Indulgences

Fried foods, high-fat meats, and processed snacks are often high in unhealthy fats and sodium, which can increase your risk of heart disease and other diabetes-related conditions. Limiting your intake of these foods can support your overall health and diabetes management.

Crafting a Balanced Diabetes-Friendly Meal Plan

Creating a well-rounded, diabetes-friendly meal plan involves balancing the right combination of nutrients and portion sizes. By incorporating the best foods for diabetes management and limiting the problematic ones, you can optimize your blood sugar control, promote weight loss, and improve your overall health.

The Plate Method: A Simple Approach to Balanced Meals

The plate method is a simple visual tool that can help you create balanced, diabetes-friendly meals. Divide your plate into four equal sections: one for non-starchy vegetables, one for lean protein, one for complex carbohydrates, and one for healthy fats. This approach can ensure that you’re getting the right mix of nutrients at each meal.

Consistency and Variety: The Keys to a Sustainable Diabetes Diet

Consistency is crucial when it comes to managing your diabetes through diet. Establishing a routine, such as eating at regular intervals and incorporating the recommended foods, can help stabilize your blood sugar levels. At the same time, introducing variety into your meals can prevent boredom and ensure that you’re getting a wide range of essential nutrients.

Navigating Dining Out and Special Occasions

Maintaining a diabetes-friendly diet can be challenging when dining out or attending special events. However, with a little planning and flexibility, you can enjoy these occasions while still prioritizing your health.

Dining Out: Making Informed Choices

When dining out, research the menu ahead of time and identify diabetes-friendly options, such as grilled protein, steamed vegetables, and whole-grain sides. Ask your server about ingredient substitutions or preparation methods that can make a dish more suitable for your dietary needs.

Special Occasions: Finding a Balanced Approach

Celebrating special events, such as birthdays or holidays, doesn’t have to mean completely abandoning your diabetes-friendly diet. Indulge in moderation, focusing on portion control and balancing your plate with healthy options. Remember, the occasional treat won’t derail your progress if it’s part of an overall healthy lifestyle.

Personalized Nutrition: Adapting to Your Individual Needs

When it comes to managing type 2 diabetes through diet, there is no one-size-fits-all approach. Your individual needs, preferences, and health status may require a tailored approach to ensure optimal blood sugar control and overall well-being.

Consulting with Diabetes Experts: Unlocking Personalized Guidance

Consider working with a registered dietitian or certified diabetes educator to develop a personalized meal plan that takes into account your specific health goals, medications, and lifestyle factors. These professionals can provide valuable insights and recommendations to help you navigate the complex landscape of diabetes management through nutrition.

Monitoring and Adjusting: Staying Flexible and Responsive

Regularly monitoring your blood sugar levels, paying attention to your body’s responses to different foods, and making adjustments to your diet as needed can help you find the optimal approach for your unique situation. By staying flexible and responsive to your individual needs, you can create a sustainable, diabetes-friendly eating plan that supports your overall health and well-being.

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The Best and Worst Foods for Type 2 Diabetes

Picking the right foods to eat when you have diabetes can help lower your blood sugar or keep it stable. Find out what to put on the menu when planning your diabetes diet.

Following a type 2 diabetes diet doesn’t mean you have to give up all the things you love — you can still enjoy a wide range of foods when managing this disease. Indeed, creating a diet for type 2 diabetes is a balancing act: It includes a variety of healthy carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The trick is ultimately choosing foods that are naturally rich in nutrients to help keep your blood sugar level in your target range and avoid big swings that can cause type 2 diabetes symptoms notes the Mayo Clinic — from the frequent urination and thirst of high blood sugar to the fatigue, dizziness, headaches, and mood changes of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), per the American Diabetes Association (ADA).

Next up video playing in 10 seconds

Greens, Sweet Potato, and Fried Egg Bowl

Get your veggies in ahead of the holiday with this Greens, Sweet Potato, and Fried Egg Bowl!

contains  Eggs

4.1 out of 419 reviews

PREP TIME

5 min

COOK TIME

55 min

TOTAL TIME

1 hr

Ingredients

2 cups lettuce of choice

Olive oil (1 tbsp, plus more for drizzling)

1 sweet potato, cubed

1 large egg

½ avocado

½ cup microgreens

Salt, to taste

Juice of ½ lemon

Directions

1

For step-by-step directions to make this recipe, visit The Feedfeed.

Nutrition Facts

Amount per serving

calories

533

total fat

36g

saturated fat

6g

protein

13g

carbohydrates

44g

fiber

11.2g

sugar

12.1g

added sugar

0g

sodium

646mg

TAGS:

Eggs, Diabetes-Friendly, Heart-Healthy, Mediterranean, Gluten-free, Vegetarian, High-Fiber, Anti-Inflammatory, Lunch

The Basics of the Type 2 Diabetes Diet: What Should You Eat?

To follow a healthy diet for diabetes, you must first understand how different foods affect your blood sugar. Carbohydrates, which are found to the largest degree in grains, bread, pasta, milk, sweets, fruit, and starchy vegetables, are broken down into glucose in the blood, which raises blood sugar, potentially leading to hyperglycemia according to the Mayo Clinic. Protein and fats have little, if any, impact blood sugar, notes a past review. However, both should be consumed in moderation — along with carbs — to keep calories down and weight in a healthy range.

To hit your blood sugar level target, eat a variety of foods but monitor portions for foods with a high carbohydrate content, says Alison Massey, RD, a certified diabetes educator in Frederick, Maryland. “[Foods high in carbohydrates] have the most impact on blood sugar level. This is why some people with diabetes count their carbohydrates at meals and snacks,” she says.

How Many Carbs Can You Eat if You Have Diabetes?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there’s no “one-size-fits-all” carb target for people managing diabetes. Ultimately, the amount depends on factors such as your age, weight, and activity level.

As a general rule, though, people with diabetes ought to get about one-half of their daily calories from carbs. To identify your daily carb need, multiply 50 percent by your daily calorie target. For example, if you eat 2,000 calories a day, aim to consume about 1,000 calories of carbs in food and drink. Because the CDC says 1 gram (g) of carbs provides 4 calories, you can divide the calories of carbs number by 4 to get your daily target for grams of carbs, which comes out to 250 g in this example. For a more personalized daily carb goal, it’s best to work with a certified diabetes care and education specialist or a registered dietitian to determine a goal that is best for you.

RELATED: What Is the Ketogenic Diet? Everything You Need to Know

The Best and Worst Type 2 Diabetes Choices by Food Group

As you pick the best foods for type 2 diabetes, here’s a helpful guideline from the NIDDK to keep in mind: Fill one-half your plate (use a 9-inch dish for reference) with nonstarchy vegetables. One-fourth of your plate should feature your protein (such as meat or a plant-based source), and the final fourth should include a grain or other starch, such as starchy vegetables, a piece of fruit, or a small glass of milk.

Because processed and sugary foods are unhealthy carbs, limit them in your diabetes diet, says Massey. That includes soda, candy, and other packaged or processed snacks, such as corn chips, potato chips, and the like. And while artificial sweeteners like those found in diet sodas won’t necessarily spike your blood sugar in the same way as white sugar, they could still have an effect on your blood sugar and even alter your body’s insulin response.

A previous study found that when 17 obese, non-insulin-resistant people ingested a beverage treated with the artificial sweetener sucralose (sold as Splenda) before taking a standardized dose of glucose, their blood sugar and insulin levels rose more than when they drank plain water. On the other hand, a meta-analysis published May 2018 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that artificial sweeteners didn’t increase blood sugar levels. More research is needed to determine how artificial sweeteners affect people with diabetes.

For now, here’s what you need to know about choosing the most diabetes-friendly foods from each food group.

RELATED: 9 Sugar Substitutes to Consider When Managing Type 2 Diabetes

What Foods High in Protein Are Good for Type 2 Diabetes?

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends lean proteins low in saturated fat for people with diabetes. If you’re following a vegan or vegetarian diet, getting enough and the right balance of protein may be more challenging, but you can rely on foods like beans (dried or canned beans, and bean products like hummus and falafel), nuts and nut spreads, tempeh, and tofu to get your fix, notes the Cleveland Clinic. Just be sure to keep portion size in mind when snacking on nuts, as they are also high in fat and calories, according to Harvard Health. The American Heart Association (AHA) counts a small handful (roughly 1.5 ounces) of whole nuts as one serving. If you opt for unsalted almonds, 1.5 ounces will provide 258 calories and nearly 23 g of fat, per estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Meanwhile, processed or packaged foods should be avoided or limited in your diabetes diet because, in addition to added sugars and processed carbohydrates, these foods are often high in sodium, according to the AHA. Getting too much sodium in your diet can increase your blood pressure and, in turn, the risk of heart disease or stroke, notes Harvard Health. And heart disease and stroke are two common complications of diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic. It’s important to keep your blood pressure in check when managing diabetes.

In addition to getting enough fiber, incorporating protein-rich foods in your diet can help keep you satiated and promote weight loss, per a past review. Losing just 5 percent of body weight has been shown to improve blood sugar control in overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes, according to a review published June 2014 in the International Journal of Clinical Practice.

Best options, according to the ADA:

• Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, sardines, Albacore tuna, mackerel, and rainbow trout
• Shellfish, including clams, crab, imitation shellfish, lobster, scallops, shrimps, and oysters
• Skinless turkey
• Skinless chicken
• Beans and legumes
• Cottage cheese
• Nuts and nut spreads, like almond butter (in moderation)
• Whole eggs
• Tofu

Worst options, per the Mayo Clinic, the ADA, and the NIDDK:

• Many deli meats, like bologna, salami, ham, and roast beef (turkey is an acceptable option)
• Hot dogs
• Sausages and pepperoni
• Beef jerky
• Bacon
• Sweetened or flavored nuts, like honey-roasted or spicy
• Sweetened protein shakes or smoothies

RELATED: 7 Immune-Boosting Foods for People With Diabetes

Contrary to popular belief, not all carbs are off-limits if you’re managing diabetes. In fact, the ADA recommends vitamin-rich whole grains in a healthy diabetes diet. These foods contain fiber, which is beneficial for digestive health. Fiber can also promote feelings of fullness, preventing you from reaching for unhealthy snacks, and it can help slow the rise of blood sugar, according to the Mayo Clinic. Plus, whole grains contain healthy vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants that are healthy for anyone, regardless of diabetes status.

On the other hand, grains in the form of popular foods such as white bread, as well as sugary, processed, or packaged grains, should be avoided or limited to help prevent unwanted blood sugar spikes. Also, while some refined white flour is enriched — meaning B vitamins and iron that were removed during the milling process get added back in — it doesn’t contain the fiber that whole grains do, warns the USDA. Dietary fiber slows the breakdown of starch (a type of carb) into glucose (sugar), which helps keep blood sugar levels steady, explains the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health.

Just keep in mind that while Harvard lists whole grains as one of the healthiest sources of carbs, it’s still important to keep tabs on your overall carb count and practice portion control to keep your blood sugar level steady, according to the NIDDK.

Best options (in moderation), per the ADA and the NIDDK:

• Wild or brown rice
• Quinoa
• Barley
• Whole-grain breads, such as 100 percent whole-wheat bread (check that each slice offers at least 3 g of fiber)
• Whole-grain cereal, such as steel-cut oats
• Whole-wheat pasta

Worst options, per the Mayo Clinic and the ADA:

• White bread
• Pastries
• Sugary breakfast cereals
• White rice
• White pasta

RELATED: How Do You Tell the Difference Between Good and Bad Carbs?

Which Types of Dairy Can People With Diabetes Eat?

When picked well and eaten in moderation, dairy can be a great choice for people with diabetes. In fact, a review published September 2017 in Nutrients revealed that dairy products such as milk and yogurt offer protective benefits against type 2 diabetes. Whenever possible, opt for low-fat and fat-free dairy options to keep calories down, and unhealthy saturated fats at bay. Also, try to avoid flavored dairy, such as milks and yogurt, without added sugar.

Best options, per the ADA and the Mayo Clinic:

• Unsweetened almond milk
• Unsweetened soy milk
• Nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• Nonfat, low-sodium cottage cheese
• Reduced-fat cheese (in moderation)
• Nonfat, unsweetened kefir
• Skim milk

Worst options, as the ADA’s pages on healthy fats and superfoods, and the Mayo Clinic note:

• Full-fat or reduced-fat (2 percent) milk, especially chocolate or other flavored milks
• Full-fat or reduced-fat cottage cheese
• Full-fat or sweetened yogurt
• Full-fat cheese
• Full-fat, sweetened kefir

RELATED: Yogurt for Diabetes: Is One Type Better Than Another?

What Vegetables Are Good for People With Diabetes and Which Aren’t?

Vegetables are an important food group to include in any healthy diet, and a diabetes diet is no exception. Veggies are full of fiber and nutrients, and nonstarchy varieties are low in carbohydrates — a win for people with diabetes who want to gain control over their blood sugar level, Massey says.

As for packaging, frozen veggies without sauce are just as nutritious as fresh, and even low-sodium canned veggies can be a good choice if you’re in a pinch. Just be sure to watch your sodium intake to avoid high blood pressure, and consider draining and rinsing salted canned veggies before eating, per the ADA. If possible, opt for low-sodium or sodium-free canned veggies if going that route.

Follow this general rule: Aim to fill one-half your plate with nonstarchy veggies, as recommended by the NIDDK. And if you’re craving mashed white potatoes, try mashed cauliflower, Massey suggests.

Best veggie options, according to the ADA:

• Greens, like spinach, kale, and Swiss chard
• Cruciferous veggies, like broccoli and cauliflower
• Cucumbers
• Asparagus
• Jicama
• Brussels sprouts
• Onions
• Artichoke hearts
• Peppers
• Beets

RELATED: What’s the Best Way to Prep Veggies if You Have Diabetes?

Aim to fill one-quarter your plate with starchy veggies, which count toward your daily carb goal.

Veggies to enjoy in moderation, as the ADA notes:

• Corn
• White potatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Yams
• Peas

RELATED: Sweet Potatoes vs. White Potatoes: How Do They Compare?

What Fruits Are Good for Diabetes and Which Should You Avoid?

Fruit often gets a bad rap due to its carb content, but this food group can actually be great in a diabetes diet when chosen wisely and eaten in moderation. In particular, fruit can be a great replacement for unhealthy processed sweets, such as pastries, cakes, and cookies, while providing disease-fighting antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, and satiating fiber to boot.

But just as with grains, it’s important to roll out your carb-counting skills when noshing on nature’s candy. The ADA notes that a small piece of whole fruit or ½ cup of canned or frozen fruit typically contains 15 g of carbs, while fruit juice — a less ideal source of fruit for diabetes — can have that much in 1/3 to ½ cup.

Also, dried fruit may not be the best way to get your fix. Because so much water is removed, a serving of this variety is much smaller and usually less filling than whole fruit — the ADA warns that just 2 tablespoons of raisins contains the same 15 g that a small piece of whole fruit contains!

Same goes for canned fruit: This variety often contains sugary syrup at a high concentration, which should be avoided at all costs. Instead, look for terms like “packed in its own juices,” “unsweetened,” or “no added sugar,” the ADA says. Trendy juices are similarly less than ideal, as they’re stripped of the beneficial fiber that you’d find in whole fruit with the skin on.

But some pleasant news: When consumed in moderation and made with whole ingredients and no added sugar, fruit smoothies can be a good food for diabetes. Consider stocking your fridge with unsweetened frozen fruit so you can whip up one in a hurry for breakfast, and in each smoothie add no more than 1 cup of fruit to keep carbs under control. Adding ingredients with protein, such as yogurt or a small amount of nut butter, will also help your body break down the carbohydrates more slowly, leading to less of a spike in blood sugar.

When in doubt, consult the glycemic load (a scale that can help you measure how much a serving of a certain food is likely to spike your blood sugar) to pick a diabetes-friendly fruit. Your healthcare team can also help you safely incorporate fruit in your diabetes diet.

You have many fruit choices at your disposal, according to the ADA. Best options for fruit include:

• Berries, like blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries
• Apples with the skin on
• Peaches with the skin on
• Tart cherries
• Apricots with the skin on
• Pears with the skin on
• Oranges
• Kiwi
• Bananas
• Grapes
• Melon

Worst options, as the NIDDK and the ADA point out:

• Dried fruit
• Packaged juices
• Canned fruit in syrup

RELATED: The Best Fiber-Rich Foods for People With Diabetes

What Sources of Fat Are Good and Bad for Diabetes?

Fat is not the enemy! In truth, getting enough of the right kind of fat can ultimately help you lower insulin resistance and attain better control over your blood sugar, according to a meta-analysis published July 2016 in PLoS Medicine. The key is knowing how to tell good fat from bad fat.

The monounsaturated fats found in avocados, almonds, and pecans or the polyunsaturated fats found in walnuts and sunflower oil, which can help lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, are great picks when eating for type 2 diabetes, according to the ADA.

Meanwhile, saturated fats and trans fats can harm your heart and overall health, according to the AHA. To spot trans fats, look for the term “hydrogenated,” or “partially hydrogenated oils” on labels of processed foods, such as packaged snacks, baked goods, and crackers. “I always tell my clients to double-check the ingredient list to make sure they don’t see any partially hydrogenated oil in their food products,” Massey says.

Best options, per the ADA:

• Avocados
• Nuts, like almonds, cashews, pecans, walnuts, and peanuts
• Nut butters
• Olives
• Plant-based oils, like soybean oil, corn oil, olive oil, and sunflower oil
• Seeds, like flaxseed and chia seed
• Fish, like salmon and tuna
• Tofu

RELATED: 5 ‘Low-Fat’ Foods That Are Making It Harder to Control Diabetes

Worst options, per the ADA:

• Fast food
• Beef, hot dogs, sausage, bacon, spareribs, and salt pork
• Full-fat dairy products
• Coconut and palm oil
• Packaged snacks, like crackers, corn chips, and potato chips
• Processed sweets, like doughnuts, cakes, cookies, and muffins
• Stick margarine and butter

Additional reporting by Lauren Bedosky.

For more on eating healthily while living with diabetes, check out Diabetes Daily’s article “How to Have a Healthy Relationship With Food!”

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Weight loss in type 2 diabetes, indications, recommendations, treatment

Every year more and more people suffer from type 2 diabetes. Most patients are overweight, which is a key factor in the development of the disease and its complications. There is no cure for type 2 diabetes, but reducing body weight to acceptable levels can improve its course.

Why you need to lose weight with type 2 diabetes

After the breakdown of food, the hormone insulin, which is synthesized in the pancreas, is responsible for the transfer of glucose from the blood. In type 2 diabetes, the sensitivity of cells to the hormone changes, that is, insulin resistance develops. Blood glucose levels rise despite normal or elevated insulin levels.

There are many reasons for the development of the condition, but in 90% of cases, type 2 diabetes provokes excess body weight. The more weight, the higher the likelihood that a person will develop the disease, and if they already have it, the higher the risk of diabetic complications. Weight loss is the main point in the complex treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Through diet and weight loss, diabetics improve their blood counts and avoid dangerous complications. The disease develops slowly, often people do not pay attention to the first symptoms of diabetes. More often it is diagnosed after 4-5 years, when insulin doses are indispensable without drug therapy. After weight loss, patients have the opportunity to reduce the dosage of drugs or completely abandon them and control their sugar levels through proper diet, weight control.

The higher the weight, the more glucose in the blood and the more pronounced insulin resistance – the cells completely cease to perceive insulin. The pancreas works hard, producing more and more portions of the hormone.

Features of losing weight in type 2 diabetes

Weight loss should be under the supervision of a physician, especially for people taking antidiabetic drugs. With a decrease in the amount of carbohydrates, the level of glucose decreases, so the dosage of the drugs may need to be adjusted. When losing weight with type 2 diabetes, the following important points should be considered:

1. You can’t starve – such weight loss is dangerous for health. Refusal to eat more often leads to breakdowns and a return to the usual diet, which leads to the return of excess weight and an increase in glucose. A person should stick to a diet, not refuse food.
2. The diet should be low in carbohydrates and low in calories.
3. You need to lose weight slowly – rapid weight loss in diabetes is undesirable. The optimal loss is about 500 g per week.
4. Observe the drinking regimen. When fat cells break down, toxic substances appear in the blood, and fluid intake contributes to their rapid elimination. The average volume of water per day is about 1.5 liters.
5. The body must receive all the necessary vitamins, so doctors recommend additional multivitamin preparations to patients. When losing weight, chromium is especially important, which reduces cravings for sweets and positively affects the sensitivity of cells to insulin.
6. Diet should be combined with moderate exercise. A set of exercises should be based on the capabilities and condition of the body. Many exercises are contraindicated for those suffering from severe obesity, so a specialist should deal with their selection. The best option for all patients is daily walks.

Losing weight with type 2 diabetes through diet and exercise is key, but mental attitude plays an important role, so in some cases, the help of psychologists is required. Obese people often face complexes, depression due to being overweight.

Specialists motivate to lose weight, increase self-esteem, help with failures. Thanks to psychologists, it is easier to endure the disease, the likelihood that a person breaks down, quits a diet and the goal of losing weight is reduced. Even the loss of a few kilograms will be a significant event that will provide an impetus for the further fight against obesity.

Proper diet should become a way of life. A diet for type 2 diabetes should be followed for life, even after losing excess weight and improving the course of the disease.

What should be excluded from the diet

First of all, animal fats, fast (easily digestible) carbohydrates, which are quickly absorbed, increasing the level of glucose, are excluded from the diet. High-calorie foods should be rejected. The correct menu does not include:

• sugar, honey, jam, jam;
• marshmallows, sweets, chocolate;
• preserves, smoked meats, bacon;
• pastries, cakes, pastries;
• mayonnaise, full-fat sour cream and cheese, cream, margarine, spread;
• sweet, carbonated, alcoholic drinks;
• fatty meats, fish;
• white bread;
• nuts, seeds.

Limit the consumption of cereals, potatoes, pasta, carrots, beets (has a high glycemic index).

Patients with type 2 diabetes are prohibited from sugar (fast carbohydrate), but if a person is on insulin, it may be required in case of a sharp drop in glucose. At first, it is difficult to refuse to eat many dishes, but over time, the body is rebuilt, getting used to the new menu.

Frequency and rules of eating

In this disease, hunger often torments. This is due to the fact that glucose is a fuel for tissues, but due to insulin resistance, it cannot get into them in the proper amount and remains in the blood. Therefore, cells deprived of glucose send a signal to the hypothalamus to activate the hunger center.

To lose weight in diabetes, you need to eat fractionally, 5-6 times a day. If a person is not hungry, it is not necessary to eat exactly 6 times a day, but it is also impossible to divide the entire amount of food into 2-3 meals. When calculating calories, you need to consider that their number should be less than what the body spends. In diabetes with obesity, diets reduced in energy value are prescribed, that is, the diet should be varied, but contain fewer calories.

Substituting high-calorie foods is not difficult, for example, sausage can be replaced with boiled, lean meat, and butter in a sandwich with a tomato or other vegetable. A diabetic will satisfy his hunger, but consume fewer calories. When losing weight with type 2 diabetes, you need to limit seeds and nuts, which many do not perceive as food, although these are high-calorie foods. It is better to exclude them from the diet altogether.

To lose weight with type 2 diabetes, it is important to consider the glycemic index of foods (GI). The indicator reflects the effect of foods on the amount of glucose in the blood after eating them. Diabetics benefit from food with a GI below 55, which is absorbed more slowly.

Bariatric surgeries for treatment

Not everyone manages to lose weight with diabetes and maintain normal blood counts even with the help of effective diets and medications. With the ineffectiveness of conservative therapy, high BMI, especially in combination with complications, they decide on a surgical method of treatment. Bariatrics is a branch of surgery that includes various methods of reducing body weight through surgery.

The effectiveness of bariatric surgery in the treatment of obesity and diabetes has been proven by numerous studies. To lose weight, one operation is enough. After surgical treatment, all patients have a positive result. Diabetics lose weight, and the level of glycated hemoglobin, glucose returns to normal. In some patients, type 2 diabetes goes into remission, which helps to stop taking medications or reduce their dosage as much as possible.

Bariatric surgeons achieve weight loss by reducing the size of the stomach and/or reducing the absorption of nutrients from food into the intestines. Types of operations:

1. Gastric ballooning.
2. Longitudinal resection of the stomach (Sleeve operation).
3. Gastroplication.
4. Gastric banding.
5. Biliopancreatic shunt.
6. Gastric bypass.

With the exception of ballooning, which is done endoscopically, operations are performed laparoscopically. This is a minimally invasive technology that has a minimal risk of complications and a quick rehabilitation period.

Gastric bypass is the most effective treatment for obese type 2 diabetes in many studies.

It refers to a combined type of surgery and includes 2 principles: restriction (reduction of food volume due to gastric resection) and malabsorption (reduction of food absorption due to anastomosis). During the operation, the surgeon cuts off part of the stomach and leaves a small bag with a volume of about 50 ml. An anastomosis is created between it and part of the small intestine so that food bypasses the duodenum. After surgery, a person is quickly saturated with a small portion of food. The process of digestion begins in the distal intestines, which contributes to weight loss.

In people with overweight and the first degree of obesity, it is extremely difficult to reduce weight only by diet, physical activity. With an excess weight of more than 45 kg, conservative methods of losing weight are often ineffective. If the weight does not decrease, diabetes progresses, then bariatric surgery becomes the only way to solve the problem.

Weight loss with diabetes: nutrition, menu, activity

Type 2 diabetes mellitus

August 07, 2020

With diabetes, losing even five kilograms helps reduce the risk of complications and better control blood sugar levels. In addition, losing weight helps reduce insulin resistance (insensitivity) and lower doses of sugar-lowering medications.

Diabetic weight loss plan

You can’t just go on a low-calorie diet or starve to lose a few kilograms with diabetes: a condition that is dangerous to health and life can develop – hypoglycemia. Therefore, you need to lose weight under the guidance of a doctor by developing a 9 step plan0125 1 . As a rule, it includes the following items:

• increased physical activity – this helps to burn calories and burn fat;

• reduction of incoming calories due to dietary changes;

• consumption of foods with fiber, which saturates well and normalizes digestion ² ;

• correction of the drinking regime, sufficient fluid intake;

• struggle with stress, which is often “jammed” with dense and high-calorie foods.

Before you start losing weight, you need to undergo an examination and, together with a specialist, determine what percentage of weight you can safely lose in a week or month. On average, weight loss should be no more than one to two kilograms per week. This will keep you healthy and prevent weight gain.

What is important to know

It is desirable that at all stages of weight loss you are constantly monitored by an endocrinologist or nutritionist. It is important to change the diet correctly, reduce the calorie content of food, while not losing the necessary vitamins and minerals. In addition, you need constant monitoring of blood sugar levels, dose adjustment of medications taken.

It is important that you do not experience sudden fluctuations in sugar during the period of weight loss ³ . This adversely affects the metabolism. If you experience conditions such as hypo- or hyperglycemia (low or high blood glucose levels above normal), then the diet or level of physical activity is not chosen correctly.

How to adjust nutrition

You can reduce your caloric intake by an average of 500 kcal per day. This will not affect the state of health in any way, but will lead to the fact that fat reserves will be gradually consumed. The total number of calories in your diet should be distributed as follows:

• 1

  up to 55% are complex carbohydrates – whole grain cereals, durum wheat pasta, legumes, buckwheat, millet, rice;

• 2

  about 25-35% – for fats, mainly vegetable; salads with olive or sunflower oil, dishes with avocados are suitable; it is permissible to eat no more than 10–15 g of butter for breakfast;

• 3

  Approximately 10-25% protein foods such as lean meat, poultry or fish, steamed or grilled, boiled, stewed or baked without oil.

It is important that most of the carbohydrate components contain fiber and complex carbohydrates (whole grain bread, cereal side dishes, vegetables). Sweets, starchy foods (potatoes, corn) should be less than 10% of all foods.

Physical activity

Regular exercise and physical activity increase calorie expenditure. It also makes it easier for you to maintain your blood sugar levels. If you practice daily, you can gradually lose extra pounds without harm to health. If you have type 2 diabetes, you should average at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week ⁴ . This is about 20-30 minutes of practice per day.

Especially useful are aerobic exercises, which accelerate the delivery of oxygen to the tissues. It can be classes in the gym or at home, frequent walks in the fresh air, swimming or cycling. Start with feasible exercises, gradually increasing the load. Remember that physical activity should be part of your lifestyle, even if the weight is not falling as quickly as you would like. It also helps control diabetes.

References

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