In India, around 10 percent of the population suffers from diabetes. The condition increases your blood sugar levels and can result in lots of other health complications.
In diabetes, people have to keep a regular check on their blood sugar levels and prevent it from rising above normal. It can be done with a number of activities like walking, exercise, and medicines. However, what we eat also plays a vital role in deciding the level of glucose in the blood. Let’s look at some of the foods that are best and worst for diabetes.
Best foods to have during diabetes:
Green Leafy vegetables
Leafy vegetables such as spinach are rich in antioxidants, vitamin A, calcium, iron and plant-based potassium. Apart from this, they also contain starch digesting enzymes which are helpful for people with diabetes.
Whole grains
One should include whole grains such as whole wheat, brown rice, quinoa and millet in their diet as they are rich in fibre and other nutrients. Fibre helps in lowering blood sugar levels by slowing down the digestive process.
Beans
Beans are said to be complex carbohydrates and they take time to break down and get digested. Slow digestion means slower absorption of nutrients and hence, regulation of blood sugar. Foods that get absorbed too quickly suddenly increase blood sugar.
The worst food for diabetic patients:
Carbohydrate-rich food
Diabetic people should limit the intake of carbohydrates in food and replace them with heavy protein sources. One should avoid white bread, potatoes, and white rice during diabetes.
Refined Sugar
Sugar is said to be a poison for people with diabetes. They must cut down on sugar, especially white sugar to maintain their sugar levels. They can replace it with a teaspoon of honey or sugar-free supplements.
Salty Foods
Food high in salt increases blood pressure which in turn takes a dig at the blood sugar levels. One must use a limited amount of salt in their food, irrespective of diabetes.
