Diabetes mellitus does not have a clear degree that can be expressed by a numerical index. Usually, mild, moderate and severe stages of the disease are distinguished. But there are two types of this disease - the first type (insulin -dependent) and the second type (insulin -independent).
It is very important for such patients to adhere to rational dietary rules, because in this case, dietary correction is the main method of treatment.
Why diet?
In type 2 diabetes, tissue sensitivity to insulin is impaired and insulin resistance occurs. Although the production of this hormone is sufficient, glucose cannot be absorbed and enters the cells in the right amount, which leads to an increase in its level in the blood. As a result, patients experience complications of the disease that affect nerve fibers, blood vessels, lower leg tissues, retina of the eye, etc.
Most patients with type 2 diabetes are overweight or obese. Due to the slow metabolism, the weight loss process is not as fast for them as healthy people, but it is very necessary for them to lose weight. Weight normalization is one of the conditions for good health and maintaining blood sugar at target levels.
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 mostly slow, not fast carbohydrates. Usually, doctors recommend to adhere to diet number 9. At the stage of weight loss, the amount of fat in meals should be reduced (it is better to give preference to fats of vegetable origin). It is important for diabetics to get enough protein, as it is a building block and contributes to the gradual replacement of adipose tissue with muscle fibers.
Rational nutrition increases tissue sensitivity to insulin and normalizes the regulation of blood sugar levels.
The main goals of the diet for type 2 diabetes:
- weight loss and body fat reduction;
- normalization of blood glucose levels;
- maintain blood pressure within acceptable limits;
- lowering cholesterol levels in the blood;
- prevention of severe disease complications.
The diet for type 2 diabetes is not a temporary measure, but a system that must be followed on an ongoing basis. This is the only way to keep blood sugar at normal levels and maintain good health for a long time. In most cases, just switching to a proper diet is enough to keep diabetes under control. But even if doctors recommend patients take hypoglycemic pills, this in no way invalidates the diet. Without dietary control, no medical method will bring lasting effects (even insulin injections).
Healthy natural foods help maintain normal blood sugar levels and control blood pressure.
Methods of food preparation
In type 2 diabetes, it is desirable for the patient to prepare food in a gentle manner. The best type of cooking is the culinary process such as steaming, boiling and baking. Fried foods can only be eaten occasionally by diabetics, and it is best to cook them in a little vegetable oil, or better yet, on a roasting pan with a non-stick coating. With this method of cooking, the maximum amount of vitamins and nutrients is preserved. In finished form, such dishes do not burden the pancreas and other organs of the gastrointestinal tract.
You can also boil the dish in your own juice, while choosing only low -calorie and low -fat foods. It is undesirable to add store -bought sauces, marinades and large amounts of salt into food. To enhance the taste, it is better to use permitted seasonings: vegetables, lemon juice, garlic, pepper and dried aromatic herbs.
meat
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 certain rules so as not to inadvertently endanger your health. First, meat must be dieted. For sick people, chicken, turkey, rabbit, and lean calves are best. Second, it must be perfectly fresh, it should not contain large amounts of veins and muscle films, because it is digested for a long time and can cause 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 an adequate amount of protein. The distribution of proteins, fats and carbohydrates was chosen individually for each patient by the treating physician. It depends on many factors - weight, body mass index, age, anatomical features and the presence of concomitant diseases. Properly selected calorie and nutrient ratios ensure the body’s normal supply of energy, vitamins and minerals.
Types of meat prohibited for diabetes:
- goose;
- duck;
- pork;
- goat meat;
- fatty beef.
Patients should not eat bacon, smoked meats, sausages and rich meat soups. It is allowed to cook soup with chicken, but the water must be changed after the first boil. You should not cook soup with bone broth, as it is difficult to digest and puts an additional burden on the pancreas and liver. The skin should always be removed from the chicken during the cooking process so that excess fat does not get into the dish. It is better to give preference to fillets and white meat, where there is a minimum amount of connective tissue and fat strips.
It is desirable to replace animal fats with vegetable fats to the maximum. Olive oil, corn and flaxseed are considered the most beneficial for diabetics.
A fish
Fish must be in the diet of diabetics at least once a week. It is a healthy source of protein, fat and amino acids. Eating fish products helps improve the condition of bones and muscles, and also contributes to the prevention of cardiovascular disease. The most useful fish allowed, according to dietary rules, for diabetics are lean fish, cooked in the oven or steamed.
Diabetics can eat tilapia, hake, pollock, tuna, cod. It is also advisable to include red fish (trout, salmon, salmon) regularly in your diet, as it is rich in omega acids. These biologically active substances protect the body from the development of cardiovascular disease and help reduce "bad" cholesterol levels.
Patients should not eat smoked and salted fish, as it can cause problems with the pancreas, as well as trigger the appearance of edema and the development of hypertension. Since type 2 diabetes usually develops in middle -aged people and the elderly, the problem of high blood pressure is relevant for most of them. Consumption of highly salty foods (including red fish) can trigger stress surges and worsen the condition of the heart and blood vessels.
When cooking fish, it is better to add a minimum amount of salt to it, replacing it with other spices and seasonings. It is desirable to burn it without adding oil, because this product itself already contains a number of healthy fats. So that the fillet does not dry out, it can be cooked in the oven in a special plastic sleeve. Fish cooked this way contains more moisture and has a melted texture.
Diabetics are prohibited from eating fatty white fish (for example, pangasius, notothenia, herring, catfish and mackerel). Despite the pleasant taste, this product, unfortunately, can trigger the appearance of extra pounds and cause problems with the pancreas. Low -fat fish and seafood are healthy natural sources of vitamins and minerals that are perfectly absorbed by the body.
It is useful for diabetics to eat boiled seafood. Shrimp, squid and squid contain large amounts of protein, vitamins and phosphorus.
Vegetables
The diet for type 2 diabetes is based on the dominance of plant foods in the diet, so vegetables in any form should be an important part of the diet eaten by sufferers. They contain little sugar, and at the same time they 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 it contains a large number of antioxidants that prevent the formation of harmful free radicals. Eating tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers and green onions can boost human immunity and improve digestion.
The following vegetables are also useful for patients:
- cauliflower;
- Jerusalem artichokes;
- 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 at all in this vegetable, so the calorie content is low. Beetroot dish has anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, enhances immunity and strengthens the walls of blood vessels. Another important property of beets for diabetics is the smooth regulation of bowel movements, which helps prevent constipation and a feeling of heaviness in the stomach.
A balanced diet for type 2 diabetes allows even potatoes to be included in the diet, but these vegetables should not be the basis when choosing and preparing food. It contains a lot of starch and has a relatively high calorie content (compared to other vegetables), so the amount should be strictly limited.
In order for vegetables to only bring benefits to the body, they must be properly prepared. If vegetables can be eaten raw, and diabetics do not have problems with digestion, it is better to use them in this form, as this maintains the maximum amount of useful elements, vitamins and minerals. But if the patient has a similar problem with the gastrointestinal tract (for example, inflammatory diseases), then all vegetables must be subjected to initial heat treatment.
It is highly undesirable to fry vegetables or boil them with a lot of butter and vegetable oil, as they absorb fat, and the benefits of such a dish will outweigh the dangers. Fatty and fried foods not only interfere with the functional activity of the pancreas, but also often cause a set of extra pounds.
Vegetables cooked with excess oil are high in calories and can raise cholesterol levels in the blood.
fruits
Some patients, after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, try to eliminate all fruits from the diet, leaving only sour, green apples and sometimes pears in them. But this is not necessary, as most fruits have a low glycemic index and contain small amounts of carbohydrates and calories. For diabetics, all fruits and berries with low and moderate glycemic index are useful, as they contain many vitamins, organic acids, pigments and mineral compounds.
- Apple;
- pear;
- tangerines;
- orange;
- grapefruit;
- apricot;
- plums;
- currant;
- cherry;
- cranberry;
- raspberries.
Fruits contain carbohydrates, so the amount in the diet should be limited. It is advisable to eat it in the morning (maximum until 16: 00) so that the sugar does not turn into body fat. Before bedtime and on an empty stomach in the morning, it is better not to eat fruit, as this can cause irritation of the gastric mucosa and a set of extra pounds.
Prohibited fruits for type 2 diabetes are watermelon, melon and canned fruit because they have a high glycemic index and high sugar content. For the same reason, it is undesirable for patients to consume dried fruits such as dates and dried figs.
Peaches and bananas may be present in the diet of diabetics, but it is advisable to eat them no 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 crude fiber. They contain many vitamins and minerals necessary for a well -coordinated and complete work of the whole organism.
Fruits are a healthy and delicious dish that can help you overcome the craving for forbidden sweet foods. Patients who regularly eat fruit find it easier to follow a daily diet and routine.
Cereals and pasta
What can patients eat from cereals and pasta? There are many products allowed in this list, from which you can cook delicious and healthy dishes. It is cereals and pasta that are supposed to be a source of slow carbohydrates that patients need for brain function and energy. Products recommended by doctors include:
- room;
- oats that require cooking (not instant cereals);
- bulgur;
- peas;
- durum wheat pasta;
- Grate wheat;
- unpolished rice;
- sekoi.
It is highly undesirable for diabetics to eat white rice, semolina and instant oats. This product is high in carbohydrates, calories and few biologically valuable substances. In general, these grains only satiate the body and satisfy hunger. Excessive intake of such grains can lead to weight gain and problems with the digestive system.
But even permitted grains need to be cooked and eaten properly. It is best to cook the porridge in water without adding oil and fat. It is better to eat it for breakfast, because carbohydrates should provide energy to the patient throughout the day. This simple suggestion should always be kept in mind, because properly selected and cooked cereals will only bring benefits and will not harm human health.
With type 2 diabetes, you need to eat in fractions. It is advisable to break the daily diet into 5-6 servings.
What to submit?
Patients with type 2 diabetes should completely exclude such foods and foods from the diet:
- sugar and products containing it;
- fatty dishes prepared using large amounts of vegetables or butter;
- smoked meat;
- semi -finished products and fast food;
- marinade;
- salty and spicy hard cheese;
- bakery products from premium flour.
You cannot make exceptions to the rules and sometimes use something from the prohibited list. With type 2 diabetes, patients do not receive insulin injections, and the only chance to keep blood sugar at normal levels is to eat properly, while observing other recommendations of the attending physician.
Sample menu for the day
It is better to make a menu for the day in advance, calculating the calorie content and the ratio of fat, protein and carbohydrates in the dish. Table 1 shows the caloric content and chemical composition of some foods allowed with diet No. 9. Based on these data, the recommendations of the attending physician and the composition, which is always indicated on the packaging of the product, you can easily create a diet with optimal energy value.
An example menu for the day might look like this:
- breakfast - oats, a slice of low -fat cheese, whole grain bread without yeast;
- snacks - nuts or apples;
- lunch - vegetable soup, boiled chicken breast or turkey, buckwheat porridge, berry juice;
- afternoon snacks - allowed fruit and a glass of rosehip soup;
- dinner - steamed fish with vegetables or low -fat cottage cheese, a glass of sugar -free compote;
- bedtime snack - 200 ml of low -fat kefir.
The diet of type 2 diabetics can be really varied and delicious. The lack of sweet foods in it is offset by healthy fruits and nuts, and fatty meats are replaced by dietary choices. The big advantage of this menu is that it can be cooked for the whole family. Restrictions in animal fats and sugars are useful even for healthy people, and in diabetes it is a prerequisite for maintaining normal health for many years.