Diabetes mellitus does not have clearly defined degrees that can be expressed by numerical indices. There are usually mild, moderate and severe stages of the disease. But there are two variants of this disease - the first type (insulin-dependent) and the second type (insulin-independent).
It is especially important that such patients adhere to the rules of rational nutrition, 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. Despite sufficient production of this hormone, 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, the patient develops complications of the disease that affect nerve fibers, blood vessels, tissues of the lower extremities, retina, etc.
Most patients with type 2 diabetes are overweight or even obese. Due to the slow metabolism, the weight loss process in them is not as fast as in healthy people, but they need it 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 in diabetes to normalize tissue sensitivity to insulin and lower blood sugar? The patient's daily menu should be reduced in calories, and should contain mostly slow, not fast carbohydrates. Doctors usually recommend adhering to diet number 9. In the phase of weight loss, it is necessary to reduce the amount of fat in meals (it is better to give preference to fats of plant origin). It is important for a diabetic to get enough protein, because it is a building material and contributes to the gradual replacement of adipose tissue with muscle fibers.
A rational diet improves tissue sensitivity to insulin and normalizes the regulation of blood sugar levels.
The main goals of a diet for type 2 diabetes:
- weight loss and body fat reduction;
- normalization of blood glucose levels;
- maintaining blood pressure within acceptable limits;
- lowering blood cholesterol levels;
- prevention of severe disease complications.
Diet for type 2 diabetes is not a temporary measure, but a system that must be constantly adhered to. This is the only way to keep blood sugar at a normal level and long-term health. In most cases, just switching to a proper diet is enough to keep diabetes under control. But even if the doctor recommends the patient to take pills for hypoglycemia, it does not cancel the diet. Without diet control, no medical method will have a lasting effect (not even insulin injections).
Healthy natural foods help maintain normal blood sugar levels and control blood pressure.
Methods of food preparation
With type 2 diabetes, it is desirable that patients prepare food in mild ways. The best ways to cook are culinary processes such as steaming, cooking and baking. Fried foods can be eaten only occasionally by diabetics, and it is desirable to cook them in a small amount of vegetable oil, or even better, on a grill pan with a non-stick coating. These cooking methods preserve the maximum amount of vitamins and nutrients. In the finished form, such dishes do not burden the pancreas and other organs of the digestive tract.
You can also stew dishes in your own juice, choosing only low-calorie and low-fat foods. It is undesirable to add store sauces, marinades and large amounts of salt to food. To improve the taste, it is better to use allowed spices: cabbage, 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 the human body cannot produce. But choosing it, you must know certain rules so as not to accidentally harm your health. First, the meat must be dietary. For sick people, chicken, turkey, rabbit and lean veal are best. Secondly, it must be perfectly fresh, it must not contain a large number of veins and muscle films, because they are digested for a long time and can create a feeling of heaviness, slowing down the work of the intestines.
The amount of meat in the diet should be limited, but at the same time the daily dose should provide the person with a sufficient amount of protein. The distribution of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is chosen by the doctor individually for each patient. It depends on many factors - weight, body mass index, age, anatomical characteristics and the presence of concomitant diseases. Properly chosen ratio of calories and nutrients ensures a normal supply of energy, vitamins and minerals.
Prohibited types of meat for diabetes:
- goose;
- duck;
- pork;
- mutton;
- fatty beef.
Patients should not eat bacon, smoked meat, sausages and rich meat soups. It is allowed to cook poultry soups, but you must change the water after the first boiling. You cannot cook soup with bone broth, as it is difficult to digest and puts extra strain on the pancreas and liver. In the process of cooking poultry, the skin should always be removed so that excess fat does not enter the pan. It is always better to give preference to fillets and white meat, in which there is a minimum amount of connective tissue and fat stripes.
It is desirable to replace animal fats with vegetable ones as much as possible. Olive, corn and flaxseed oils are considered the most beneficial for diabetics.
Fish
Fish must be present in the diet of diabetics at least once a week. It is a source of healthy proteins, fats and 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 cooked in the oven or steamed.
Diabetics can eat tilapia, hake, polkata, tuna, cod. It is also recommended to occasionally include red fish (trout, salmon, salmon) in the diet, because it is rich in omega acids. These biologically active substances protect the body from the development of cardiovascular diseases and help reduce the levels of "bad" cholesterol.
Patients should not eat smoked and salted fish, as it can cause problems with the pancreas, as well as cause edema and the development of hypertension. Because type 2 diabetes usually develops in middle-aged and elderly people, high blood pressure problems are relevant to many of them. The use of very salty foods (including red fish) can cause pressure surges and worsen the condition of the heart and blood vessels.
When cooking fish it is better to add a minimum amount of salt, replacing it with other spices and seasonings. It is desirable to bake it without adding oil, because this product itself already contains a certain amount of healthy fats. In order not to dry the fillet, it can be baked in the oven in a special plastic wrap. Fish cooked this way contains more moisture and a melting texture.
Diabetics are forbidden to eat white fish of fatty varieties (for example, pangasius, nototenia, herring, catfish and mackerel). Despite the pleasant taste, these products, unfortunately, can cause the appearance of excess weight and cause problems with the pancreas. Lean fish and seafood are a healthy natural source of vitamins and minerals that the body absorbs perfectly.
It is useful for diabetics to eat cooked seafood. Shrimp, squid and octopus 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 any form should be an important part of the food eaten by patients. They contain very little sugar and are also 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 that prevent the formation of harmful free radicals. Consuming tomatoes, cucumbers, sweet peppers and green onions can increase human immunity and improve digestion.
The following vegetables are also useful for patients:
- cauliflower;
- Jerusalem artichoke;
- pumpkin;
- garlic and blue onion;
- broccoli;
- radish;
- zucchini and eggplant.
Beets are also very useful for diabetics, because they contain amino acids, enzymes and slow carbohydrates. There is no fat in this vegetable at all, so its caloric content is low. Beetroot dishes have anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, strengthen 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 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 basic 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 only benefit the body, they must be properly prepared. If vegetables can be eaten raw, and the diabetic has no problems with digestion, it is better to use it in this form, because it preserves the maximum amount of useful elements, vitamins and minerals. But if the patient has concomitant problems with the gastrointestinal tract (for example, inflammatory diseases), then all vegetables must be subjected to prior heat treatment.
It is highly undesirable to fry vegetables or stew them with a lot of butter and vegetable oil, because 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 often cause a set of extra pounds.
Vegetables cooked with excess oil are high in calories and can raise blood cholesterol levels.
Fruits
Some patients, after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, try to eliminate all fruits from their diet, leaving only sour, green apples and sometimes pears in it. But that is not necessary, because most fruits have a low glycemic index and contain a small amount of carbohydrates and calories. All fruits and berries with a low and medium glycemic index are useful for diabetics, because they contain a lot of vitamins, organic acids, pigments and mineral compounds.
- apples;
- pears;
- mandarins;
- oranges;
- grapefruit;
- apricots;
- plums;
- currants;
- cherry;
- cranberries;
- raspberries.
Fruits contain carbohydrates, so their amount in the diet should be limited. It is recommended to eat them in the morning (maximum until 16: 00) so that the sugar does not turn into body fat. Before going to bed and in the morning on an empty stomach, it is also better not to eat fruit, as this can lead to irritation of the gastric mucosa and cost extra pounds.
Forbidden fruits for type 2 diabetes are melons, watermelons and figs 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 can be present in the diet of diabetics, but it is recommended to eat them at most once or twice a week. For everyday use, it is better to give preference to plums, apples and citrus, because they help improve digestion and contain a lot of coarse fiber. They contain a lot of vitamins and minerals that are necessary for a well-coordinated, full-fledged work of the whole organism.
Fruit is a healthy and tasty treat that can help you overcome the desire for forbidden sweet foods. Patients who eat fruit regularly find it easier to follow a diet and daily routine.
Cereals and pasta
What can patients eat from cereals and pasta? There are a lot of allowed products on this list from which you can cook delicious and healthy meals. Cereals and pasta should be the source of slow carbohydrates that the patient needs for brain function and energy. Products recommended by the doctor include:
- buckwheat;
- oats that require cooking (not instant cereals);
- bulgur;
- peas;
- durum wheat pasta;
- Wheat semolina;
- unpolished rice;
- millet.
It is highly undesirable for diabetics to eat white rice, semolina and instant oatmeal. These products are rich in carbohydrates, calories and few biologically valuable substances. Basically, these cereals simply saturate the body and satisfy the feeling of hunger. Excessive consumption of such cereals can lead to weight gain and digestive problems.
But even permitted cereals must be properly cooked and eaten. It is best to cook porridge in water without adding oil and fat. It is advisable to eat them for breakfast, as carbohydrates should provide the patient with energy for the whole day. These simple recommendations should always be remembered, because properly selected and cooked cereals will bring only benefits and will not harm human health.
With type 2 diabetes, you must eat fractionally. It is recommended to divide the daily diet into 5-6 meals.
What should be given up?
Patients with type 2 diabetes should completely exclude from the diet such foods and foods:
- sugar and products containing it;
- fatty dishes prepared from large quantities of vegetables or butter;
- smoked meat;
- semi-finished and fast food;
- marinade;
- salty and spicy hard cheeses;
- bakery products made from premium flour.
You cannot make exceptions to the rules and occasionally use something from the banned list. With type 2 diabetes, the patient does not receive insulin injections, and the only chance for blood sugar to remain at a normal level is to eat properly, while adhering to other doctor's recommendations.
Sample menu for the day
It is better to make a menu for the day in advance, calculating its caloric content and the ratio of fat, protein and carbohydrates in meals. Table 1 shows the caloric content and chemical composition of some foods that are allowed with diet no. 9. Based on this information, the doctor's recommendations and the composition that is always stated on the product packaging, you can easily create a diet with optimal energy value.
An example of a day menu might look like this:
- breakfast - oatmeal, a slice of low-fat cheese, whole grain bread without yeast;
- snack - walnuts or apples;
- lunch - vegetable soup, boiled chicken breast or turkey, buckwheat porridge, berry juice;
- afternoon snack - allowed fruit and a glass of rosehip soup;
- dinner - steamed fish with vegetables or low-fat cottage cheese, a glass of compote without sugar;
- bedtime snacks - 200 ml of low-fat kefir.
The diet of type 2 diabetics can be really varied and delicious. The lack of sweet food in it is compensated by healthy fruits and nuts, and fatty meat is replaced by dietary options. The big plus of this menu is that it can be cooked for the whole family. Limiting animal fats and sugars is beneficial even for healthy people, and in diabetes it is a prerequisite for maintaining normal health for many years.