Eating well and maintaining a moderate weight can be beneficial to your health.
But if you have diabetes, obesity can make it harder to control your blood sugar and increase your risk of certain complications. If your doctor recommends it, even modest weight loss (about 5%) can help control blood sugar and other diabetes-related problems. results.
This article focuses on the features of fast foods and eating plans that will help you lose weight and better manage your diabetes.
Eating healthy is vital for anyone who wants to lose weight. But if you have diabetes, opting for a type of nutrition that’s right for you can be negative for your health.
Diet pills and anti-hunger diets are recommended, although many popular eating plans can prove beneficial.
There is no ideal nutritional trend for diabetes. Instead, many diets can work well for other people with diabetes looking to lose weight. Popular eating plans, such as the Mediterranean diet, low-carb diets, and vegetarian diets, can be smart choices. .
When following a diabetes diet, keep in mind that an ideal eating plan for diabetes:
When you have diabetes, controlling your blood sugar is very important. The eating behavior that accompanies regular meals and snacks throughout the day is arguably more suitable for weight loss with diabetes than you might generally think with short-term “diets” and those that involve long periods without eating.
You can read more here about the link between diabetes and your food choices, as well as the types of express foods you may need to talk about with your diabetes care team.
Also language issues: we use the term “diet” throughout this article. While this term would possibly imply a short-term gastronomic taste that doesn’t last, it is used and sometimes accepted through health professionals, researchers, and others in the diabetes field. field.
You may need to inform your healthcare team about how other long-term meal plans and nutritional adjustments can help you better manage your diabetes and eventually reach your personal weight goals.
Although calories are still important, if you have diabetes, you should also track your carbohydrate intake. Your health care team or a dietitian can provide you with a target amount of carbohydrates for food and snacks.
According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), there is no set carbohydrate purpose for everyone with diabetes. On the contrary, all meal plans should be individualized.
However, the ADA criteria of care note that many other people with diabetes get about 45% of their calories from carbohydrates, adding complex carbohydrates, fruits and vegetables.
You could also follow a low-carb diet, which studies show could benefit other people with diabetes and help reduce the amount of insulin you need to take each day. This type of eating habit may not work for everyone, as it can be difficult to follow and may pose a risk to others with kidney disease or a risk for eating disorders.
Many styles of meals aim to restrict carbohydrate intake, but not all of them are right for you. Consulting with your diabetes care team and nutrition experts is a smart first step in determining which meal plans and potential food choices are most productive for you.
While this standard week-long eating plan is just one example, there are several styles of fast foods that would possibly be worth considering.
The Diabetic Plate Method is a way to think about and plan balanced, diabetes-friendly meals without having to measure, calculate, or count carbohydrates.
The diabetes plate method divides a 9-inch plate into 3 sections. You fill part of your plate with non-starchy vegetables, a quarter of your plate with protein foods, and the remaining quarter with carbohydrate foods, such as whole grains and fruits.
The non-starchy vegetable part of your plate can include foods such as:
The fourth part that contains protein foods would possibly include:
A quarter of your plate full of carbohydrate foods may include simply:
Carbohydrate-rich foods have the most significant effect on blood sugar. Limiting the amount of those foods to a quarter of your plate can help you control your blood sugar.
There’s no room on your plate for healthy fats like monounsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats, but you can incorporate them for flavor, satiety, and most importantly, core health.
You can accompany your meal with water or calorie-free beverages, such as unsweetened tea, sparkling or sparkling water, or a nutritious drink.
DASH nutrition originally evolved to help treat or relieve high blood pressure (hypertension), but it can also reduce your risk of other diseases, including diabetes, and may have the added benefits of helping you lose weight.
People who follow the DASH plan are encouraged to reduce portion sizes and eat foods with nutrients that lower blood pressure, such as potassium, calcium, and magnesium.
The DASH plan includes:
The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute advises people with diabetes who follow this plan to limit their sodium intake to 2300 milligrams per day. You may have a lower sodium limit if you have certain other physical conditions. The plan also restricts sweets, sugary drinks and red meat.
This taste for food is fostered through the classic foods of the Mediterranean region. This nutrition plan is based on oleic acid, a fatty acid found naturally in animal and vegetable fats and oils. The countries that eat this way are Greece, Italy, and Morocco. .
According to a 2020 review of studies, Mediterranean-style food options could be successful in lowering fasting blood sugar, reducing body weight, and reducing the risk of metabolic disorders.
The foods you eat as part of this nutrition may include:
If you follow a Mediterranean diet, you can eat lean red meat from time to time. And you can consume wine in moderation, as it can support your health. But don’t forget to never drink alcohol on an empty stomach if you’re taking medications that increase your insulin levels.
You can learn more about the Mediterranean diet.
Paleo nutrition is based on the belief that food processing is to blame for chronic disease. Followers of paleo nutrition only eat what our ancient ancestors might have hunted and gathered.
Foods consumed with paleo nutrition include:
Paleo nutrition may be a smart choice for other people with diabetes who don’t have kidney disease.
The results of a small, short-term study conducted in 2017 suggest that a paleo diet could regulate blood sugar and insulin sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes.
But a 2019 ADA suggests that studies on paleonutrition are small and few, with mixed results.
Eating gluten-free is popular.
For other people with celiac disease, eliminating gluten is to prevent damage to the colon and body. Celiac disease is an autoimmune disease that causes your immune system to attack your gut and nervous system. It also promotes inflammation throughout the body. which can lead to chronic diseases.
Gluten is a protein found in wheat, rye, barley, and all those made from these cereals.
You can ask your doctor for a blood test to check for celiac disease. Even if the result is negative, you may still have non-celiac gluten intolerance. Talk to your health care team about whether a gluten-free eating plan is right for you.
Although people with diabetes can follow a gluten-free diet, it can be unnecessarily restrictive for other people without celiac disease.
It’s also important to note that “gluten-free” doesn’t necessarily mean “low-carb. “Many gluten-free foods are primarily processed and high in sugar. There’s usually no need to complicate meal planning by eliminating gluten, unless you have to.
Some other people with diabetes follow a vegetarian or vegan diet.
This type of nutrition can reduce weight, fasting blood sugar, and waist circumference.
Vegetarians avoid eating meat, although they may consume other animal products, such as milk, and eggs.
Vegans do eat meat or any other type of animal product, adding honey, milk, and gelatin.
Healthy for diabetics, vegetarians and vegans include:
Although vegetarian or vegan nutrition can be a healthy option, it is vital to plan your meals carefully so as not to lose essential nutrients.
Vegetarians and vegans may need to get certain nutrients through supplements, including:
Consult a qualified healthcare professional before starting any new supplement to make sure it’s for you.
In addition to opting for the best foods to help with the recommended weight loss, exercising is very important if you have diabetes. These lifestyle strategies can help you lower your blood sugar and A1C levels, which can help you avoid complications.
If you are concerned about your weight, you may choose to consult a healthcare professional or dietitian. They can help you find an eating plan that fits your expressed nutritional desires and weight loss goals. They will also help with short-term headaches. Long-term diets and pills that may interact with prescription medications.
Last exam on November 14, 2023
Our experts continuously monitor the fitness and wellness space, and we update our articles as new data becomes available.
Current Version
November 20, 2023
Written by
Jaime Heidel
Published by
Mike Hoskins
Copy edited by
Jill Campbell
November 14, 2023
Medically Tested By
Kathy Warwick, RD, LD
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