Diabetes mellitus does not have clearly defined grades that can be expressed by numerical indices. A distinction is usually made between mild, moderate and severe disease progression. But there are two types of this disease - the first type (insulin dependent) and the second type (insulin independent).
For such patients, it is especially important to follow the rules of rational nutrition, since in this case the main method of treatment is correction of nutrition.
Why diet?
In type 2 diabetes, the sensitivity of the tissues to insulin is impaired and insulin resistance develops. Despite sufficient production of this hormone, glucose cannot be absorbed in the right amount and get into the cells, causing their blood levels to rise. As a result, the patient develops complications of the disease that affect the nerve fibers, blood vessels, tissues of the lower extremities, the retina of the eye, etc.
Most patients with type 2 diabetes are overweight or even obese. Due to a slow metabolism, the process of losing weight in them is not as fast as in healthy people, but it is extremely necessary for them to lose weight. Normalizing body weight is one of the prerequisites for good health and maintaining blood sugar levels on target.
What can you eat in diabetes to normalize tissue sensitivity to insulin and lower blood sugar? The patient's daily diet should be calorie-restricted and contain mostly slow, not fast, carbohydrates. Doctors usually recommend sticking to diet number 9. In the phase of losing weight, the amount of fat in dishes should be reduced (it is better to give preference to fats of vegetable origin). It is important for a diabetic to consume enough protein, as it is a building material and contributes to the gradual replacement of fat tissue with muscle fibers.
A rational diet improves the sensitivity of tissues to insulin and normalizes the regulation of blood sugar levels.
The main goals of nutrition in type 2 diabetes:
- weight loss and reduction of body fat;
- normalization of blood sugar levels;
- maintaining blood pressure within acceptable limits;
- lowering blood cholesterol levels;
- Prevention of serious complications of the disease.
Dieting for type 2 diabetes is not a temporary measure, but a system that must be followed constantly. This is the only way to keep blood sugar at a normal level and maintain health for a long time. In most cases, a change to the right diet is enough to keep diabetes under control. But even if the doctor recommends the patient to take blood sugar-lowering pills, this in no way breaks the diet. Without nutritional control, no medical method brings a lasting effect (including 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 for patients to prepare food in a gentle manner. The best ways of cooking are culinary processes such as steaming, boiling and baking. Deep fried food may only be eaten occasionally by diabetics and is best cooked in a little vegetable oil or even better on a grill pan with a non-stick coating. With these cooking methods, the maximum amount of vitamins and nutrients is preserved. In finished form, such food does 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-bought sauces, marinades and a large amount of salt to food. To improve the taste, it is better to use permitted spices: greens, lemon juice, garlic, pepper and dried aromatic herbs.
flesh
Meat is a very important source of protein for diabetics because it contains essential amino acids that cannot be manufactured by the human body. But if you choose it, you need to 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 lot of veins and muscle films, since these take a long time to be digested and can create a feeling of heaviness that slows 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 a sufficient amount of protein. The distribution of proteins, fats and carbohydrates is selected individually for each patient by the attending physician. It depends on many factors - weight, body mass index, age, anatomical features and the presence of concomitant diseases. A properly selected ratio of calories and nutrients ensures the normal supply of energy, vitamins and minerals to the body.
Forbidden types of meat in diabetes:
- Goose;
- Duck;
- Pork meat;
- mutton;
- fatty beef.
Patients should not eat bacon, smoked meats, sausages, rich meat broths. It is allowed to cook soups with poultry meat, but the water must be changed after the first boil. You can not cook soup with bone broth, because it is difficult to digest and puts an additional load on the pancreas and liver. Poultry should always be skinned during the cooking process to avoid excess fat getting into the dish. It is always better to give preference to tenderloin and white meat, in which there is a minimum of connective tissue and streaks of fat.
It is desirable to maximally replace animal fats with vegetable fats. Olive, corn, and flaxseed oils are considered the most beneficial for diabetics.
A fish
Fish must be included in a diabetic's diet at least once a week. It is a source of healthy proteins, fats and amino acids. Eating fish products helps improve the condition of bones and muscles, and also contributes to the prevention of cardiovascular diseases. The most useful fish, which is allowed under the rules of the diet for diabetics, is lean fish, boiled in the oven or stewed.
Diabetics can eat tilapia, hake, pollock, tuna and cod. It is also advisable to regularly include red fish (trout, salmon, salmon) in your diet as they are rich in omega acids. These biologically active substances protect the body from the development of cardiovascular diseases and help reduce the level of "bad" cholesterol.
Patients should not eat smoked and salted fish, as this can cause problems with the pancreas, as well as provoke the appearance of edema and the development of hypertension. Since type 2 diabetes mostly occurs in middle-aged and older people, the problems of high blood pressure are relevant for many of them. Eating very salty foods (including red fish) can provoke pressure surges and worsen the condition of the heart and blood vessels.
When cooking fish, it is better to add a minimal amount of salt, replacing it with other spices and seasonings. It is desirable to bake it without adding oil, since this product itself already contains a certain amount of healthy fats. So that the fillet does not dry out, it can be cooked in a special plastic case in the oven. Fish cooked this way retains more moisture and has a melty texture.
Diabetics are not allowed to eat fatty white fish (e. g. pangasius, notothenia, herring, catfish and mackerel). Unfortunately, despite the pleasant taste, these products can provoke the appearance of extra pounds and cause problems with the pancreas. Low-fat fish and seafood are a healthy natural source of vitamins and minerals that are perfectly absorbed by the body.
It is useful for diabetics to eat boiled seafood. Shrimp, squid and octopus contain a lot of protein, vitamins and phosphorus.
vegetables
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 diet sufferers eat. They contain very little sugar and at the same time are rich in fiber, vitamins and other valuable chemical elements. The most useful vegetables for diabetes are green and red. This is because they contain a large amount of antioxidants that prevent the formation of harmful free radicals. Eating tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and green onions can boost human immunity and improve digestion.
The following types of vegetables are also useful for patients:
- Cauliflower;
- Jerusalem Artichoke;
- Pumpkin;
- onions and blue onions;
- Broccoli;
- Radish;
- zucchini and eggplant.
Beetroot is also very useful for diabetics as it contains amino acids, enzymes and slow carbohydrates. There is no fat in this vegetable at all, so its calorie content is low. Beetroot dishes have anti-inflammatory and antiseptic properties, increase immunity and strengthen the walls of blood vessels. Another important property of beets for diabetics is smooth regulation of intestinal movements, which helps to avoid constipation and a feeling of fullness in the stomach.
A balanced diet for type 2 diabetes even allows the inclusion of potatoes in the diet, but these vegetables should not be fundamental in the selection and preparation of 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 bring only benefits to the body, they must be properly prepared. If vegetables can be eaten raw, and the diabetic does not have digestive problems, then it is better to use them in this form, because it preserves the maximum amount of useful elements, vitamins and minerals. But if at the same time the patient has problems with the gastrointestinal tract (for example, inflammatory diseases), all vegetables must be subjected to preliminary heat treatment.
It is highly undesirable to fry vegetables or stew them with a lot of butter and vegetable oil, since it absorbs fat, and the benefits of such a dish will be much less than the harm. Fatty and fried food not only disrupts the functional activity of the pancreas, but also often causes a number of extra pounds.
Vegetables cooked with excess oil are high in calories and can raise blood cholesterol levels.
fruit
Some patients, after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, try to eliminate all fruit from the diet, leaving only sour, green apples and sometimes pears in it. However, this is not necessary since most fruits have a low glycemic index and contain a small amount of carbohydrates and calories. For diabetics, all fruits and berries with a low and medium glycemic index make sense because they contain many vitamins, organic acids, coloring and minerals.
- apples;
- pears;
- tangerines;
- oranges;
- grapefruits;
- apricots;
- plums;
- Currant;
- Cherry;
- cranberries;
- raspberries.
Fruits contain carbohydrates, so their amount in the diet should be limited. It is advisable to eat them in the morning (until 4 p. m. at the latest) so that sugar does not turn into body fat. It is also better to avoid fruit before going to bed and in the morning on an empty stomach, as this can lead to irritation of the gastric mucosa and a set of extra pounds.
Forbidden fruits for type 2 diabetes are melon, watermelon and figs because they have a high glycemic index and are high in sugar. For the same reason, it is undesirable for patients to consume dried fruits such as dates and dried figs.
Peaches and bananas can be included in a diabetic's diet, but it is advisable not to eat them more than once or twice a week. For everyday use, it is better to give preference to plums, apples and citrus fruits, as they help improve digestion and contain a lot of coarse fiber. They contain a lot of vitamins and minerals necessary for the well-coordinated, full-fledged work of the whole organism.
Fruit is a healthy and tasty treat that can help you overcome cravings for forbidden sweet foods. Patients who regularly eat fruit find it easier to stick to a diet and a daily routine.
muesli and pasta
What can muesli and pasta patients eat? There are many permitted products on this list, from which you can prepare delicious and healthy dishes. It is grains and pasta that should be the source of slow carbohydrates that the patient needs for brain function and energy. Doctor-recommended products include:
- buckwheat;
- oats, which require cooking (not an instant grain);
- Bulgur;
- Peas;
- Durum wheat pasta;
- wheat groats;
- unpolished rice;
- Millet.
It is highly undesirable for diabetics to eat white rice, semolina and instant oatmeal. These products are high in carbohydrates, calories and low in biological value. Overall, these cereals simply fill the body and quell hunger pangs. Excessive consumption of such cereals can lead to weight gain and problems with the digestive system.
But even permitted cereals must be properly cooked and eaten. It is best to cook porridge in water without adding oils and fats. It is preferable to eat them at breakfast, since carbohydrates are designed to provide the patient with energy for the whole day. These simple recommendations should always be followed, since properly selected and cooked grains will only bring benefits and will not harm human health.
With type 2 diabetes, you need to eat fractionally. It is advisable to divide the daily diet into 5-6 meals.
What to give up
Patients with type 2 diabetes should completely exclude such dishes and foods from their diet:
- sugar and products containing sugar;
- fatty dishes prepared with lots of vegetables or butter;
- smoked meat;
- semi-finished products and fast food;
- marinades;
- 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 to keep blood sugar at normal levels is to eat right and follow other recommendations of the attending physician.
Sample menu for the day
It is better to prepare a menu for the day in advance, calculating the calorie content and the ratio of fats, proteins and carbohydrates in dishes. Table 1 shows the caloric content and chemical composition of some foods that are allowed with Diet #9. Guided by these data, the recommendations of the attending physician and the composition, which is always indicated on the packaging of products, you can easily create a diet with optimal energy value.
A sample menu for the day could look like this:
- Breakfast - oatmeal, a slice of low-fat cheese, whole grain bread without yeast;
- snack - nuts or an apple;
- lunch - vegetable broth, boiled chicken breast or turkey, buckwheat porridge, berry juice;
- Afternoon snack - allowed fruit and a glass of rosehip broth;
- dinner - steamed fish with vegetables or low-fat cottage cheese, a glass of compote without sugar;
- a snack before bedtime - 200 ml of low-fat kefir.
A type 2 diabetic's diet can be really varied and tasty. The lack of sweet foods is compensated by healthy fruits and nuts, and fatty meats are replaced by dietary options. A big plus of this menu is that it can be cooked for the whole family. Restricting animal fats and sugars makes sense even for healthy people and, in the case of diabetes, is a prerequisite for maintaining normal health for many years.