DIET FOR DIABETIC PATIENTS

DIET FOR DIABETIC PATIENTS: 

These days diabetes is a common problem among people.

But the biggest problem for these diabetic patients is what to eat and what not to eat in order to 

maintain there blood sugar level.

Non-starchy Vegetables

  The best choices are fresh, frozen and canned vegetables and vegetable juices without added salt (sodium), fat or sugar such as:

 • Asparagus

 • Green beans 

• Carrots

 • Cabbage 

 • Eggplant

 • Cauliflower

 • Broccoli

 • Mushrooms

 • Tomatoes

 • Spinach

 • Onion

 • Peppers 

 If using canned veggies, drain and rinse them with water to wash away about 40% of the sodium. 

Fruits

 The best choices are fresh, frozen and canned fruits without added sugars such as:

 • Apple

 • Blueberries

 • Orange

 • Grapefruit

 • Grapes

 • Peaches

 • Pear

 • Plums

 • Cherries

  If you use canned fruit in syrup, drain and rinse the fruit with water to wash away the extra syrup. 

Milk

 The best choices are milk and yogurt without added sugars such as:

 • Fat-free or low-fat milk (1%)

 • Unflavored soy milk

 • Plain, nonfat yogurt • “light” yogurt

Grains and Starchy Vegetables

 The best choices are whole grain foods, beans, peas and lentils and starchy vegetables without added fats, sugars or sodium.

 Best Choices of Whole Grain Foods

  Look for cereals, breads, and grains with these whole grains as the first ingredient:

 • Whole wheat flour

 • Whole oats/oatmeal

 • Whole-grain corn/corn meal

 • Popcorn

 • Brown rice

 • Whole-grain rye

 • Whole-grain barley

 • Wild rice

 • Buckwheat/buckwheat flour

 • Triticale

 • Bulgur (cracked wheat)

 • Millet 

• Quinoa

 • Sorghum

  Choose cereals with at least 3 grams of fiber and less than 6 grams of sugar per serving. 

Best Choices of Legumes and Lentils

• Beans such as black, pinto and kidney

 • Lentils and dried peas

 • Fat-free refried beans and vegetarian baked beans .

Best Choices of Starchy Vegetables 

• Acorn squash

 • Butternut squash

 • Green peas

 • Corn

 • Parsnip

 • Pumpkin

 • Sweet potato

 • Plantain

 Protein

  The best choices are plant-based protein foods, fish, chicken, and lean meats such as:

 • Beans and lentils

 • Nuts and seeds

 • Fish and seafood

 • Eggs and cheese

 • Chicken, turkey, and duck without the skin

 • Buffalo, rabbit and venison

 • Lean cuts of beef, lamb, and pork such as chuck, rump roast, round, sirloin, T-bone steak and tenderloin A great protein choice. Dried beans, hummus, lentils, nuts, soy-based “nuggets” and “burgers” are examples of plant based protein foods. Use them in your meals instead of beef, poultry or fish.

 Fats

 Best choices or “good fats” are unsaturated fats like omega-3, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats

: • Avocado, olives and seeds such as flax, pumpkin or sesame

 • Nuts such as almonds, brazil, cashews, hazelnuts, peanuts, pine, pecans, pistachios and walnuts

 • Oils such as olive, canola, corn, flaxseed, safflower, soybean and sunflower

 • Salad dressings and mayonnaise

 Omega-3 Fatty acids are good for your Heart.

 When picking your fat sources, consider these foods:

 –Albacore tuna, mackerel, halibut, herring, salmon, sardines and trout

 – Flaxseeds and English walnuts

 –Oils such as canola, soybean, flaxseed and walnut Go Easy

  Avoid regular soda, fruit punch, sports drinks, sweet tea, and other sugary drinks

. Choose water and calorie free drinks instead

.  Cut back on high calorie snack foods and desserts such as chips, cookies, cakes and ice cream.

  Replace “bad” fats from fatty meats, full fat dairy, lard, butter and sour cream with “good” fats

.  Keep portions small.