Diets are the in thing now. Every third person you meet nowadays is on a diet. But diabetic patients do have this luxury of diet hopping. All they can afford is a healthy diet, where no food is specifically taboo but where there are strict limitations. Like the weight-loss diets, there are new diabetic diets emerging every other day. They all go by different names but have many things in common. They unanimously agree that in diabetics, one has to limit the intake of carbohydrates as much as possible. In fact, the low-carb diets that are in rage now, advocate a consumption of less than 10% carbohydrate in ones daily quota. Direct sugar intake (especially the aerated drinks, which are actually sugar in liquid form), are absolute no-nos, for they invade the bloodstream instantly and your blood sugar shoots up rapidly. You can have carbohydrates in other forms like confectioneries, white-flour items, or baked items containing sugar and potatoes, but moderation is the key. One should also steer clear of processed foods, as they contain considerable amounts of sugar. In fact, there a lot of food items that contain hidden sugar, maybe in the form of preservatives or the kinds of sauces used. This hidden ingredient makes them all the more risky because it apparently seems that these foods do not contain sugar and every time you consume them you are actually deceiving yourself. To counter the drop in energy levels owing to the reduced intake of carbohydrates, diabetics are required to have proteins and fats. Proteins can be tapped from meats, poultry products, eggs and nuts. Even oilseeds like mustard, poppy, and sesame have a high protein content. Fat sources should preferably be vegetable oils like sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, avocados, but never butter and margarine. The vitamins and mineral requirements are to be met with fruits and vegetables. Two to three types of fruits and at least three servings of vegetables per day should relegate the need for artificial dietary supplements. The diabetic diets do not declare an all-out war against calories. All they prescribe is healthy eating, where you have every kind of food, but in moderation. In this way, they are actually better than the weight-loss diets, for they do not make you renounce every culinary desire and lead the life of a hermit. |
