What’s with the sweets
Just because you need to follow a diabetes diet doesn’t mean that you need to completely cut out sweets. But most of us, let’s be honest, eat a lot more sweets than we should. Even with diabetes, you can eat your favorite desserts — but only a little. Moderation is everything. Here are some tips on how to reduce your sugar intake.
- Reduce its amount gradually, little by little.
- If you plan to eat dessert after your main meal, remove some of the rice, pasta or bread from this meal, otherwise you end up with too many carbs.
- Add some “healthy fat”. Fat slows down the digestion of food a little, which means that blood sugar will not skyrocket as quickly.
- Eat dessert with food, not as a snack, so it will not cause a sharp rise in sugar concentration.
- Eat your sweets slowly, savoring every bite. This way you will eat less and enjoy more.
- Add sugar to dishes yourself, don’t rely on manufacturers. By the way, in almost any recipe, the amount of sugar can be reduced by a quarter or even a third without losing taste. If it seems too bland, you can add cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg.
We have already talked about this, but it is best to repeat it: always check the ingredients of the purchased products or dishes in the cafe, if you have a choice whether to eat at home or not at home, then self-prepared food will be healthier. The amount of sugar in the list of ingredients is not always indicated explicitly — it can be “syrup”, “lactose”, “agave juice” … Nutrition control in diabetes mellitus in women and men implies the acquisition of new skills — and not only cooking, but also reading labels …
Keeping track of fats
As for fats, accounting and control is also necessary here. The most harmful are artificial trans fats. Try not to eat anything fried, store-bought baked goods, packaged snacks, or anything labeled “partially hydrogenated,” even if it says the product does not contain trans fats.
The “right” fats are found in fish and plant sources. Olive oil, nuts, avocados, salmon, tuna, flaxseeds are excellent sources of fat. Saturated fats, which are found in dairy products and red meat, do not need to be eliminated from the diet, but they should make up no more than 10% of your daily calories.
How to reduce the amount of unhealthy fats:
- Eat nuts instead of chips or cookies for a snack.
- Instead of frying, boil or bake food.
- Replace most red meat with poultry, eggs, fish, and plant-based sources of protein.
- Do not season salads with dressing – it is better to use flaxseed, olive or sesame oil.