Recommended Food for a Diabetic Person

Diabetes is a disorder in which the body either fails to produce enough insulin or fails to respond to it, which causes sugar to remain in the blood rather than entering cells, where it can be used. Complications due to diabetes cause more than 200,000 deaths a year. Although diabetes has no cure, it can often be treated with diet and exercise. Sticking only to recommended foods can help diabetics to gain control of their health.

Facts

• Diabetes is an incurable disease that has three types. Although the types differ in subtle ways from each other they all result in buildups of glucose levels in the blood. Type 1 diabetes occurs when cells in the pancreas--the organ that produces insulin--are destroyed by the immune system. Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body does not produce enough insulin or can't use insulin properly. Gestational diabetes occurs when women who are pregnant are diagnosed with diabetes. It usually ends with delivery.

Food Types

• The American Diabetes Association recommends eating a wide variety of fruits and vegetables that span the color spectrum. Different colors in fruits and veggies typically indicate that a different type of nutrient and vitamin is being provided. Foods that are nonfat or low in saturated and trans fats are recommended. Fish should be consumed two to three times a week as they are high in protein and omega-3 fatty acids. High fiber foods are also a good choice for diabetics. These foods include legumes, celery, whole wheat, grains, and rolled oats. Other foods should be chosen by by using the glycemic index, which ranks foods according to the speed in which they are broken down by the body into glucose (Find links in the Resources section). Foods with lower scores break down more slowly and are generally easier for diabetics to process safely. Foods higher on the index release glucose faster, which can lead to undesirable blood sugar spikes.

Function

• Foods high in fiber help to lower the rate of dangerous cholesterol buildup inside the circulatory system. Fiber, along with water, clings to cholesterol and forms a gel-like substance that is then excreted from the body through feces. Many of these foods can aid the weight loss that is needed to control diabetes. These foods are also slow burning carbohydrates that release consistent energy over time, as opposed to those that cause rapid blood sugar spikes. A slow release of glucose is easier for a diabetic system to process, and the reduction in cholesterol buildup helps to deter a major killer of diabetics--cardiovascular disease.

Considerations

• Diabetics are twice as likely to have heart disease and many of the foods listed help to reduce this risk. The way you cook food is also a concern. Using vegetable-based oils such as corn, olive, canola, and peanut oils are better than others. It is also better to boil, bake, and steam foods as a method of cooking.

Warnings

• As a diabetic, you should consult a doctor or a dietician before you make diet changes. This will help you decide what foods are best for you and your diabetic type. You should also consider eating foods that are low on the glycemic index so that spikes in blood sugar don't occur. Foods that are higher on the glycemic index tend to be made with white flour, sugar, and highly processed which takes away much of the nutritional value.