6 Best Diets for Diabetics to Lose Weight

Losing weight can be hard, especially if you have diabetes.

Diabetics need to eat healthy food. (1)

A proper diet helps controlling blood sugar levels, but it also maintains your body weight and it improves your mood.

So, let’s see what are the best diets for diabetics:

1. Standard diet

You need to take care of your portions and the calories your food has.

Cut out fried food, sweets, sodas and everything greasy or with too much salt.

Try to include vegetables, wholegrain cereals, low-fat dairy products, fruit and healthy fats in your diet.

You should eat more often, every few hours in order to maintain blood sugar balance.

Your doctor can advise you how to adjust your diet to your condition.

2. Mediterranean diet

This diet is one of the best diets for diabetics.

This healthy diet includes a lot of fruit, vegetables, fish, chicken, nuts, olive oil, legumes, and wholegrain cereals.

On the other hand, it excludes red meat, butter, and salt.

Studies have shown that this diet may help maintain your blood sugar levels.

Moreover, you can drink wine for lunch, but not more than one glass for women and not more than two for men.

3. DASH diet

Nutritionists recommend DASH diet (Dietary Approach to Stop Hypertension) regime because it can lower your blood pressure.

This diet plan abounds with fruit, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, wholegrain cereals, nuts, and beans.

Research has shown that if you implement this diet you can control your blood sugar levels and lose weight.

4. Zone diet

The zone diet can stabilize blood sugar levels.

Meals should contain 40% carbohydrates, 30% proteins, and 30% fats.

Carbs are ranked as good or bad based on their glycemic index.

For instance, you should eat chicken or barley, but you shouldn’t eat potatoes or egg yolks.

A recent study has shown that this diet can positively affect glycemic control and it can reduce the size of your waist, so it can be a good choice for you.

However, consult your doctor before deciding to go for this diet.

5. Paleo

The main concept of the paleo diet is to eat as people used to eat before modern civilization when they were hunters.

The most important thing about this diet is to eat exactly the same food our ancestors ate in their caves: food as raw as possible, minimally processed (meat, eggs, natural oils, season fruit and vegetables, seeds).

It means no dairy products, refined sugar, cereals, legumes, nor processed vegetable oils.

You can eat fruit and vegetables, meat (from grass-fed animals), fish, nuts, and seeds.

6. Vegetarian and vegan diet

Limiting or avoiding animal products such as chicken, fish, and yogurt can be a healthy way of eating.

Research has shown that people who eat only herbal food intake more fibers and fewer calories and fats.

In addition, read our list of good and bad ingredients for diabetics.

Best foods for diabetics:

Wholegrain cereals

If you have diabetes it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t eat any type of cereals.

Furthermore, moderate portions of whole-wheat bread or oatmeal with quinoa can be included in your diet.

Wholegrain food, unlike carbs, has a low glycemic index.

Hence, this type of food doesn’t cause a sharp increase of blood sugar levels.

Sardines

Fish as salmon and sardines is high in omega 3 fatty acids and is very good for your health since it lowers your blood pressure and it helps with inflammatory processes in your body that appear consequently to diabetes.

The above-mentioned fish contains proteins that balance your blood sugar levels and many doctors recommend eating at least 2 portions of fish weekly.

Nuts

Nuts such as almond and walnut are high in magnesium, fibers, proteins and unsaturated fatty acids as well which help you feel full and provide your body with important nutrients.

You can eat them as a snack between meals but be careful not to exaggerate because nuts are high in calories.

Ginger

A recent study conducted on adults with diabetes type 2 has shown that eating a 1/4 teaspoon of fresh ginger every day for 12 weeks improved the levels of blood sugar.

Take into consideration that you shouldn’t eat ginger if you are taking any blood thinning pills, so consult your doctor first before making a decision.

Cinnamon

A similar study was conducted on a group of diabetics but this time with cinnamon.

People who spiced their drinks and food with cinnamon every day had more stable blood sugar levels than those who didn’t.

It’s recommended to intake 1 teaspoon of cinnamon daily through several drinks such as your morning coffee, yogurt, oatmeal.

Food and drinks that are bad for diabetics

Avoid salt and food high in salt because this food is related to high blood pressure, cholesterol, and heart diseases.

People with diabetes shouldn’t intake more than 1,5 grams of salt per day.

Completely cut out alcohol since it’s high in sugar.

Don’t buy fruit products such as jams, fruit juices or chutney.

This kind of food has a high glycemic index that will increase your blood sugar sharply.

 Avoid food made of white flour such as pasta, bread, and rice.

Avoid greasy food, like industrially made snacks, for example, chips, biscuits etc.

And last, but not least, don’t forget to do exercise.

Aerobic exercises are excellent for people with diabetes because they involve more groups of muscles, but they also speed up your pulse and breathing.

Try exercises such as walking, jogging, riding a bike, swimming.

In the beginning, exercise 3 times a week for half an hour.

Drink a little bit of water during your work out.

And take some fresh juice or chocolate with you in case your blood sugar drops.

Hopefully, this article helped you decide what to put on your menu and feel good.