Diabetes is on the rise, yet most cases are preventable and some can even be reversed if necessary steps are taken on time. A healthy diet is most crucial for a diabetic. A healthy diabetic diet is not complicated and can also be quite tasty and balanced, boosting energy and improving health. Losing about 5- 10% of the total weight as well as weight around the belly more than from thighs and hips will lower blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol levels. The belly fat surrounding the abdominal organs and liver is closely linked to insulin resistance, where cells fail to respond to insulin and cause diabetes. There is an increased risk of developing diabetes if the waist circumference of woman’s is 35 and man’s 40 inches and more.
A healthy and balanced diet is essential to lose weight and control diabetes. A special attention on the food choice - most notably the carbohydrates since they have a great impact on blood sugar levels - more than fats and proteins is required. Smart choice would be whole grain carbs instead of starchy carbs. Choose whole grain, because it is high in fiber which makes digestion slow and keeps blood sugar levels more even, preventing body from producing too much insulin.
Those on the left side of the table are of high glycemic index (GI) foods spiking the blood sugar rapidly, while whole grain food is low in GI having the least effect on blood sugar.