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What All Can Type 2 Diabetics Eat |
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Diabetes is generally caused by a combination
of hereditary and environmental factors creating a disorder in
carbohydrate metabolism. It is characterized by inadequate secretion or
utilization of insulin, by excessive thirst and urine, by excessive
amounts of sugar in the blood and urine and loss of weight.
The main focal point of type 2 diabetes is weight control,
because almost 90 % of people who have this disease are overweight. A
dietary plan, with reduced calories and replacement of some carbohydrate
with healthier monounsaturated fats help improve blood glucose levels.
Type 2 diabetes children present special challenges due to their
constant growth. Meal plans have to be constantly changed to account for
the child's change in calorie requirements.
The majority of
people with Type 2 diabetes are resistant to insulin. It means that the
insulin, that is produced, does not work very efficiently and large
amounts of it are needed to keep blood glucose levels down. Overweight
people tend to be more insulin resistant than lean people who exercise
regularly.
Managing weight and eating a well balanced diet are
important for a type 2 diabetic patients. Meal planning should include
having healthy foods and eating the right amount, at the right time. You
can even stop medications after intentional weight loss, although the
diabetes may still be present. A type 2 diabetic patient should follow
or at least try to follow the following guidelines to keep type 2
diabetes under control.
1) Dietary fat has to be reduced. Not more than 7 to 10 % of calories
should come from saturated fat. In addition to it, amount of
trans-unsaturated fats should also be minimized. This will help in
modest weight loss.
2) Protein intake should contain 15 to 20 % of total calories. Choices
such as non-fat dairy products, legumes, skinless poultry, fish and
lean meats are low in fat. To keep the cholesterol content in range,
approximately 6 ounces of protein per day is recommended.
3) Carbohydrate has to come from whole grain breads or cereals, pasta,
brown rice, beans, fruits and vegetables. Dietary fiber should also be
included in the meal plan.
Type 2 diabetic patients have to lower down on high-calorie and
low-nutritional-value foods, including those which have a high content
of sugar. Other carbohydrate sources such as potatoes should replace
carbohydrates from sugar. It is always better to take the help of a
dietitian in choosing the perfect diet plan for a type 2 diabetic
patient.
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