What are the best staple foods for diabetics to eat for three meals?

Diabetes is a common disease that is harmful to the human body like high blood pressure, high blood lipids, and high blood sugar. Diabetes is a chronic disease. After suffering from diabetes, it will lead to the gradual failure of body organs, especially the eyes, heart, and nervous system. When diabetes occurs, strict control must be exercised in diet. There are some foods that must not be eaten, and some foods should be eaten less.

Importance of breakfast for people with diabetes

Breakfast is particularly important for diabetic patients, as it plays a good role in maintaining normal physiological state and activity of the body, preventing hypoglycemia, reducing insulin resistance, and controlling total calories and body weight. However, skipping breakfast will make diabetic patients more susceptible to obesity because when the human body realizes that it is nutritionally deficient, the first things it consumes are carbohydrates and proteins, and the last thing it consumes is fat. Skipping breakfast will increase the amount of food consumed at other meals, which is not conducive to weight control.

What should diabetics eat for breakfast?

A high-quality breakfast for diabetic patients should be in line with the principle of eating enough and eating well, that is, the calories should reach 20%~35% of the total daily calories, and at the same time be scientifically matched. That is, cereals, meat, milk, beans, vegetables and fruits. At the same time, breakfast should be eaten at regular times and in regular quantities, with a combination of dry and liquid foods. Avoid eating fried, greasy and high-sugar foods. It is not advisable to overeat, 70% to 80% full is best.

Be picky about lunch

For lunch, choose foods with a low glycemic index. You can choose a suitable staple food, such as rice, and combine it with low-fat lean meat, chicken or fish and vegetables. Vegetables are very helpful in lowering the glycemic index because they are rich in vitamins and minerals and can be eaten in large quantities at lunch. The Kangningyan Diabetes Health Home WeChat account reminds you that beans are also a good choice because they are rich in protein, iron, fiber, etc., have low blood sugar levels, and can be stir-fried or made into soup.

How to eat when guests come

When entertaining guests for dinner, the host usually prepares relatively rich food. Faced with delicious food, it is difficult for diabetic patients to resist the temptation and they will unconsciously consume a lot of high-calorie food. Diabetic patients can eat some snacks with a low glycemic index before meals, such as meat such as skinless chicken legs and cold dishes.

Healthy dinner options

Diabetic patients should also adhere to the glycemic index plan when choosing dinner. They should follow the following points to ensure that the dinner is healthy and balanced.

(1) Choose foods with a low glycemic index, including pasta, sweet potatoes, new potatoes, beans, and rice.

(2) Remember to have vegetables and salad.

(3) Choose foods rich in protein, such as lean meat, poultry, or nuts. It can be cooked with peas, beans, lentils and meat.

(4) The intake of fat should be low. When cooking, you can use less oil, or use other healthier methods such as steaming and boiling. At the same time, try to eat less high-fat seasonings and choose low-fat dairy products.

Don’t eat too much at dinner

Experts point out that high stress, lack of exercise, and eating too much and too well for dinner are the main factors for the high incidence of diabetes. Modern people live at a fast pace. They usually eat simple lunch but too much and too good dinner. You should know that the human body's ability to synthesize fat at night is more than twenty times that of the day. This eating habit of modern people can easily lead to excessive fat accumulation, enlarged belly and thicker waist. The rate of diabetes in obese people is much higher than that in normal people.

Dietary misunderstandings caused by diabetics’ half-understanding

Diet therapy is the cornerstone of diabetes treatment, but many diabetic patients have misunderstandings about dietary therapy, especially new patients who have just been diagnosed with diabetes. They always think that dietary therapy means eating less, or not eating any sweet foods. They restrict their diet too strictly, which ultimately leads to malnutrition.