Food For Diabetes Singapore
Diabetes is a condition in which the body cannot process glucose, the common table sugar, properly. Fasting glucose levels can be high or low, normal or abnormal.
Some people with diabetes have their levels abnormally low or high. This is called hypoglycemia or low blood sugar. When this happens, it can be very dangerous.
There are several ways to prevent hypoglycemia in people with diabetes, including eating a balanced diet and exercising regularly. There are also different foods that may help regulate blood sugar more easily than others. These may include foods like vegetables and fruits!
Most restaurants and supermarkets have a food list that contains foods that are suitable for either an individual with diabetes or someone without the disease who has trouble regulating their blood sugar.
Understanding diabetes
Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body cannot use the correct insulin or an otherwise absent or reduced level of insulin in the body.
Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body does not use the correct amount of insulin in the body. Typically, people with type 2 diabetes have a higher ratio of sugar to other carbohydrates in their diet, which promotes eat-and-run metabolism.
The number of calories you consume relative to your activity level may be key to preventing type 2 diabetes, says Dr Vishniangam. “People with active lifestyles can have a better overall health outcome than people with less active lifestyles,” she says.
You can prevent type 2 diabetes by:
consorting with your diet and exercise levels, not focusing on what you eat or how much you are eating, and early diagnosis and treatment.
Type 1 diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is an extreme condition where the body does not produce enough of the active ingredient called insulin. As result, the body cannot use and/or store glucose, the common sugar, for later use.
Because of this, people with type 1 diabetes have to monitor their glucose levels daily. The level of glucose in the blood can vary from mild flush to frosted over, depending on what foods are eaten.
Fortunately, most are low in calories but high in fat, including some good sources of saturated fat such as eggs and certain meats. Fortunately, there are also some foods that people with type 1 diabetes should not eat. These include foods that contain high amounts of saturated fat such as coconut oil and cheese, along with fruits that are low in calories such as berries or dried fruits.
Type 2 diabetes is not well controlled by just eating healthy foods suited for people with diabetes. People with type 2 diabetes need to control their calorie intake to control their blood glucose levels.
Type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is one of the most common kinds of diabetes. Nearly half of all people with type 2 diabetes are in Singapore, making it one of the top countries diagnosed with type 2 diabetes.
There are several reasons people with type 2 diabetes get overweight. Diabetes is a condition that can make you feel hungry more often. This can lead to overconsumption of unhealthy fats, sugar, and weight-gainable carbs like bread and pasta.
Fortunately, there are ways to prevent or even manage type 2 diabetes without affecting your overall health significantly. Here are some ways to eat for your diabetes that may not be popular, but may be worth it!
Foods you can have for your type 2 diabetes: Bananas, pineapple, and salt-based foods. You can still have fresh fruit and vegetables, just without much salt or sugar. South American countries such as Brazil and Chile have a lot of obesity rates due to this ‘usual’ approach to eating.
Pineapples pack a high amount of vitamin C into every single piece so it is best to have at least one per day.
How to control your blood sugar levels
Most people with diabetes are told to keep their blood sugar levels under control by eating foods that are high in carbohydrates. This is the type of diet you would be prescribed to have with diabetes.
However, for people with abstruse degrees of diabetes, such as exogenous glucose absorption (EBA) receptor non-functionality, plasma glucose levels can be controlled even more effectively by eating low-carbohydrate foods.
This is because EBA receptor non-functionality reduces glucose utilization in our body and thus makes it appear that you are not eating enough carbs. Thus, the person with diabetes may eat more food with the intention of having more carbs in his or her body.
As we said before, low-carbohydrate foods may have an impact on our blood sugar levels because of their effect on ketone production. The level of ketones in our blood can vary based on what person has.
Eat smaller meals more frequently
Your diabetes needs to be controlled by eating small, frequent meals. This means having breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and eating regularly throughout the day.
Your daily nutrition goals must be met to keep your blood glucose levels in check. Therefore, you should have a good breakfast, a healthy lunch (and/or dinner), and a second meal at night.
This way, you’ll always have an abundant food source nearby to eat. Plus, you’ll be keeping your hunger control mechanisms in place to help you maintain your weight loss goal. By taking advantage of the two main meals per day, you’ll also save time on nutritional needs.
Limit sugar-sweetened beverages
Beer is a common drink in many countries with diabetes. Although sugary, beer can be a good compliment to food.
For example, an 8-ounce (237-g) beer contains about 6 grams of sugar! That is 1/6 of a can! Even if you do not drink alcohol often, it is important to stay aware of the sugar in it.
Sugars are a common ingredient in many beverages: water is mostly sugar, coffee contains caffeine and others chemicals that add sugar, and tea has caffeine too.
Limit or avoid fruit juices unless you are eating at least 6 glasses (600 ml) per day. Fructose doesn’t fit into your blood sugar levels well and may cause symptoms of diabetes to return. Instead choose vegetables with sufficient amounts of fiber to help keep your blood glucose levels in check.
Eat more fiber-rich foods
While fruit and vegetables are great for you, it’s important to eat them in moderation. Only eat foods that are ripe or partially ripe.
Good fiber-rich foods can help make you feel more awake and efficient sleep schedule, while also improving your overallhealthyandmood. As a person with diabetes, you can still enjoy many of the same fruits and vegetables as someone without diabetes.
Many of them are high in fiber, such as berries, spinach, and other vegetables. You can even buy some of your favorite packaged foods with low sugar labels.
Try almond or coconut milk instead of sugar-sweetened beverages
While both contain carbohydrates, almond and coconut milks differ in terms of where they come from.
As their names imply, almond and coconut milks are made from either almonds or Coconut, respectively. Although neither source of milk contains grains, their absence is offset by the addition of tap water to make it a milk substitute.
As the tap water can vary in quality, it is recommended to drink at least 2–3 cups (500–600 ml) of unsweetened coconut milk per day to maintain your diabetes control.
Alternatively, opt for a low-sugar almond milk to help with weight loss and prevent any keto-related weight gain.