Autumn Diet: What Foods Should Diabetics Avoid?
Diabetes is a special condition that imposes strict dietary requirements on patients. So, what are the dietary taboos for diabetic patients in their daily lives?
According to diabetes treatment experts:
1. Although diabetic patients should eat foods high in sugar in moderation, it doesn't mean they cannot eat them at all. For example, some fruits have a higher sugar content than other foods. Does that mean diabetic patients should completely avoid fruit? However, fruits contain many vitamins, which are very beneficial for the health of diabetic patients. Therefore, diabetic patients must break free from the dietary "forbidden zone," as not all sugary foods are off-limits.
2. Diabetic patients should limit the cholesterol content in their diet. When diabetes is not well-controlled, it can easily lead to elevated serum cholesterol, causing diabetic vascular complications, coronary heart disease, and more. Therefore, the cholesterol in a diabetic's diet should be limited, with a general recommendation of less than 300 milligrams per day. Therefore, fatty meats and animal organs, such as heart, liver, kidney, and brain, should be avoided or eaten sparingly, as these foods are rich in cholesterol. Diabetic patients can eat more lean meat, fish, and shellfish.
3. Softer foods cause blood sugar to rise more quickly. For instance, when rice is cooked into a porridge, some of its starch is converted into dextrin, which is easier to digest and absorb than starch and is quickly converted into glucose in the body, causing a rapid spike in blood sugar. The longer the porridge is cooked, the thicker it becomes, and the faster it raises blood sugar after consumption. Therefore, diabetic patients should avoid "eating soft foods over hard ones." It is better to "eat hard foods instead of soft ones," as foods with a firmer texture are digested more slowly and are less likely to cause a rapid increase in blood sugar.
4. Although foods with a high Glycemic Index (GI) have a greater impact on postprandial (after-meal) blood sugar, exclusively choosing foods with a low GI can easily lead to nutritional imbalance. Mixed eating is an effective way to control postprandial blood sugar. This means mixing high-GI foods with low-GI foods to reduce the overall impact on blood sugar levels after a meal.
5. Avoid pure sugars (white sugar, brown sugar, rock sugar, malt sugar), candy with skins, honey, and ordinary pastries.
6. Avoid fatty meats, animal fats, animal organs, roe, animal brains, bone marrow, animal blood, and fried foods.
7. Avoid underground-growing root vegetables.