Diabetics need to pay special attention to their diet to avoid adverse health effects. Knowing which foods to avoid is not as difficult as it might have been. This is because the two main food groups you need to avoid, fats and sweets, are the very same foods that the average person should eat only sparingly.
Fats
Excluding high-fat foods such as avocados, salad dressing, butter, and cream cheese can help you avoid the complications of diabetes. There are many low-fat and fat-free versions of some of these foods that can easily be substituted.
Sweets
Sweets are an obvious forbidden food for diabetics. Like fats, however, there are also a number of low-fat and fat-free options for delicious and filling desserts such as pudding and ice cream.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrate intake should be closely monitored in a diabetic diet as many foods that are high in carbohydrates can result in a high blood glucose level. Choosing fruit over fruit juice is necessary as fruit juice tends to have high levels of carbohydrates as well as sugar. Grains and pasta should also be avoided for this reason.
Portion Control
The American Heart Association recommends that no more than 30 percent of calories should be ingested from consuming fat. Depending on the severity of a person's diabetes, this share should be decreased even further.
Dietician
According to the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse, it may be beneficial to consult a dietitian to gather a clearer picture of which foods to eat and their portion sizes.
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