Diabetes leads to elevated blood sugar levels. There are many types of the disease and following a certain diet can help keep the blood sugar levels in check.

What is diabetes?
Diabetes causes the level of sugar in the blood to increase. This occurs when the body cannot naturally break down sugar in the blood. High levels of blood sugar can cause many problems. Diabetes can also lead to complications in any of the body organs and eventually cause death. It can be controlled by medicine and lifestyle changes, which include exercise and diet.

Importance of a diet in diabetes?
The food we eat contains sugar in various forms. Not only sugar added to food, but glucose present in rice, wheat, and other foods also increases sugar levels in the blood. For a diabetic, it is extremely important to maintain a strict diet and regulate the consumption of foods that contain glucose.

Following a diet along with exercise can help reduce blood sugar levels. Diabetic patients need to be extremely careful about the food they eat to prevent sudden spikes in blood sugar that could lead to problems.

A diet to help fight diabetes
A diabetic diet would include foods that do not have glucose or those that contain the least amount of glucose. Glycemic index of foods helps one understand how much glucose each type of food has. Diabetic patients need to consume food with a low glycemic index. Those who do not have diabetes but are at risk, like obese people, can also consume food with lower glycemic index to prevent the disease.

The following are the essentials of a diet for diabetics:

Weight loss diet
Diabetic patients, especially those who are overweight, need to lose weight. They need to follow a diet that helps burn fat while keeping sugar levels in check.

Regular meals
Diabetics need to have their meals planned in a certain way. They need to follow a strict diet, which they must stick to. Skipping a meal can cause problems, so timely meals are a must.

Healthy carbs
Carbohydrates would have sugar in the form of glucose. As a result, the types of carbs consumed need to be regulated. Fruits and vegetables should be a part of the diet. Fruits that have a high glycemic index like grapes, pineapple, mango, cherry, and dried fruit should be avoided. Fruit juice should also be avoided.

In the case of vegetables, potatoes, corn, peas, and beets should be avoided or eaten in moderation. However, food rich in fiber like whole grains and cereals should be consumed. Rice should be avoided as it has a high glycemic index. Additionally, bread, pasta, pizza, and other processed carbs should be strictly avoided.

Dairy products
Dairy products have proteins and need to be consumed. However, the fat content in them can cause problems for those who are overweight. Products made from low-fat or skimmed milk can be consumed without hesitation.

Fats
Unsaturated fats need to be consumed. Nuts, avocado, olives, edamame, and tofu are recommended.

For diabetic patients, a diabetic diet is very important as it can help them control their blood sugar levels and remain healthy. Eating right plays an important role to control diabetes.