Diabetes Foods And Gestational Diabetes Diet

Can you suggest me some healthy diet which provides proper nutrition for my father who is a diabetic patient with BP and who underwent an angioplasty too?

Most diabetic patients have high cholesterol and high blood pressure and so they are more susceptible to heart disease. It is thus of crucial importance to keep not only the blood pressure and LDL cholesterol levels in check but also monitor the blood sugar levels. This can be achieved by exercising regularly, reducing stress and modifying the diet. An efficient diabetes diet prevents the blood glucose level from increasing too much and aims at lowering the LDL cholesterol levels and increasing HDL cholesterol, which mobilizes cholesterol from the various parts of the body towards the liver for elimination from the system.

Diabetes Diet And Foods For Diabetes

The general dietary recommendations for people suffering from diabetes and heart disease aim at maintaining healthy levels of blood sugar, cholesterol and triglyceride ranges. You should immediately reduce your intake of fat, particularly saturated fats, such as that found in red meat, poultry skin, butter, whole milk, cheese, hydrogenated oils, lard and shortening.

Obviously food products such as potato chips, crackers, candies, cookies and cakes should be avoided. Foods such as egg yolks, high fat dairy products, high fat meat and poultry are also high in cholesterol and should be restricted. Fats such as olive oil, canola oil and certain nuts help to lower cholesterol so you should concentrate on them.

You should also include two to three servings of fish per week since it contains omega 3 fatty acids which are beneficial for reducing cholesterol. You should consume plenty of vegetables such as spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, brussels sprouts, carrots, tomatoes, cucumbers and lettuce. Foods that are rich in fiber, such as oatmeal, bran, dried beans, peas, kidney beans and raw fruits and vegetables should be consumed with every meal.

Two to four servings of fruit per day are recommended, especially fruits such as oranges, apples, bananas, peaches, pears, apricots, grapes, blackberries, strawberries and cantaloupe. You can substitute meat and high fat dairy products by tofu, dried beans, cottage cheese and butters prepared using nuts and vegetable oils. You should also use low-fat cooking methods such as baking and roasting instead of frying.

While the diabetes diet often recommends low Glycemic Index foods to regulate the blood sugar levels, these foods are actually high in fat content and thus prove bad for the heart. Sometimes the way certain foods are consumed or prepared can also change the Glycemic Index of the food. For example, apples if peeled have a higher Glycemic Index than if consumed with the peel. You should consult your doctor and plan your diet accordingly to include foods with moderate Glycemic Index levels.