"Diabetes is all about insulin and sugar levels and what you put in your body "- Jay Cutler.
"You can live with diabetes. It's not the worst thing that can happen to you. It's controllable." - Halle Berry.
These are the famous sayings by great personalities.
So diabetes is a condition that is diagnosed by the majority of people due to their unhealthy lifestyle habits.
We are here to inform you about the diabetes reversal diet that can be exceptionally beneficial for people who are finding it hard to control their blood sugar levels even after trying numerous treatment approaches.
Can diet help to reverse diabetes?
❖According to a study by the diabetes prevention program, the answer is yes because they did research for about 20 years that concluded that most of the cases with type-2 diabetes can be prevented with the help of healthy lifestyle choices.
❖After the research, they found that a group of people who used diet and healthy lifestyle habits had a 58% lower risk of getting diabetes after 3 years and a 34% lower risk after 10 years. People aged 60 and older had a 71% lower risk after 3 years.
❖The group who used medications to reverse diabetes had a 31% lower risk of getting diabetes after 3 years and an 18% lower risk after 10 years.
❖ It can be concluded that diet can be best helpful for people who are unable to reverse diabetes with medication and for people who want to reverse diabetes with diet.
Diabetes reversal:
❖Now coming to our main plot of the blog none other than diabetes reversal that can happen when the blood sugar levels decrease below the diabetic range at this point, you no longer need to use the medications which can be considered a life-changing point because diabetes is one of the life disturbing factors that is not being controlled even after using multiple management techniques.
❖You might be wondering if there is such a thing to help diabetes reversal. Yes, that is what we are going to discuss further. You can reverse diabetes with healthy lifestyle habits such as eating healthier, weight loss, regular exercise, and more. The main theme or aim of your diabetes reversal diet should be to control blood sugar levels, improve insulin sensitivity, and boost your overall health.
Next,
What’s in a diabetes reversal diet?
While there are a lot of diet plans across the web claiming diabetes reversal, this is the plan that is proven to reverse diabetes in numerous people. Let’s delve into further details of the diabetes reversal diet:
Include healthy carbohydrates:
❖In the first step of a diabetes reversal diet, you must include complex carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains because these foods are known they contain high fiber content and be broken down slowly into your body. This process of slow digestion is necessary to keep your blood sugar levels steady and provide you with more energy.
❖As you’ve included complex carbohydrates you need to avoid the refined carbohydrates that are present in most foods such as junk food, sodas, pastries, and white bread. It is advised to avoid them because they cause quick spikes in your blood sugar.
Incorporate fiber-rich foods:
❖Fiber should be included in the diabetes reversal diet as they are easy to digest and essential in controlling blood sugar levels.
❖So these can be the fiber-rich options for you to include in your diet such as vegetables, and whole fruits(whole fruits are better when compared to fruit juices). Nuts and legumes can also be included such as beans and peas, lentils, beans, chickpeas, edamame, and soy. Choose whole grains and avoid refined grains as they lose most of their nutrients while processing which might not be helpful for our health.
Healthy fats:
❖Healthy fats are monounsaturated fats found in olive oil, avocados, and nuts, which can be highly necessary to improve insulin sensitivity. And then polyunsaturated fats which are found in omega-3 fatty acids from fatty fish like salmon, flaxseeds, and chia seeds, should be incorporated in a diabetes reversal diet to reduce inflammation.
❖Also, you can include moderate amounts of saturated fats such as those found in coconut oil and ghee.
❖Make sure you avoid the saturated fats that are found in processed foods because they can increase insulin sensitivity without any contribution to diabetes reversal.
Portion control and meal timing:
❖You need to be consistent with your meal timings and eat at the same time every day to avoid spikes in blood sugar levels and control insulin production a key to diabetes reversal. Also, try to avoid eating late at night.
❖Portion control can also be a factor affecting sugar levels in your body, do make sure you avoid overeating large meals and opt for smaller frequent meals for effective management of diabetes.
Glycemic index:
Another key factor to reverse diabetes is to choose foods that are low in the glycemic index because the foods that are high in glycemic index are known to increase blood sugar levels so include foods such as whole wheat chapati, sweet potatoes, legumes, most non-starchy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, etc and avoid white rice, potatoes, and sugary snacks, that are high in glycemic index.
Foods to include and avoid in a diabetes reversal diet:
Category |
Include |
Avoid |
Grains |
Brown rice, quinoa, whole wheat chapati, oats, barley, millet (ragi, bajra, jowar) |
White rice, white bread, refined flour (maida), pastries, white noodles, sugary cereals |
Legumes |
Chickpeas, lentils (masoor dal, toor dal), kidney beans, black beans, green gram |
Canned beans with added sugars or sodium, white gram dal |
Vegetables |
Spinach, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, zucchini, carrots, beans, cabbage, bottle gourd, ridge gourd |
Potatoes, Corn, Peas (in large amounts), Sweet potatoes, Arbi |
Fruits |
Apples, berries, pears, oranges, guava, papaya (in moderation) |
Fruit juices, bananas, grapes, mangoes, dried fruits, pineapple |
Proteins |
Chicken, fish, tofu, paneer, eggs, sprouts (moong dal sprouts) |
Processed meats (sausage, bacon), high-fat meats, fried meats |
Healthy Fats |
Olive oil, avocado, nuts (almonds, walnuts), chia seeds, flax seeds, ghee (in moderation) |
Margarine, hydrogenated oils, excessive butter, excessive ghee, fried foods |
Dairy |
Low-fat yogurt, skim milk, unsweetened almond milk, buttermilk |
Full-fat milk, Sweetened yogurts, Cream, Sweet lassi |
Snacks |
Raw nuts, vegetable sticks with hummus, seeds (pumpkin, sunflower), roasted chickpeas |
Sugary snacks, chips, candies, sweet biscuits, sugary granola bars |
Beverages |
Water, herbal teas, unsweetened almond milk, coconut water (unsweetened) |
Sodas, sweetened teas, sugary coffee drinks, fruit-flavored drinks |
Spices & Herbs |
Turmeric, cinnamon, fenugreek, garlic, ginger, coriander, cumin, mustard seeds |
High-sodium spice blends, sugary sauces, soy sauce |
Sweeteners |
Sugar, Honey, high-fructose corn syrup, maple syrup |
|
Bread & Snacks |
White bread, refined snacks, sugary bread |
You can check out more on a healthy diet.
End note:
The above-mentioned are the best approaches for someone who wants to reverse diabetes all by following an ideal diabetes reversal diet. So you can start with small changes in your routine by gradually adopting a new healthy routine. Make sure you stay consistent with patience by regular doctor visits whose guidance is highly necessary to find yourself with observable changes while being free from diabetes.