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People suffering from diabetes often have a problem in deciding their diet. There are various kinds of diet restrictions for diabetic people. They cannot eat all kinds of food items as that might lead to increase in their blood sugar levels. However, it is also important that they get the right kind of nutrition for their body so that there is no deficiency of any kind. Diabetic people often have compromised immunity and hence are prone to various kinds of ailments. Medications also take longer time to work on diabetic patients.
The diabetic meal plan needs careful consideration. As there are different kinds of meal plans, there are conflicts in them as well. The biggest conflict is in regard to adding dairy products to diabetic diet. While some doctors recommend adding full-fat varieties of dairy products to diabetic diet, some opine choosing low-fat options of dairy products. There are mixed reactions in the nutrition world as well as which kinds of dairy products are most suitable for diabetic patients.
In the recently released Dietary Guidelines for Americans, it has been recommended that dairy sources like yogurt, milk and cheese should definitely be added in diabetic diet and the sources should be low-fat or no-fat. The guidelines have been jointly published by the U.S Department of Agriculture and U.S Department of Health and Human Services. Majority of diabetic experts opine that though the fat content of dairy products might vary, but including some kind of dairy products in a diabetic diet helps in effective diabetic management.
Along with choosing the right kind of nutrition for diabetic patients, it is also important to follow a proper lifestyle to keep the ailment under control. And Diabetes Freedom will guide you accordingly in the same. Diabetes Freedom is no supplement which claims to lower blood sugar levels in the body. Rather it is a 2-months program, which when followed helps in combating the problem of diabetes successfully. The program concentrates on food and nutrition, lifestyle, exercise and various other parameters which affect diabetic patients.
Dairy and the role it plays in diabetes management
Diabetes experts and nutritionists agree on the fact that majority of the people who have diabetes also suffer from high blood pressure. This problem can be combated by eating foods which are rich in magnesium, potassium and calcium. All these three nutrients are present in abundance in various kinds of dairy products. Medical study and research reports have shown that consuming dairy products not only help in diabetes management, but it also plays an important role in preventing the development of diabetes altogether. Diets which have abundant dairy products have shown to provide a protective effect against development of diabetes.
Including dairy products in a diabetic diet is a great idea for sure, but the question which arises is what kinds of dairy products are best for diabetes management? There are some emerging researches that consuming full-fat dairy products might provide a protective effect on preventing type-2 diabetes. But the results are not yet conclusive and hence cannot be trusted completely. Infact consuming such products have shown great results for weight management as well along with combating diabetes.
But the main problem with dairy products is that there is no standard recommendation for diabetic people and thus the work is highly challenging. The varieties of dairy products will vary depending on the requirements and health goals of the individual. If a diabetic patient has excellent weight management techniques, he can definitely consume full-fat dairy products without any kinds of problems.
Some popular dairy choice which diabetic patients can make
There are innumerable varieties of dairy products which people can consume. But when it comes to diabetic patients, the list of varieties is little shortened. Still there are many options from which diabetics can choose. Some of them are as follows:
- String cheese – For diabetic people choosing a proper item for snacks is a problem. String cheese can be a great choice for the same. Infact adding cheese to the diet will balance out the meal as well. Cheese contains good balance of protein and a small amount of fat as well. The carbohydrate content in cheese is just one gram per ounce and that won’t increase blood sugar levels in the body much. Hence, include string cheese in the diet and add some real taste to the foods.
- Greek yogurt – In various medical reports and journals it has been published that yogurt or other kinds of fermented dairy products are great choices as they are an excellent source of probiotics. We all know that probiotics play an important role in maintaining gut health and overall intestinal health. It has also been seen that probiotics help in bettering glucose and insulin levels in the body. In human trials as well as in preclinical settings it was seen that probiotics were able to reduce insulin and fasting glucose levels successfully. Greek yogurt comes with the perfect combination of proteins and carbohydrates. The best thing about this dairy product is that it can be consumed individually or it can be mixed in smoothies or even better topped with various kinds of crunchy nuts. Culinary experts have opined that using plain Greek yogurt as an ingredient in various kinds of baked goods can help in cutting down on added fats.
- Grass-fed dairy – When it comes to choosing dairy products for diabetic people, it is important to consider the source of the dairy product and not just the fat content present in the product. The dairy which is obtained from grass-fed cows will provide products which are higher in alpha-linolenic acid content. This acid is a kind of omega-3 fatty acid and offers innumerable kinds of health benefits. When you go to purchase yogurt or cheese from your local grocery store, ask for grass-fed dairy varieties. These options are good for overall health of people in all age groups.
Dairy choices which should be avoided by diabetic patients
There are some dairy products which are best avoided by diabetic patients as these might impact blood sugar levels adversely. Some of these products are as follows:
- Various kinds of sweetened dairy products – When you are making a diabetes meal plan, there are certain things which must go into strict consideration. Refrain from consuming yogurts with added sugar content, ice cream or chocolate milk. It is not necessary to remove them completely from the meal plan; but they should be consumed in a very restricted manner. The day you consume these kinds of sweetened dairy products, cut down on the other carbohydrate rich foods from the diet. Consuming these delicacies in moderation and under control will not do much harm.
- Fat-free milk – Avoiding fat-free milk is often recommended by doctors for their diabetic patients. This variety of milk is often used for treating hypoglycemia as it gets quickly absorbed in the body and spikes up blood sugar levels pretty fast. Instead of fat-free milk, it is better to include unsweetened almond milk in the diabetic diet plan. Experts say that the way in which a beverage is consumed has direct impact on blood sugar levels in the body. Many a times, milk is coupled with cookies or cereals, which are high-carb foods and the combination of both spike the blood glucose levels.
Choose dairy products wisely and make a great diabetic diet plan.