Many people often hate to go on a diabetic diet, even if they have diabetes, because they feel they will only be allowed to eat all the bland boring foods that contain no sugar and taste awful. This is not true. Diabetics can still eat the foods they already enjoy eating. All they have to do is learn how to shop for foods by learning how to read labels and choose the same foods, sometimes using different brands.
We have all been a diet at some point in our lives and most of the time the diet does not work nor does it last very long because the so called diet calls for us to eat foods that we are not used to eating. This is the main reason most diets fail. However, a diabetic does not have the option to quit a diabetic diet as the results could mean death. The diabetic diet does not have to be tortuous as I will show you how to shop for foods that you normally eat using these 5 methods when reading the nutritional label.
One way to shop for food on a diabetic diet is to watch the amount total carbohydrates that the food items contain. Many diabetics believe that eating sugar items is the only thing that will raise your blood sugar level, but carbohydrates will also do that very same job. This is why you need to keep a close eye on the total carbohydrates that are in each serving. A good guide is to only purchase items with 10 total carbohydrates or less because it only takes 1 carbohydrate to raise your blood sugar level by 5 points.
A second way is to focus on foods that are high in fiber. Fiber works great at lowering your blood sugar level and keeping it at a normal level. Your body does not actually absorb the fiber even though it is a type of a carbohydrate, which is why this is good for your diabetic diet. You should try to look for products that have at least 5 grams of dietary fiber.
A third way is to look for products that have as little sugar as possible. Many people feel that a sugar free label means that they can eat that product on a diabetic diet, but you have to be very careful and read the label. Some sugar free products compromise by adding more carbohydrates which eventually raise your blood sugar level. The overall total carbohydrates still needs to be 10 grams or less and the sugar should be around 5 grams or less.
A fourth way is to stock up on what the experts call free foods for diabetics. These are foods that have less than 20 total calories and have less than 5 grams of total carbohydrates per serving. Just because they are labeled free food does not mean you can eat them all day long. All it means is you can eat them up to 3 servings per day. Also be sure to spread them throughout the day as eating them all at one time will make your blood sugar rise too high. Some examples of free foods are decaf coffee, a dill pickle (which also helps lower your blood sugar), sugar free drink mixes, sugar free gelatin, diet soda, lettuce, and water.
A fifth way to shop for food on a diabetic diet is to look for products that are low in fat or contain no fat at all. You should try to purchase meats that contain at least 7 percent or less in fat. Some good meats that you can buy are skinless poultry, shellfish, and fish.
As you can see, it is possible to go on a diabetic diet and still enjoy the foods and meals you are accustomed to eating. All you have to learn to do is read the food labels a little more carefully and purchase the products that have fewer carbohydrates, more fiber, less sugar, more free foods, and better quality meats. Once you start implementing these food purchasing habits into your meal planning, your meals that you and your family love will become healthier you will enjoy them more knowing that it is now a diabetic diet meal.
