Diabetes is a chronic health issue that puts restrictions on many food items if its level doesn’t stay under control. We all are aware of types of diabetes that include type 1 diabetes, type 2 diabetes, and the 3rd one is gastric diabetes (mainly affecting pregnant women). This page will discuss more on food for diabetics or meals for diabetics.
Diabetic patients often find themselves stuck in choosing foods that lower blood sugar (if their sugar is high). Doctors usually inform their patients about the type 2 diabetes diet they must follow to avoid health consequences.
Having diabetes doesn’t mean you have to miss a yummy food every time. Home baking is ideal for people with diabetes. Unlike shop-bought baked products containing lots of added sugar and unhealthy fats, you can keep your baking healthier as you are the sole one in charge of what should mix, considering your ongoing diabetes treatment. One can easily make his/her diabetic recipes with the tips below:
Home baking strategies and tips for diabetes patients:
1. Use wholemeal flour instead of white flour
Wholemeal flour is healthier than white and can help gut and heart health. It’s more filling than white and processed flour. Its smaller portion satisfies your hunger for the longer term. It is perfect in most recipes, but if you find it a bit heavy for sponge cakes, try using a ratio of 30:70 or 50:50 wholemeal flour to plain flour. With wholemeal flour, one can easily bake the best snacks for diabetics.
2. Use an equal amount of mashed banana or pureed apple in place of butter
Mashed banana or puréed apple can be beaten with a little sugar and rapeseed oil to get a similar effect to creaming butter without an additional saturated fat from butter. This option also adds natural sweetness and flavor. The key is to beat it well, which helps add air to the mixture.
3. Experiment with less sugar and sugar substitutes
Add fresh fruit, grated or finely chopped apples, pears, blueberries, blackberries, chopped peaches, and nectarines for flavor and natural sweetness. You can also sweeten cakes and desserts for diabetics with dried fruit rather than sugar, which contains fibre. Soak raisins, sultanas, and currants in a little boiling water to plump them up and make them juicier; also, use the water.
Many other sweeteners are also available, such as agave nectar and syrups. Don’t forget honey, which is marketed as natural and healthy. But the truth is, your body still processes these as sugar, so they count towards your free or added sugar intake. They are best avoided, but if you have to use them, try to use them in small quantities to be at par with the diabetes medication.
4. Add vegetables
Grate vegetables and add to a cake mixture. Courgettes, carrots, and beetroot soften once cooked, adding moisture without an overpowering flavour.
5. Try porridge oats
Reducing flour and replacing it with the same weight as oats also adds soluble fibre, which can help lower cholesterol and help promote high blood sugar control.
6. Prefer low-fat oil
Use rapeseed or sunflower oil or lower-fat spread rather than butter. Olive oil is good too, but it has quite a strong flavour. Also, coconut oil is used for baking but is high in saturated fat. There is also no evidence to support many of the health claims. Use it by all means, but treat it like butter and use it in moderation.
7. Experiment with something else instead of regular milk
You can also try using soy or vanilla soy milk instead of regular milk. Generally, soy milk is counted as lower in fat and higher in protein than regular milk.
8. Healthy and nutritious addition
Throw walnuts, flax seeds, or wheat germ to add healthy fats and protein to your baked goods. Protein is an important part of any person’s diet, and it’s an important option for diabetes care for people with diabetes to manage a balanced diet, including carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.
Apart from baking, ample other options can be explored to create better meals for diabetics type 2 patients.
As a person with diabetes, it is important to follow type 1 and type 2 diabetes treatments and never exceed your daily carb allowance. You can have treats, but only on limits. Add protein to help break down the carbs slowly and reduce your allotted carbs for the rest of the day. You’re in charge of the ingredients, you can adapt recipes, for example, using wholemeal flour to add fibre, and you can manage the portion sizes by baking bite-sized treats.
It is fun and not difficult, it’s tasty, and there are no chemicals or additives. As you’ll be using natural ingredients, it is cheaper; items like bread, flapjacks, cakes, rock cakes, and cookies provide basic ingredients at low cost and last for a long time. You’ll also be able to cook various cakes, at least much more than you can buy in the shops. Last but not least, it’s relaxing and often brings up nostalgic childhood memories.
Conclusion:
Life with diabetes can be easily lived with the right medication, lifestyle changes, and right food choices. One can also gain insight by contacting a nutritionist who can share the best ways and options to create healthy snacks for diabetics. He/she can certainly suggest the best food for diabetes control.
