One in every six people is diabetic nowadays. And estimates say that more than 134 million Indians would get diabetes by 2045. And this is quite concerning. But guess what? Where the main problem lies? Here is a lack of understanding.
In India, 48 percent of diabetic individuals are unaware that they have diabetes. Many of them still believe in myths and are unaware of the origins and symptoms of diabetes.
As a result, we have come up with a multifaceted strategy for diabetes. Through this article, “Best Diet Plan For Diabetes Patient” we aim to bring in all the information you need to know to understand diabetes.
Let’s dive into and know everything about diabetes including its causes, symptoms, diet plans for a diabetes patient, how to control it, what foods are to be eaten and avoided, and the best dietitian for diabetes patient.

Everything About Diabetes And Best Diet Plan For Diabetes

To be able to overcome any disease, it’s necessary to have knowledge about that. Thus, here we have covered everything to know about diabetes. So, let’s read out the causes, symptoms, risk factors, diet plans for a diabetes patient, and the actions which can help to control diabetes.

What Is Diabetes? What Is The Importance Of Best Diet Plan?

Our main source of energy is blood glucose, which comes from the food we eat. Insulin is a hormone produced by the pancreas that aids glucose absorption into cells for use as energy. Sometimes our body doesn’t produce enough or any insulin, or it doesn’t use it properly. As a result, glucose remains in our circulation and does not reach our cells as a result. So, now the question arises, what diabetes exactly is:

• Diabetes is a condition in which our blood glucose, often known as blood sugar, is abnormally high.
• Moreover, diabetes is a chronic disease. And it develops when the pancreas stops producing insulin. Or when the body doesn’t respond to the functions of insulin properly. Then, blood glucose levels rise, which is known as Hyperglycemia. So, what happens is high glucose levels cause long-term harm to the body and the failure of many organs and tissues.

What Are The Different Types Of Diabetes?

Diabetes has majorly three different types:

1. Type 1 diabetes
2. Type 2 diabetes
3. Gestational diabetes

Now let’s discuss all three types in detail:

1. Type 1 Diabetes

• Type 1 diabetes can hit anyone at any age. Most commonly it develops in children and adolescents.
• In this type of diabetes, the body generates very little or no insulin. So, suffering from this will require daily insulin injections to keep blood sugar levels in check.
• Moreover, Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease. Thus, the immune system attacks and destroys beta cells of the pancreas.

2. Type 2 Diabetes

• Another type of diabetes is type 2 occurs when our body does not make appropriate use of insulin. Therefore, sugar builds up in our blood.
• Adults are more likely to have type 2 diabetes. Almost 90% of all diabetes cases are of type 2. 
• Furthermore, a healthy lifestyle including physical activity and a nutritious diet can help us to control diabetes.
• And most people with type 2 diabetes, will eventually require oral medications and insulin to keep their blood glucose levels under control.

3. Gestational Diabetes

• Gestational diabetes (GDM) is a kind of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy and is linked to difficulties for both the mother and the child.
• GDM normally goes away after pregnancy. But there are chances for women and children to have type 2 diabetes later in life.

Apart from this, one more is prediabetes. It is basically a before stage of diabetes. When blood sugar is higher than normal, it’s not high enough for a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes. Then we call it prediabetes. As a result, to get rid of any kind of diabetes proper diet plan for diabetes patient is necessary.

Best Diet Plan For Diabetes Patients

Our attention should be on appropriate eating in order to get relief from diabetes. Therefore, High carbohydrate foods, sweets, and packaged snacks should be avoided.
So, to help you out here is the one-day meal plan. Let’s note down the diet plan for diabetes patient.

Best Diet Plan/Diet Chart For Diabetic Patient

1 Meal/Early Morning Meal

• Hot lemon water + 5 soaked almonds.

2 Meal/Breakfast

•  Roti (gobhi+onion+kneaded oats+atta) + Curd/Mint chutney.

3 Meal/Mid Morning Snack

• Fresh salad bowl OR any fruit except mango, cheeku, grapes, banana.

4 Meal/Lunch

• Any seasonal vegetable (without aloo or arbi) with oats atta roti + curd.

5 Meal/Evening Drink

• Milk tea without sugar/Green tea one cup + Handful of dry roasted makhana or nuts. Avoid Cashew.

6 Meal/Evening Snack

• Bowl of fresh salad.

7 Meal/Dinner

• Oats – vegetable khichdi OR big bowl of dal OR 3 egg whites veg bhurji can add 1 yolk.

8 Meal/Late Evening Snack

• 1 cup green cardamom water OR chamomile tea.

11 Foods To Eat If Following Best Diet Plan For Diabetes

For a diabetes-friendly diet, foods that keep blood sugar (glucose) levels in check are necessary. Thus, whole grains, leafy greens, berries, and nuts are really helpful. So, to make it easy for you to make healthy food choices, we have listed 11 superfoods.

1. Beetroot, Sweet potato
2. Tomato
3. Pumpkin seeds and Flaxseeds
4. Beans
5. Mixed Nuts
6. Bitter gourd
7. Jamun
8. Fenugreek and Cinnamon
9. Guava
10. Turmeric
11. Avocados

Foods To Avoid If Following Best Diet Plan For Diabetes

Food choices matter a lot when you have diabetes. Thus, a diabetic patient should stick to better food choices. So, let’s talk about what foods should be avoided if you have diabetes:

1. Sugar-sweetened beverages
2. White bread, rice, and pasta
3. Fruit-flavored yoghurt
4. Flavoured coffee drinks
5. Honey
6. French fries
7. Canned vegetables with lots of added sodium
8. Jam and Jelly
9. Packed fruit juice and energy drinks
10. Fried meats
11. Starchy veggies like potatoes and arbi

What Causes Diabetes?

In general, the basic cause of diabetes is having too much glucose circulating in the bloodstream. Other than this, each type of diabetes has different causes. Here these are:

1. Causes Of Type 1 Diabetes

• Type 1 diabetes is an immune system disease.
• This is the case when your own body attacks and destroys insulin-producing beta cells. Glucose builds up in your bloodstream if you don’t have enough insulin to let glucose into your cells.
• In some patients, genes may also play a role. Thus, a virus can also cause an immune system attack.

2. Type 2 And Prediabetic Causes

• Type 2 diabetes is a genetic disorder that runs in families. Other than that, it is also caused by lifestyle choices.
• Obesity or being overweight is also the reason which increases the risk of such diabetes.
• Basically, extra weight, especially around the midsection, makes your cells more resistant to insulin’s effects on blood sugar.
• Moreover, in this type of diabetes, insulin does not function properly in the body’s cells, preventing glucose from entering them.

3. Gestational Diabetes

• It occurs when the placenta produces hormones. And then the placenta produces hormones that make body cells more resistant to insulin throughout the pregnancy. 
• As a result, the pancreas is unable to produce sufficient insulin to overcome cells resistance. So, there is an excessive amount of glucose in your bloodstream.

What Are The Symptoms Of Diabetes?

General symptoms of diabetes are:

• Increased thirst and hunger.
• Weakness and exhaustion.
• Blurred vision.
• Tingling or numb hands and feet.
• Sores or cuts take a long time to heal.
• Unintentional weight loss.
• Urination on a regular basis.
• Infections that don’t seem to go away.
• Dry mouth.

Apart from this, symptoms also vary in gender. Like:

• In women: Dry itchy skin, yeast infections, or urinary tract infections (UTI) on a regular basis.
• In men: Reduced sex drive, erectile problems, and physical strength.

Symptoms Of Different Diabetes

Sometimes, symptoms can be seen quickly, or sometimes can be seen after a few months of diabetes. In this way, they vary from person to person and the types of diabetes. Therefore, we have listed the symptoms based on different types of diabetes.

1. Type 1 Diabetes Symptoms

• Extreme hunger (Polyphagia)
• Excessive thirst (Polydipsia)
• Unintentional weight loss
• Blurry vision
• Tiredness
• Urinary tract infection
• Mood changes

2. Symptoms Of Type 2 Diabetes

Type 2 diabetes builds slowly over time. So, it is possible that one could not have any symptoms at all or you may not have noticed them. Symptoms of type 2 diabetes are:

• Firstly, excessive hunger (Polyphagia)
• Next, is excessive urination (Polyuria)
• Tiredness.
• Unclear eyesight.
• And, sores take a long time to heal.

3. Gestational Diabetes Symptoms

• Firstly, women with this kind of diabetes majorly experience no symptoms.
• Also, gestational diabetes can be detected with a standard blood sugar or glucose tolerance test. This test is conducted between the 24th and 28th weeks of pregnancy.
• Similarly, a woman with gestational diabetes may experience increased thirst or urination in rare situations.

How Is Diabetes Diagnosed?

Anyone who has diabetic symptoms or is at risk of developing the disease should get checked. Your glucose level in a blood test is used to diagnose and later on manage diabetes. There are many tests used to determine blood glucose levels. These are:

1. Fasting Plasma Glucose Test

The fasting plasma glucose test is to be best done after an eight-hour fast. Nothing to eat or drink except sips of water.

2. Random Plasma Glucose Test

This random plasma glucose test can be performed at any time. No fasting is needed for such a test.

3. HbA1c Test

• The A1c test is commonly known as the HbA1C test or the glycated haemoglobin test. It determines the average blood glucose level during the previous two or three months. Other than that, this test determines how much glucose is bound to haemoglobin. This test also does not require any kind of fasting.
• The typical range for HbA1c levels in adults without diabetes is between 4% and 5.6 percent. If your HbA1c is between 5.7 and 6.4 percent, you have prediabetes and an increased risk of developing diabetes. You have diabetes if your blood sugar level is 6.5 percent or greater.

4. Oral Glucose Tolerance Test

Furthermore, after an overnight fast, the blood glucose level is tested in an oral glucose tolerance test. Then you consume a sugary beverage. After that, at one, two, or three hours blood glucose levels get tested.

5. Urine Glucose Test

A urine glucose test is a quick and easy approach to see if your urine contains abnormally high levels of glucose. A urine sample is taken for the urine glucose test. A small cardboard instrument known as a dipstick will measure your glucose levels once you deliver your sample. Depending on the amount of glucose in your urine, the dipstick will change its colour.

How To Control Diabetes With The Best Diet Plan?

Any disease can be prevented by making lifestyle modifications, and healthy changes. Therefore, making a few lifestyle adjustments may help you to avoid diabetes and more health consequences in the future. A diet plan for diabetes patients will work properly if one will take care of normal routines too. Anyhow, it’s never too late to start anything new.

1. Avoid Sugar And Processed Carbs

Firstly, cut down on sugar and refined carbs, if you want to control diabetes. Because food rich in refined carbs and sugar raises blood sugar and insulin levels leading to diabetes. So, it is necessary to avoid these.

2. Quit Smoking At Any Cost

Smoking strongly raises diabetes risk. It can lead to insulin resistance, which can result in type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, researchers say that quitting smoking reduces the chance of developing diabetes.

3. Choose Water Over Other Beverages

Drinking water instead of other beverages may help regulate blood sugar and insulin levels. As a result, it lowers diabetes risk. So, staying mostly hydrated helps us to avoid beverages that are heavy in sugar, preservatives, and other unnecessary substances.

4. Stay Physically Active And Lose Excess Weight

Extra weight may lead to the risk of diabetes. So, it becomes very important to shed kilos for a diabetic patient. Other than that, exercise improves cells’ insulin sensitivity, which means you require less insulin to control blood sugar levels. So, a diabetic patient should maintain an appropriate weight.

5. Avoid Large Eating Portion Sizes With Best Diet Plan

Eating too much food at once may increase blood sugar and insulin levels. On the other hand, smaller servings may lower calorie consumption and weight loss. Thus it may prevent the risk of diabetes. Therefore, large eating portion sizes should not be included in the diet plans for diabetes patients.

6. Focus On High Fiber Diet And See The Magic

Getting enough fiber is equally good for gut health and weight loss. In addition, consuming high fiber at each meal helps to minimize spikes in blood sugar and insulin levels. Thereby high fiber diet helps to get rid of high sugar levels.
Furthermore, reducing carb intake, optimizing vitamin D levels, making healthier choices, and minimizing intake of highly processed foods is equally important to control diabetes.

Who Gets Diabetes? What Are The Risk Factors?

Diabetes can hit anyone, but there are risk factors that can raise the chances. Like, if you are overweight or obese, 45 of age or older than that, have a family history of diabetes, have high blood pressure, or many more. Not only this, but risk factors also vary as per the type of diabetes. So, let’s find out what risk factors cause what kind of diabetes:

1. Type 1 Diabetes Risk Factors

Following are some of the risk factors for Type 1 diabetes:

• The first, is a family history of type 1 diabetes.
• The pancreas is injured for any reason.
• Presence of autoantibodies (that mistakenly attack your own tissues or organs) in the body.
• Likewise surgery or illness in the body.
• Viruses can cause illness if you are exposed to them.

2. Type 2 And Pre Diabetes Risk Factors

Risk factors for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes are here below:

• Prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes in the family (parent or sibling).
• Being of African, Hispanic, Native American, Asian, or Pacific Islander ancestry.
• Being overweight is a problem too.
• High blood pressure.
• Having a high triglyceride level and a low HDL cholesterol.
• Physical inactivity.
• Being 45 years old or older.
• Having gestational diabetes or having a kid who weighs more than 9 pounds.
• Polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
• Had a heart attack or stroke in the past.
• And, Smoking.

3. Gestational Diabetes Risk Factors

• Type 2 or prediabetes in the family (parent or sibling).
• Being African-American, Hispanic, Native American, or Asian-American
• Overweight before conception.
• And, being over the age of 25.

So, to get rid of these risk factors, one should follow the best diet plan for diabetes patients.

Dietitian For Diabetes

There is always someone who will advise you on how to do things better. A doctor may recommend medications to help you fight diseases, a teacher may advise you to study for a brighter future, and a nutritionist may advise you on the best way to live. A good dietitian can assist us in making better decisions so that we can live a healthy lifestyle. When it comes to diabetes, choosing the best dietitian is important, but difficult too. So, we have made it easier for you. Here you can find out the best dietitian for diabetes patient.

Dietitian Mehakdeep Singh (Dt. Mac Singh) 

The founder of FITELO, dietitian Mac Singh’s own weight loss journey, is an inspiration for all. The journey was full of difficulties, but he didn’t give up. In spite of the slip disc, Dt. Mac lost 62 kg with the knowledge he gained from following a sustainable diet. Also, he has changed thousands of lives by suggesting natural foods. So, let’s reach out to the best dietitian who can provide you with the best diet plan for constipation.

Milestones, Fitelo has achieved so far:

• 100+ dietitians, doctors, and mind coaches.
• 15000+ Transformations.
• 3000+ Reviews on Google and Facebook.
• 5 lakh+ followers on Social Media.

Why choose Fitelo?

• The multidisciplinary team of doctors, dietitians, and fitness trainers works together to create unique plans for you. 
• On the whole, all diet plans are natural.
• Next, no medicines or supplements suggestion.
• And your diseases and allergies, everything is considered.
• Furthermore, With Fitelo, you can carry the gym and a dietitian in your pocket. In brief, we customize plans based on your specific needs.

• Contact: 094028 50007
• Website: https://fitelo.co/
• Book a free consultation now with the best dietitian.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. What should be a diabetic drink with the best diet plan?

Ans. When it comes to quenching your thirst, zero-calorie or low-calorie drinks should be your priority. To add a pleasant, low-calorie boost to your drink, squeeze some fresh lemon or lime juice into it. Avoid packed so-called healthy sweetened drinks as much as you can. Therefore, the best drink choices a diabetic patient can make are:

• Water
• Unsweetened tea and coffee
• Herbal tea
• Fresh vegetable juice
• Sugar-free homemade jaljeera
• Low-fat milk
• Green smoothies
• Sugar-free lemonade
• Kombucha
• Natural coconut water (once or twice a week)

Q. What is the ideal blood glucose level?

Ans. A doctor can better tell you about the ideal blood glucose level for you. He or she may have a target range in mind for you. Mostly ideal ranges are:

• Between 80 and 130 mg/dL before a meal.
• Less than 180 mg/dL two hours after the start of a meal.

Q. What happens if I have a low blood sugar level?

Ans. When our blood glucose level is lower than the normal range (typically less than 70 mg/dL). This is known as hypoglycemia. So, this is the time when our body gives the signal that we require sugar. So, here are the symptoms that indicate that you have a low blood sugar level:

• Weakness and shaking.
• Sweating and moist skin.
• My heart is racing.
• Dizziness.
• Hunger strikes unexpectedly.
• Confusion.
• Skin that is extremely pale.
• Mouth or tongue numbness.
• Nervousness and irritability.
• Unsteadiness.
• Insomnia.
• Blurred vision.
• Seizures and migraines.

Q . What happens if I have a high blood sugar level?

Ans. When our blood contains too much glucose, this condition is called Hyperglycemia. So, Hyperglycemia is:

• When fasting, a blood glucose level of more than 125 mg/dL is present (nothing to eat or drink for at least eight hours).
  or
• One to two hours after eating, a blood glucose level of more than 180 mg/dL.

Bottomline

To summarize, nutrition and physical activity are important parts of a healthy lifestyle when you have diabetes. Along with other benefits, following a diet plan for diabetes patients and being active can help you to keep your blood sugar level. So keep in mind these:

• What you choose to eat
• How much you eat
• When you eat

So, as per your searches for diabetes prevention diet plan, diet plan for diabetes vegetarian, the best diet for women with diabetes, and the best nutrition for diabetes, we have framed this article.

Fun Fact

Who says dieting is only for weight loss? You can also fight diabetes by making small, healthful changes to your eating habits and lifestyle. Have a look at how Fitelo aided Sanjeev, a Delhi businessman and, foodie. Not only did he lose 10 kg, but also got his diabetes under control.

Contact Us

Your search to find the right guidance to be a part of all those fat-to-fit stories ends here. So, contact us today if you are looking for a diet plan with cheat meals. Also, we will discuss how we can help you achieve your weight loss goals.

Disclaimer

This blog post was written to help you make healthier and better food choices altogether. So, be aware and take care. The important thing to consider is your own health before starting a diet that is restrictive. Therefore, always seek advice from a doctor/dietitian before starting if you have any concerns.

Eat Healthy, Live Healthy. Enjoy a long happy life.