Various Healthy Food Options for Type 1 Diabetics

For people with type 1 diabetes, maintaining a diet and choosing the right foods is very important. This aims to help keep blood sugar levels under control. What foods are safe to eat? Check out the explanation below.
Safe Foods for Type 1 Diabetics
The following are some foods that should be consumed by someone with type 1 diabetes, including:
1. Carbohydrates
For people with diabetes, foods that contain Carbohydrates—besides being the main source of energy for the body—also have a major effect on blood sugar levels.
Meanwhile, if intake Carbohydrates are limited, this can cause blood glucose levels to drop too low.
Therefore, choosing the type of carbohydrates and knowing how much to consume is very important. Please note, carbohydrates have three types namely starch, sugar, and fiber.
The following are various foods containing carbohydrates that are safe for consumption by people with type 1 diabetes, including; wheat (oats), Greek yogurt, quinoa, nuts, and high-fiber fruit.
After determining the type of carbohydrates that can be consumed, then determine the dose that should be consumed.
Also Read: Medication Errors That Make Diabetes Out of Control
2. Vegetables
Starch is a form of sugar that can naturally be found in many types of vegetables such as corn to beans. Please note, certain types of vegetables contain more carbohydrates than other vegetables.
For this reason, type 1 diabetics should choose non-starchy vegetables which have a lower impact on blood sugar. In addition, non-starchy vegetables are also rich in vitamins, fiber, minerals and phytochemicals.
Examples of non-starchy vegetables that you can try are bean sprouts, asparagus, baby cornbamboo shoots, broccoli, carrots, cabbage, eggplants, cucumbers, mushrooms, peppers, and okra.
3. Protein and Fat
Foods that contain protein are very important for maintaining muscles as well as repairing wounds. Meanwhile, eating foods that contain healthy fats can be useful for heart health and brain function.
Protein can be found in animal protein foods such as eggs and meat, as well as plant protein foods such as avocados, seeds and nuts.
Even so, consumption of foods that contain protein and fat does not directly affect the increase in blood sugar levels.
However, you need to avoid or limit consumption of processed meats or those that contain saturated fat and have high sodium levels. This is to prevent other health problems such as heart disease.
Also Read: The Importance of Diabetics Checking Processed Food Packaging Labels
4. Fruits
This one food contains a natural source of sugar which needs to be counted as carbohydrates if you are implementing a healthy diet for type 1 diabetes. Some fruits that contain low carbohydrates are berries, melons, and grapes.
In the end, it’s important to for you to find out how many carbohydrates in a certain portion based on insulin requirements and a plan to manage blood sugar as a whole. Now,Those are some food choices that should be consumed by people with type 1 diabetes.
Living with diabetes is not easy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t eat the foods you like.
You only need to pay attention to the type of food and the amount of food consumed every day. That way, blood sugar levels will be maintained.
- Anonymous. Non-starchy Vegetables. https://diabetes.org/healthy-living/recipes-nutrition/eating-well/non-starchy-vegetables. (Accessed January 30, 2023).
- Krans, Brian. 2020. Type 1 Diabetes Diet. https://www.healthline.com/health/type-1-diabetes-diet#1. (Accessed January 30, 2023).
- Shafer, Jessie. 2021. The 5 Best Carbs to Eat If You’re Living with Diabetes. https://www.cleaneatingmag.com/clean-diet/diabetes/the-5-best-carbs-to-eat-if-youre-living-with-diabetes/. (Accessed January 30, 2023).
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