Plant-based diabetic diet: Include these no-starchy vegetables in your diet to keep blood sugar managed
- Type 1 diabetes: This kind of diabetic condition is an autoimmune condition. In this, the antibodies start attacking the pancreas, thereby, disrupting the production of insulin.
- Type 2 diabetes: This kind of diabetic condition makes the body repellent to insulin, thereby, enabling the build-up of sugar in the blood.
Symptoms of Diabetes
Each type of diabetes has unique symptoms, however, there are some symptoms that may be common. These may include:
- Weight loss
- Vision blurriness
- Increased thirst or hunger
- Unhealing sores
- Frequent urination
- Fatigue
In order to maintain a healthy blood sugar count, one needs to have a healthy diet along with regular exercise. A diabetes-friendly meal must include food that is low on carbohydrates, fat and calorie.
Non-starchy vegetables diabetics must include in their diet
An effective way to keep your blood sugar in control is by consumption of non-starchy vegetables. Non-starchy vegetables are low on carbohydrates, which is an important requirement when it comes to picking diabetes-friendly food. Glycemic Index is a system of ranking that helps classifying food according to the effect they have on blood sugar and their carbohydrate content. Food that has a low Glycemic Index is low on carbohydrates. Non-starchy vegetables have their GI ranking around 55 or less, which is low. Therefore, they are low on carbohydrates. Furthermore, they are sources of vitamins, fibre, minerals and phytochemicals. There are various non-starchy vegetables such as asparagus, beets, cauliflower, mushrooms, etc. Some healthy non-starchy vegetables that you can add to your diet are:
- Brussels sprout: Brussels sprout is known for its close resemblance to cabbage. It is also effective for controlling blood sugar as it is a rich source of fibre and antioxidants.
- Tomato: This has low GI ranking and is therefore good for diabetic patients. Furthermore, a tomato is rich in lycopene that helps reduce the risk of developing cancer, macular degeneration and heart disease.
- Broccoli: A broccoli is rich in minerals, vitamins and antioxidants. Its low carbohydrate content makes it beneficial for people with a diabetic condition.
- Orange: An average-sized orange has a GI ranking of 40, which is considered low, and therefore, effective for dealing with diabetes.