Six Food Choices For Diabetic Diet Therapy

Diet therapy is the foundation of diabetes treatment. Patients with diabetes need to regulate their diet for life to ensure their nutritional needs, maintain blood glucose stability, and delay the development of complications. After determining the supply of energy and nutrients, specifically the food on the table, we must provide food appropriate for the individual patient and respect the patient's eating habits and preferences, so that the patient can easily accept and adhere to the diet therapy. In the selection of food, the following points are to be achieved:

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1. Choose staple foods, coarse and fine

The staple food is essential. For diabetic diet treatment, carbohydrate intake should be at least 100g per day (equivalent to 130g of staple food), otherwise, there is a risk of diabetic ketoacidosis. Staple foods mainly provide carbohydrates and are also the primary source of protein due to their large consumption, with about 50% of the protein in the diet coming from staple foods; they also provide vitamins (B-group) and dietary fiber.

Staple foods have a direct impact on blood sugar, therefore, it is very important to eat well. Staple food is recommended to choose more coarse grains, and whole-grain foods, including cereals, potatoes, and mixed legumes, to do coarse and fine with. Whole grain foods are grains that have not been finely processed or have retained the endosperm, germ, bran, and their natural nutrients from intact grains despite processing such as milling, crushing, and flaking. Compared with refined grains, coarse grains, and whole grain foods can provide more B vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and other nutrients as well as healthful phytochemicals; at the same time, because they are rich in dietary fiber, they are slowly absorbed and have a strong sense of satiety, which has a smaller impact on postprandial blood sugar and is conducive to maintaining blood sugar stability.

Coarse grains mainly include wheat, oats, quinoa, rye, millet, black rice, yellow rice, chestnut rice, corn, sorghum, buckwheat, barley, etc.

Potato foods include sweet potato, white potato, potato, taro, yam, cassava, etc., rich in carbohydrates and dietary fiber.

Miscellaneous legumes refer to legumes other than soybeans, black beans, and green beans, including adzuki beans, mung beans, kidney beans, peas, broad beans, flower beans, etc. The carbohydrate content is high, containing about 50% to 60% of starch, so it is often treated as a staple food.

It is recommended that diabetic patients eat more mixed grain rice as a staple food, that is, using 60% to 70% rice, 30% to 40% of mixed grains, potato food, or mixed bean food mixed into mixed grain rice, both to ensure the taste, but also conducive to blood sugar control.

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2. Choose meat dishes, choose leaner

Meat foods, animal foods, mainly provide protein, fat, and fat-soluble vitamins and minerals, and are a good source of high-quality protein.

Animal foods (red meat), including pork, beef, lamb, donkey, etc., are high in fat and dominated by saturated fatty acids; we recommend mainly lean meat and little or no fatty meat.

Poultry foods (white meat), chicken, duck, goose, etc., have a low-fat content, but their meat skin has a high-fat content, which is recommended to be removed when consumed.

Fish and shrimp foods (white meat), including grass carp, silver carp, eel, perch, kiwis, and jumbo shrimp, have low-fat content and are rich in unsaturated fatty acids, so it is recommended to eat more of them.

Animal offal and brain, with high cholesterol content, are eaten sparingly or not. The liver is rich in iron and can be consumed 2 to 3 times a month.

Soybean products, such as phyllo, dried aromatic leaves, and tofu, rich in protein, can also be classified as a non-vegetarian arrangement.

3. Choose vegetables, look at the color

Vegetables are rich in dietary fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Diabetic patients are recommended to consume more than 500g of vegetables daily. Choose fresh vegetables, of which leafy vegetables should account for half, and use more dark-colored vegetables.

Dark vegetables are rich in carotene, the main source of vitamin A. Pay attention to the choice of more. Green vegetables, such as spinach, rape, cabbage, chrysanthemum, etc.; orange-red vegetables, such as carrots, tomatoes, squash, red peppers, etc.; purple vegetables, such as purple kale, red amaranth, etc.

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4. Eat fruit, watch GI

Fruits are rich in vitamins and minerals, which are important components of our balanced diet. It is recommended to consume 200~300g of fruits per day. to eat fruits, the following points should be noted:

1, eat when blood sugar is stable, when blood sugar is too high and fluctuating, it is not recommended to eat.

2, choose low GI (glycemic index) fruits, such as grapefruit, cherries, apples, fresh peaches, pears, etc.

3, consumption time is best placed between two meals, such as at about 10 o'clock, or about 3 pm.

4, the consumption of fruit intake of energy to be included in the total energy of the day's diet.

5, when eating fruit, also pay attention to the sugar content of fruit, combined with the glycemic index of fruit, choose low sugar content, low GI fruit, while controlling the amount of consumption.

5. One cup of milk, one egg

Milk is rich in calcium and easily absorbed, and is a good source of calcium. The protein of milk is also of high quality. It is recommended to provide 200-300ml of milk daily, and low-fat milk and skimmed milk can be used for patients with high blood lipid levels.

Egg protein is the protein with the highest biological value. It is recommended to have one egg per day and to eat eggs without discarding the yolk.

6. Cooking oil, alternate

For cooking oils, which mainly provide fat, we recommend vegetable oils, about 2 tablespoons (25g) per day.

Vegetable oils are rich in unsaturated fats and fat-soluble vitamins. However, the unsaturated fatty acid content of different vegetable oils is different, for example, tea oil and rapeseed oil are rich in oleic acid, soybean oil, and sunflower oil are rich in linoleic acid, and caraway oil is rich in linoleic acid, etc. Therefore, we recommend not to use a single vegetable oil, but to use a variety of vegetable oils alternately, which is more reasonable and comprehensive.

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In short, in this aspect of food selection, we should achieve a variety of food, reasonable mix, to ensure the nutritional needs of patients, to achieve balanced nutrition, and promote health.

How Cistanche can help diabetics

Cistanche is an herb that has long been used in traditional Chinese medicine for its potential therapeutic benefits, particularly in the management of diabetes. Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects millions of people worldwide and can lead to several complications, including nerve damage, kidney damage, and cardiovascular disease.

Research has shown that Cistanche extract may have a range of beneficial effects for individuals with diabetes. One study found that Cistanche extract was effective in improving glucose tolerance and insulin resistance in diabetic rats. Another study demonstrated that Cistanche extracts reduced blood glucose levels in diabetic mice by enhancing glucose uptake and utilization in skeletal muscle cells.

Additionally, Cistanche extract may help to protect against some of the complications associated with diabetes. For example, studies have shown that Cistanche extract has antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, which may help to reduce the risk of nerve damage, kidney damage, and cardiovascular disease in individuals with diabetes.

Furthermore, Cistanche extract may also have immune-modulating effects, which could potentially be useful in managing autoimmune disorders commonly associated with diabetes, such as type 1 diabetes.

While further research is needed to establish the full range of therapeutic benefits of Cistanche extract in managing diabetes, the available evidence suggests that it offers a promising natural alternative for individuals looking to manage their diabetes or reduce their risk of complications. As always, individuals should speak with their healthcare provider before using any complementary therapies.

Xi Hou, Attending Physician, Department of Nutrition, Xiangya Hospital, Central South University