Type II diabetes generally occurs when the sugar is unable to reach the cells and tissues for the proper functioning of the body. This results in the rise of blood sugar levels which in turn leads to a lot of health problems including damage to the kidney, nerves, heart, and eyes.
In this case, food with high carbohydrate content is recommended to the patient. This includes:
- Fruits
- Vegetables
- Quinoa
- Rice
- Beans
- Lentils and legumes
However, there are few foods that a person with type II diabetes must avoid. These are:
Artificially sweetened beverages
Artificially sweetened beverages are not recommended to a type II patient because:
- They have a very high carbohydrate content
- They’re loaded with fructose which leads to the body resisting insulin.
- It brings about metabolic changes in the body that increase belly fat
- It alters the cholesterol level in the body
Some alternatives for artificially sweetened beverages are – water, club soda, and unsweetened iced tea.
Trans fats
Trans fats are considered unhealthy for all body types but should strongly be avoided if the person is suffering from type II diabetes. Most packaged food like sandwich spreads, peanut butter, frozen packaged food or baked goods contains a good amount of trans fat which helps increase their shelf life.
Trans fats affect a type II diabetic patient by:
- Causing inflammation in the body
- Increasing the resistance towards insulin
- Increasing belly fat
- Lowering cholesterol levels
- Hampering the functions of the arteries
Hence, the best way to avoid this is by consuming lesser and lesser of packaged or frozen food that has a high trans fat content in it.
Rice, bread, and pasta
Processed foods with very high carbohydrate content? Sounds like something that needs to be strictly avoided to avoid any complications in the body. This does not leave out even gluten-free ingredients since they also have the same effects on type II diabetic patient.
Ways in which these foods affect the body of a diabetic patient:
- Significantly increasing the blood sugar levels
- Decreases the mental functioning by causing brain damage
The best way to avoid these foods is by replacing them with their immediate alternative of high fiber bread or rice. The fiber content helps in slowing down the absorption of sugar levels in the blood and reducing the levels of cholesterol and blood pressure of the body.
Fruit-flavored Yoghurt
This specifically indicates that although normal yogurt may be good for the body of a type II diabetes patient, those with fruit flavors are definitely not. This is mainly because of the high carbohydrate and sugar content in them that are required to compensate for the non or almost low-fat milk content in them. A lot of frozen flavored yogurts contain more sugar than the average sugar content in ice creams.
Alternatives for this -om whole milk. This has lower sugar content and will not hamper the body in any way.
Natural sugars
It’s often a misconception that by replacing your sugar intake with honey, you’re benefiting the body. This is not true. Various natural sugars like honey, brown sugar, maple syrup, etc actually have a negative effect on type II diabetic body. The only available alternative for these food types is low carbohydrate sweeteners. These include:
- Stevia
- Xylitol
- Yacon syrup
- Erythritol
Fruit juice
Often regarded as a healthy snacking alternative to filling your stomach, fruit juice is in fact, a very unhealthy choice for a person with type II diabetes.
Moreover, it almost has the same effect as artificially sweetened drinks on the blood sugar levels in the body. This is due to the high fructose content in fruits that:
- Increases the blood sugar levels
- Promotes obesity
- Increases the resistance towards insulin
- Increases the chances of heart-related diseases.
Now that we’ve seen how so many of the ‘healthy’ food products are the worst for your body if you have type II diabetes, it’s best to do appropriate research and consult a doctor and a nutritionist with respect to the food intake that will not hamper your conditions!
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