Fruits For Diabetes Is a Good Concept - Know The Best Fruits

What fruits can diabetics eat? This is indeed an anxious question put by anyone prone to diabetes or pre-diabetes. But when you are suffering from diabetes, you may raise a reasonable doubt about the consumption of fruits for diabetes and the risk in it. It's partly a genuine attitude to know the influencing factor in fruits helping to keep normal blood sugar levels. The American Diabetes Association emphasises that eating fruits loaded with vitamins, minerals, and dietary fiber is good to keep off diabetes for healthy living. The prime key is to pay concern for portion sizes of what you consume to add energy to your body.

In this juncture, it is warned that fruits canned in syrups should not be considered to replace whole fruits. When you have concern for glycemic index (GI) for managing diabetes with ease, you should have the right choice of fruits with low glycemic index. You can just check your blood sugar by eating fresh or frozen low carb fruits. Hereunder you have the alphabetical A,B,C,D fruits described in order.

Apricots

Sweet but low carb apricots are indeed wonderful summer fruits that can be listed as the best fruits for diabetics. Adding apricots in diabetes meal plan is nice for the good reason that one apricot weighing 15 grams contains just 18 calories to revitalize body energy. Including four apricots can ensure one serving to provide you 70 percent of the vitamin needs for your body. Apricots are high in fiber source. You can relish a delicious salad by adding some cut pieces of apricots and cereal to hot or cold milk.

Berries

You have blueberries, strawberries, and other varieties in berries family. Irrespective of your taste, choosing berries to consume is good for the simple reason that they contain benefitting antioxidants helping the diabetics. The vitamins and fiber contents are of low carb nature. Regarding the calories, a small cup of blueberries can give 60 calories and 15 grams of carbohydrates.

Cherries

Cherries are friendly diabetic diet fruits a diabetic can eat without hesitation because they comprise low-carb components and have low glycemic index. They are sweet but just evolve 60 calories with 15 grams of carbohydrates. You have also bitter tasting cherries loaded with antioxidants helping to fight not only type 2 diabetes but also cancer and a few other diseases. Cherries are available in fresh pack canned, frozen, or even dried form. But it is better to avoid canned and dried form as they are packed with added sugar detrimental to diabetes. However, by checking the label about the amount of added sugar content you can have a nice purchase.

Durian

Durian is identified as the king of fruits. When it comes to diabetes, the choosing fruits low in glycemic index is the best. In this list, Durian is a better choice among fruits good for diabetics as the GI is 49 +/-5 whereas it is 55 +/-3 for watermelon. Sulphur helps to keep balanced blood sugar in the blood cells and nullify hypoglycemic effects. As such, the organosulphur components contained in Durian fruit stimulate antioxidant activities to maintain normal sugar levels in the blood cells. Also, sulphur ingredient reacts with thiamine and biotin to promote normal metabolism. In spite of all these, it will be safe a diabetic consumes durian in any form in moderation because of high nutritious values comprised in durian fruit.

A final say: Though 'fruits for diabetes' is a good concept helping to maintain normal sugar levels, fruits low in sugar is best suggested. If at all you have cravings for consuming sweet fruits, no harm, you are safe if you are consuming one or two slices.

By Varadharajan R 

Diabetes Recipes - How to Make Useful Recipes

One of the most important aspects of diabetes treatment and management is a healthy diet. Since diabetes is caused by your body's inability to produce insulin, which helps your body turn sugars into energy, your diet may have to change. The most important thing will be to eat a variety of foods and limit your intake of sugars and starchy foods, which turn to sugar in your body. Pastas, white bread, and potatoes are starchy foods that will need to be limited in your diet - but there are many recipes for foods, even desserts, that are diabetic friendly and allow you to enjoy the food you eat.
Sweets
Desserts and sweets are one of the things that diabetics miss the most. Here is a recipe for Peanut Butter Squares that is diabetes friendly:
Ingredients:

• Oil and flour aerosol spray
• 1 large egg
• ¼ cup "natural" style peanut butter
• 1 cup ripe mashed banana
• ¼ cup skim milk
• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ cup chopped dry-roasted peanuts

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square baking pan with aerosol spray.
• In a bowl, beat together the egg, peanut butter and banana until smooth.
• Beat in the milk and flour, baking soda and powder, and stir in the peanuts.
• Spread the batter evenly in the pan. Bake for 30 minutes until browned. Cool and cut into 25 squares.

For holidays that fall in the winter, here is a recipe for a Winter Fruit Salad:
Ingredients:

• 8 red apples - cored and diced
• 8 green Bartlett or Anjou pears - cored and diced
• 4 cups fresh strawberries - sliced with stems removed
• 2 cups fresh orange juice
• 1 cup fresh lemon juice
• ¼ cup orange-flavored liqueur (optional)
• Sugar substitute - optional, add to taste
• 4 bananas - sliced

Directions:

• Place all fruit (except bananas), juices and liqueur (if using) in a large bowl. Add sugar substitute (if using). Gently mix.
• Cover bowl and refrigerate 4-8 hours - but, no longer.
• Just before serving, stir in banana slices.

Pasta
Pasta is one of the foods that will need to be limited in the diabetes diet. However, limited does not been completely eliminated - so, for special treats, try this Chicken Pasta Salad:
Ingredients:

• ½ cup fat-free mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp sherry
• 1/8 tsp ground ginger
• ¼ tsp pepper
• 1 cup cooked spiral pasta, drained
• 2 cups cooked boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces
• 2 cups fresh snow peas, strings removed and blanched
• 2 green onions, sliced
• ½ cup water chestnuts, sliced
• ¼ cup toasted almonds, for garnish

Directions:

• In a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, soy sauce, sherry, ground ginger, and pepper. Set aside.
• In a separate bowl, combine pasta, chicken, snow peas, green onions, and water chestnuts.
• Add dressing mix (step 1) and toss. Refrigerate overnight. Sprinkle with toasted almonds before serving.

Many people with diabetes eliminate spaghetti from their diet because the spaghetti noodles are a starch food and because most prepared spaghetti sauces contain sugar. This Spaghetti sauce allows you to enjoy spaghetti without the guilt - and if you use wheat noodles, you can really enjoy a guilt-free meal.
Ingredients:

• 12 oz tomato juice
• 1 large can mushrooms, stems and pieces
• Salt to taste
• Garlic to taste
• Oregano to taste
• Dehydrated onion flakes
• 1 large green pepper, diced
• 2 cans bean sprouts

Directions:

• Cook all ingredients in a covered saucepan until sauce thickens.
• Add bean sprouts, and then simmer 10 minutes.
• Serve over cooked pasta noodles.

A Healthy Diet in DiabetesA healthy diet is the most important part of your diabetes treatment. You can find these and other diabetes recipes in books and on the Internet. Be sure that you eat a healthy diet and exercise regularly to help in the management of your diabetes and for your overall health.
By Dr John Anne

Diabetes Food List - Healthy Eating for Type 2 Diabetes

What is a diabetes food list?

Being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes is a life-changing event. One of the main challenges is making changes in your diet.

One of the first questions that almost every patient diagnosed with type 2 diabetes asks is "What am I supposed to eat now?"

What you eat is a very important part of maintaining blood sugars in the target range. If a type 2 diabetic has no idea what to eat, being able to control blood sugar levels will be near impossible.

The goal in treating type 2 diabetes successfully is to make lifestyle changes.

My strategy when explaining diet is to keep it simple.

Your mindset should be one of adapting changes that enhance your lifestyle. Find something that works well for you.

There are a lot of websites out there on the Internet touting one diet or another. Some even speak about being able to "reverse type 2 diabetes."

Recently, the American Diabetes Association made some changes that make it easier for a newly diagnosed diabetic to get into action.

Do diabetes food lists really work?

In the past there was a lot of talk about 'diabetes food lists'. Diabetes food lists were thought of as restrictive. It's not likely that a patient is going to follow such a diet for a long time.

The fact is that the foods on a diabetes food list will work for anyone who is committed to a healthy lifestyle.

A diabetes food list helps people living with diabetes understand foods that help maintain the blood sugars within the target range. They will also help to reduce hyperglycemia.

There is a ton of information out there about what makes up a diabetes food list. It's OK to follow these. But I recommend just using them as a guideline that will help you to adapt healthy food choices.

Here are some of the current recommendations on how to eat healthy while living with type 2 diabetes:

Create your plate

The American Diabetes Association recently did away with the diabetes food pyramid and adapted the "create your plate." This is a strategy that makes it less overwhelming for someone just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes to get straight into action planning healthy meals.

So here are the steps to create a plate:

• Take a standard sized dinner plate.
• Divide it into three sections. Start by dividing in half. Then divide one of the halves in two. There you have three sections. Since it is divided into three sections, one section will be larger.
• On the larger section of the plate, place you non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, greens, lettuce, spinach, cucumbers, tomatoes etc.
• On one of the smaller sections, place your starchy foods like rice (preferably brown rice), grains, corn, pasta, beans etc.
• On the other small section place a serving of meat or a meat substitute such as turkey, chicken, fish etc.
• On the side you may add an 8 oz. serving of milk. Or if you are lactose intolerant like a number of adults are, you can have some almond, soy or coconut milk. Water also works just fine.
• Then a small serving of fruit. Preferably fresh fruit.

You have created your plate

Carbohydrate Counting

One of the important strategies for a person living with type 2 diabetes is to know the amount of sugars they are eating. This will help to reduce the complication of hyperglycemia.

Up till the mid 1990s, carbohydrates were touted as being bad for anyone with diabetes. Now we know that to not entirely be the case. Naturally everything, including carbohydrates, must be eaten in moderation.

A great tool is carbohydrate counting or "carb counting" as it is popularly called.

The strategy is to round up the total amount of carbohydrates that you are allowed in a day. And divide this equally among your meals - including snacks.

One of the advantages of carbohydrate counting is that it reduces the tendency for the blood sugar levels to fluctuate. This helps to prevent huge swings in insulin levels that could lead to fluctuations in blood sugar levels.

If you plan to use carbohydrate counting exclusively, then you may need the assistance of a nutritionist. They will help to customize a meal plan for you.

A good place to start is between 45-60 grams of carbohydrates per day.

Remember that carbohydrates are in starchy foods like breads, grains and pasta. They are also in fruits and vegetables, milk products.

Reading food labels makes it easier to measure how much carbohydrates you are getting in a meal.

What are Diabetes Super Foods?

The American Diabetes Association has a list of ten super foods that it recommends. I love the way that certain foods get tagged as "super foods."

Just as I like to point out, these "super foods" should be a part of the diet of anyone looking to live healthy.

The added benefit for a diabetic is that these foods help to give extra nutrients and minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and potassium. In addition they also contain powerful antioxidants.

These super foods help to not only control blood sugar levels. But also maintain the health of the cell membranes.

So here are the top ten super foods that everyone should be eating:

• Berries of all kinds (blueberries, strawberries, raspberries etc.)
• Dark leafy vegetables- such as spinach, kale and asparagus
• Beans- all varieties. Beans are high in fiber and low in glycemic index
• Fish particularly fish that is rich in omega 3 sources such as salmon, herring, sardines
• Fat free milk & yoghurt
• Nuts
• Tomatoes
• Sweet potatoes
• Whole grains that have not been processed
• Citrus fruits

This is by no means an exhaustive list of all the healthy ways to eat as a diabetic.

By Eno A. Nsima-Obot, MD

Here's How You Control Your Blood Sugar With a Diabetes Natural Remedy

Diabetes affects over 170 million people world wide and that figure is expected to double by the year 2030 - according to the World Health Organization. Left untreated, it leads to cardiovascular disease, kidney disease, blindness and joint problems. In extreme cases, as you lose circulation to the peripheral tissues, amputations may become necessary.
You can do something about this with a diabetes natural remedy involving changes to your diet, losing weight and supplementation - all of these together will allow you to control your diabetes and lead a normal life.
Type 2 Adult Diabetes
Type 2 Adult Diabetes really shouldn't be called 'Adult' diabetes, since the majority of new diagnoses are in children; the blame for this lies fairly and squarely with the modern 'fast food' and soft drink diet.
Risk factors for diabetes include:
o High intake of sugar, refined and processed flour, caffeine, and soft drinks
o Lack of exercise - sitting around playing computer games, for example
Symptoms are varied and may include: sudden weight gain or extreme weight loss, fatigue, frequent urination and chronic thirst - these are warning signs (amongst others) which should be checked out.
A positive test showing sugar in the urine and blood is another test. The blood of a diabetic becomes thicker and stickier and the person can be more prone to blood clots which leads to stroke or heart disease.
In Type 2 diabetes, you're actually producing plenty of insulin - in fact maybe too much because of the high sugar intake. The job of insulin is to carry sugar to the cells where it's used to make energy.
In a diabetic, two things can happen: 1) The cells become resistant to insulin - in this case the cell membrane which is made up of goods fats and protein doesn't function correctly and 2) The insulin becomes less effective - this is caused by excess intake of sugar, alcohol, refined flour etc depleting the minerals (particularly chromium) required to make the insulin work. Caffeine will severely aggravate the condition.
A diabetes natural remedy involves taking control of the disease, which is really nothing more than a nutritional deficiency and lifestyle disease.
To get the disease under control it's a matter of losing weight, exercising, having a good diet and using the right supplements.
Steps to take for a Diabetes Natural Remedy
o Increase your protein intake - this repairs the cell membrane.
o Reduce your intake of sugar and increase your intake of complex carbohydrates.
o Lose weight and exercise - reduces your risk of cardiovascular disease
o Eat frequently - have 6 meals a day - this helps keep your blood sugar more constant.
o Completely avoid milk and alcohol.
o Drink plenty of fresh, filtered water (8-10 glasses per day) and no pop or soft drinks.
o Supplementation is essential - use all 90 essential nutrients and additional antioxidants.
Diabetics lose vital minerals and vitamins in their urine and this further complicates the disease. In addition, these same nutrients, when they are replaced will actually reverse the disease and prevent further complications
Note: When using a diabetes natural remedy, it's very important to monitor your blood sugar often - more than 4 times a day and monitor the medications with your health care professional. Your goal, and the goal or your health care provider, SHOULD be to reduce the medication you are on and to achieve a normal and healthy life.
You should also discuss any possible side effects of medications you are taking. Unlike many prescribed medications, the diabetes natural remedy approach will not affect your kidneys or your liver
Start Taking Control
Recommended Supplements include:
o All 90 Essential Nutrients necessary for health including 98% absorbable plant derived liquid minerals, a multi-vitamin/amino acid supplement, and essential fatty acids to help rebuild the cells.
o A Chromium/Vandium supplement - will provide a diabetes natural remedy by assisting with natural regulation of blood sugar.
o An Antioxidant Supplement containing Vitamins A, C, E & Selenium - have been shown to improve both Type I and II diabetes.
Here's a summary of how some of the essential nutrients work:
o Chromium and Vanadium - these two minerals can actually help the insulin transport sugar to the cells, or even replace its function. Chromium works to make insulin more effective and Vanadium can actually do the job of insulin and transport sugar to the cells.
A study by the University of Vancouver in 1985 stated that: 'Vanadium will replace insulin for adult onset diabetics.' See our References section below for this report
o Zinc helps blood sugar get into the cells and helps insulin to work better; magnesium also makes the insulin work better and can lower your risk of diabetes complications such as blindness and heart attack; selenium, copper and manganese all have a protective cellular function when blood glucose levels are high and selenium can assist with lowering blood sugar.
o Vitamin C and vitamin E help get sugar out of the blood stream and into the cells, keeps the blood vessels healthy and help protect against kidney damage and heart attack. Vitamin E may improve the body's response to insulin. Biotin (a B group vitamin) can lower blood glucose; B6 and B12 along with Folic acid also may help prevent diabetic complications.
o Essential fatty acids supplements help rebuild the cells, and may assist with better weight control and reduce blood sugar levels
o A herbal extract from a climbing plant known as Gymnema sylvestre has been used since the 6th century BC and helps lower blood sugar and repair damage to insulin producing cells in the pancreas
Hypoglycaemia
In any discussion about a natural diabetes remedy, it's important to talk about hypoglycaemia as this can lead to diabetes and serious health problems. It's characterized mainly by mood changes such as nervousness, irritability, lack of concentration (typical symptoms of lack of blood sugar).
In a hypoglycemic person, as the blood sugar level begins to drop - they respond to this by taking sugar. In addition the adrenals start producing more adrenalin to raise the blood sugar levels. The blood sugar level gets very high and the body starts to produce excess insulin. This can then lead to a cycle of blood sugar highs and lows.
If untreated or poorly maintained, this can easily lead to Adult Type 2 Diabetes or even worse, the adrenal glands may stop functioning correctly causing major problems.
There may also be medical reasons for this to occur, such as an insulin tumor, or a tumor on the adrenal gland, this would be diagnosed by a doctor.
The diabetes natural remedy described above:- 1) having a diet low in sugar, high in protein; 2) taking supplements - including the essential nutrients plus a chromium and vanadium supplement; 3) and eating 6 meals a day - will work for people suffering from hypoglycemia.
The additional vitamin C, vitamin E, minerals and essential fatty acids you get from supplementing, will also support the adrenals and cell membranes, and make the body's control of blood sugar more effective.
Type 1 diabetes or 'Juvenile' onset diabetes
A diabetes natural remedy can be applied also to Type 1 diabetics. In this instance, no insulin is being produced by the pancreas (the Islets of Langerhans). In this case the adrenals and the liver are involved in the control of blood sugar.
Your aim should be to try to use as little insulin as possible to do the job of controlling blood sugar. Adopt the same approach as for Type 2 diabetes, that is:
* Increase your protein intake and have 6 meals a day
* Reduce your intake of sugar and increase your intake of complex carbohydrates
* Supplementing is essential. You need to take in all 90 Essential Nutrients necessary for health including plant derived liquid minerals, a multi-vitamin/amino acid supplement, and essential fatty acids to help rebuild the cells. An additional supplement of chromium and vanadium will provide a diabetes natural remedy.
Here's a Summary of the major points in this article:
Diabetes is a complex nutritional deficiency disease that can be managed by simple changes to lifestyle, diet and through supplementation. A diabetes natural remedy involves:
1. Eliminating sugar, bad fats and caffeine from your diet and increase your intake of protein, fibre, plenty of water and 'good' fats.
2. Eat plenty of green leafy vegetables and small to moderate amounts of fruit
3. Have up to 6 high protein meals per day
4. Exercise and lose weight - this will lower your risk of a number of other complications - including heart disease
5. Supplement with all 90 essential nutrients including plant derived colloidal minerals, a good multi-vitamin supplement and essential fatty acids.
6. A Chromium/Vanadium Supplement is also needed for a diabetes natural remedy

By Paul Newland