Proper vegetarian diet for diabetics

Diabetics should eat a balanced vegetarian diet, prioritize green vegetables, and limit fried foods to better control blood sugar.

Vegetarian diets often prioritize healthy plant-based foods, lots of vegetables, whole grains... to help improve the symptoms of diabetes.

Doctor Nguyen Thi Thanh Truc, Department of Endocrinology - Diabetes, Tam Anh General Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, said that vegetarianism is good for health, but patients should pay attention to nutritional rules including limiting starch, sugar, fried foods with a lot of oil, fast food, soft drinks, candy... Eating vegetarian incorrectly can lead to adverse effects.

Vegetarians need to ensure a balance of essential nutrients for the body including starch, fiber, protein and fat by using a variety of healthy foods.

Starch: Patients should choose whole grains such as brown rice, whole grain rice, oats, corn; avoid starches processed through many stages such as instant noodles, cookies, bread...

Brown rice, boiled vegetables, and sesame salt are healthy vegetarian dishes that help reduce blood sugar but do not keep you full for long because they lack protein and fat. This makes some people feel hungry quickly, lethargic or sleepy... leading to more snacking, causing overweight and obesity. Limit imitation meat dishes made from starch because they can increase blood sugar.

Fiber is abundant in vegetables, tubers, mushrooms, and fruits. Be careful not to eat too much fruit, especially sweet fruits such as durian, jackfruit, watermelon, pineapple, ripe mango, etc.

Doctor Truc examines a patient at the Endocrinology - Diabetes Department. Illustration photo: Provided by the hospital — Doctor Truc examines a patient at the Endocrinology - Diabetes Department. Illustration photo: *Provided by the hospital*

Healthy fats are found in avocados, sesame seeds, peanuts, almonds, cashews, walnuts, and soybeans.

Protein is good for the body from tofu, lentils, chickpeas, chia seeds, unsweetened soy milk, mushrooms, broccoli, kale, oats...

Vegetarian foods are often prepared by frying and stir-frying with a lot of oil to enrich and increase the feeling of deliciousness. These are dishes that easily gain weight, many bad fats increase blood sugar due to insulin resistance in diabetics. Patients should also not add a lot of spices when preparing, especially sugar.

Proper lifestyle, activities and diet help control type 2 diabetes. Patients need to combine taking diabetes medication according to the doctor's instructions, exercise at least 30 minutes a day. Check blood sugar at home more often, return for check-ups as directed by the Endocrinologist - Diabetic to get more detailed advice on diet based on physical condition and job characteristics, to ensure stable blood sugar while still having enough nutrition.

Dinh Tien

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