Tuesday 4 September 2012

Need for a Type 2 Diabetic’s Diet Menu


Diabetics, fast growing in number these days, need to follow a type 2 diabetic’s diet menu in order to stay fit. Due to the lack of awareness regarding the choice of the right kind of food, diabetics often end up having those which are most harmful for them. Since there is no such cure for diabetes, the only option is to keep it under control and in order to do that, one needs to have a good type 2 diabetic’s diet menu.

Aims of Type 2 Diabetic’s Diet Menu

A person suffering from diabetes has blood with a sugar content level higher than regular. So, the main aim of a type 2 diabetic’s diet menu is to keep this under control, below the regular level. However, this cannot be achieved by starving yourself. In fact, that only leads to further complications. Thus, a type 2 diabetic’s diet menu helps patients to keep their blood sugar levels under control but at the same time follow a healthy diet, needed to carry on a healthy lifestyle.

 Basic Features of Type 2 Diabetic’s Diet Menu

A diabetic should try to keep mainly two things in control- consumption of fatty foods and intake of salt. The sodium in salt causes an increase in blood pressure. High blood pressure leads to cardiovascular problems and ill health of the kidney. You do not want to aggravate your health problems if you already have diabetes. However, a complete removal of salt from the menu is not advisable ether. A type 2 diabetic diet menu will ask you to cut on foods that contain an excess of salt, for example junk food, processed food, pickles, seasoned food, etc.

The intake of fatty foods also needs to be checked, as per the instructions of the type 2 diabetic’s diet menu. The body will use this extra fat as a source of energy, instead of sugar. The metabolism of fat creates the by-product of ketone and this is very harmful for the diabetic body. Ketones are in themselves not bad, but in case of a lesser than usual production of insulin in the body, it becomes dangerous. In such a situation, cells try to obtain glucose from the blood. Fearing a lack of food, the body starts releasing glucose into the blood which in turn cannot be controlled due to the lack of glucose. Usually, ketones, which are acidic in nature, are filtered by the kidney. Since the level of glucose becomes so high in such a situation, the kidneys try to get rid of the extra glucose. For this, it secretes fluid which would otherwise be stored in the body, thus causing dehydration.

A type 2 diabetic diet menu advises it’s users to have a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, which should be consumed by everyone irrespective of whether they have diabetes or not. Fruits and vegetables are a great source of vitamins, minerals and needless to say, fibres. Though a lot of fruits have a high level of sugar in them, they will not have harmful effects unless you have large quantities. Fibres are essential for people who want to keep their weight in check, which obviously includes diabetics. They help in keeping the digestive system at it’s best.