The World Diabetes Day is celebrated on November 14th. Here's what to eat and what to avoid to prevent it and keep it under control
Diabetes is a real epidemic: according to the WHO in the world there are more than 400 million people who are affected with a prevalence of type 2 diabetes, also called mellitus, caused by wrong lifestyles, including the improper diet, on the one of type 1. To raise awareness and spread awareness of the disease every year on November 14th, the World diabetes day, promoted in our country by Diabetes Italia Onlus through various initiatives (meetings, visits and free consultations) throughout the national territory.
Nutrition plays a fundamental role in preventing and managing the disorder. Let's see with the help of the nutritionist Nicoletta Bocchino what to eat and what to avoid to keep the blood sugar low.
Green light to the fibers
"To better manage diabetes, but also to prevent its onset, at the table should not miss the foods rich in fiber, especially soluble ones, which are good sources legumes (lentils, chickpeas, beans and so on) and green leafy vegetables (broccoli, lettuce, rocket, Brussels sprouts and many others) suggests nutritionist Nicoletta Bocchino. The advantage? "These foods are able to slow down the absorption of sugars and fats in the blood and avoid the blood sugar spikes, responsible for the disease".
Space at the table with the right carbohydrates
"In daily menus to prevent diabetes and manage it at the best attention not to exceed the amount of carbohydrates in each meal giving precedence to complex ones. Compared to simple (fast-absorbing) ones, they have the advantage of avoiding blood glucose peaks, releasing blood sugars gradually. They are found for example in legumes and cereals, such as barley, oats, rye and many others. Selected in the full version, then, the benefits grow because they have a lower glycemic index that helps to better control the blood glucose peaks after meals, prolonging the sense of satiety .
Eye to the sugars
"To control your blood sugar you need to reduce the consumption of foods that contain simple carbohydrates, such as white sugar (sucrose) and sweeteners (for example fructose) and foods containing them such as sweets, sugary drinks and many others. pre-packaged products. The advice is to read the labels carefully before buying them, paying particular attention to their content suggests the nutritionist.
Space to proteins, good fats and probiotics
«Proteins, of which an excellent source is meat (lean), fish and eggs, and essential fatty acids, such as Omega 3, contained in fish, in particular in blue, in nuts and seeds, and Omega 9, contained in extra virgin olive oil, help slow the absorption of glucose into the blood, reducing the rate of digestion and absorption of sugars explains the expert. It is important to take care of the intestine to keep your blood sugar under control. "Several studies have shown that a healthy bacterial flora allows to improve the glycemic response, reducing it. At the table, therefore, you should never miss food rich in probiotics, which increase the number of beneficial bacteria that inhabit the intestinal flora, such as low-sugar yogurt, sauerkraut and other fermented foods and fiber-rich prebiotics such as inulin, which nourish the intestinal microbiota, such as asparagus, artichokes and many others .
