Healthiest Protein and Fiber-rich Foods For Better Diabetes Management

Overview

As we all know, diabetes is a lifestyle disease and the first suggestion your doctor would give you to manage it properly is having a balanced diabetic diet chart. If you combine a healthy diet with some exercise, you probably would not require any medications to keep your blood glucose levels under control.

The biggest problem diabetes patients face is managing their diet as controlling the urge for unhealthy yet delicious foods makes them susceptible to deteriorating blood sugar levels.

Diabetes patients, who already have a diet chart, usually cheat when they want to have a snack. Hence, if you can do healthy snacking, it may become easier for you to stick to the diet plan and lead a healthy life forward. It will eventually be very helpful for the patient to slow down the progression of the disease and reduce the risk of complications.

Doctors also recommend eating 5-6 small meals including snacks throughout the day instead of having 3-4 big meals to keep your blood sugar levels chart at the optimum levels.

Well, people panic right after being diagnosed with diabetes as they think that they would never be able to have their favorite food, but it is not true. They can still have a lot of their favorite foods and snacks depending upon their condition.

There are a lot of healthful snacks that contain high amounts of protein and fiber and are low in processed carbs and sugars. Have a look at the long list of such foods –

Protein Foods For Diabetes Patients

Protein plays a vital role in growth and repair of the tissues in the body. It aids in making the person feel full for a longer period of time, which almost eliminates the risk of overeating.

There is plenty of research available to prove that a high-protein diet helps greatly in managing diabetes. There, however, are some other studies as well which claim otherwise.

A study published back in 2017 claims that it majorly depends on the type of protein as some of them may increase the risk of developing type-2 diabetes and complications, while others may work against preventing these.

Hence, it is important to consult with your doctor first before beginning with any high-protein food.

Some of the most helpful options of high-protein snacks and foods include –

• Vegetable-based protein foods that include seeds, soy products, nuts and legumes
• Low fat-animal products like skimmed milk and yogurt

Now coming to the snacks that would not only fulfill your protein requirement but will also satisfy your cravings include –

• Roasted chickpeas
• Kidney beans
• Black beans
• Pinto beans
• Edamame
• Tempeh and tofu
• Soy nuts
• Apples with almond butter
• Celery with almond butter
• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Pistachios
• Trail mix, but it shouldn’t have sweetened ingredients
• Turkey or smoked salmon roll-ups
• Greek yogurt containing berries
• Low-sodium cottage cheese mixed with fresh fruit
• Diced avocado along with cherry tomatoes and pine nuts
• Snap peas with hummus
• Raw veggies with hummus

It is advised to avoid those protein snacks that contain high amounts of fat and sodium, such as processed meats and but bars containing added sugar.

If you are purchasing any ready to eat snack, it is extremely important to read the sticker first and ensure that it doesn’t contain any added sugars.

Animal or Vegetable Protein?

Some animal proteins like red meat have been proven to enhance the risk of developing type-2 diabetes. Hence, if you want to consume meat, you should choose lean meats such as fish, chicken and turkey. While choosing poultry products, you should opt not to consume skin as it may increase your saturated fat intake, which may cause heart diseases.

You, however, can trust plant-based proteins as they help you in keeping your overall health at the optimum levels while helping yor in diabetes management. Low fat dairy products and vegetable-based protein such as nuts, legumes, tofu, beans, etc, are a better snacking option than having burgers or salami.

As per the expert recommendation for Americans, an average adult woman must consume 46 grams of protein on a daily basis, while a man is recommended to consume about 56 grams to ensure optimal health.

The protein needs, however, vary from person to person depending upon their height, level of activity, weight and overall health. Hence, it is highly recommended to see a doctor before choosing a high protein diet.

Generally, people should ensure that 10-35 percent of their daily calorie intake comes from proteins.

High-fiber snacks for Diabetes Management

Apart from proteins, high-fiber foods are also proven to be very effective in maintaining your blood sugar at the optimum levels. Fibrous foods and snacks are also known to improve insulin resistance and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.

As per a study published back in 2017, a high-fiber diet can reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by up to 20-30 percent.

Here are some great options you can include in your diet to increase your fiber intake –

• Fruits and vegging
• Legumes
• Seeds and nuts
• Whole grains
• Whole oats

Some high-fiber snacking options include –

• Smoothies made of high-fiber non-starchy veggies
• Sprouted, whole-grain breads
• Whole-grain, bean or chickpea pastas
• Oatmeal combined with fresh berries or banana
• Figs along with Greek yogurt
• Kale or spinach chips
• Carrots mixed in hummus
• Sweet potato foods
• Including baked sweet potato fries
• Cooked whole sweet potatoes
• Sweet potato toast

There may be people who do not like the taste of kale, spinach or wheat grass. So, they can easily overpower their taste by adding some sweet and citrus fruits like oranges and mangoes to improve the taste of their smoothie without compromising on high-fiber nutrition.

Whole fruits are always a better option than their juice as when we juice the food, it reduces the nutrients and amount of fiber while increasing the sugar content.

Takeaway

Diabetes management can be tricky, but a balanced diet filled with proteins and fiber can help you have everything you want to fulfil your nutritional needs as well as satisfy your craving for carbs and fats. Moreover, protein-rich and fibrous diets also help you in preventing diabetes in the first place making them all the more important for living a healthy life.