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Foods To Avoid In Diabetes
Controlling your diabetes requires a careful balance of lifestyle habits, including eating right. There are some foods to avoid in diabetes to keep the blood sugar levels normal. However, it can be tricky to navigate proper nutrition, especially with foods that sound healthy. Sugar isn’t the only thing to limit if you have diabetes. Too much fat, sodium, carbohydrates, and calories can increase your risk of high cholesterol, high blood pressure, heart disease, uncontrolled blood sugar, and weight gain.
Some food items have a high glycemic index and may contribute to the sudden increase in blood pressure. These foods to avoid in diabetes are-
White Rice
White rice is very dangerous for diabetics as they have a GI of 70 or above, so they cause high blood sugar spikes. They also contain high amounts of carbohydrates. Studies suggest that diabetics should avoid white rice as they increase the risk of type 2 diabetes. However, some rice types are better for diabetics such as brown rice and wild rice. The rice contains fibers so they don’t increase the blood sugar level. That said, try to avoid rice as much as you can.
Wheat Flour
The wheat flour that we get is generally mixed with refined flour, which is not good for diabetics. Wheat flour has both a high carbohydrate content as well a high GI score. In refined wheat flour, the fiber, vitamins, and minerals become concentrated and become highly toxic for the pancreas of a diabetic struggling to manage blood sugar levels. Instead, try Flaxseed flour, Almond nut flour, or hazelnut flour. They have very low carb content. You can also try whole wheat flour.
Corn
Like all cereal grains, corn is also mainly composed of starch. One medium ear of corn delivers almost 100 calories. It may affect the blood sugar levels of a diabetic. Especially sweet corn and corn syrup can even affect the release of insulin, which could be dangerous for diabetics.
Biscuits
Biscuits are another dangerous food for diabetics. The biscuits usually are made with white flour which is not good for diabetics. As an alternative, you can try almond, peanut, or coconut cookies or biscuits.
White bread
As mentioned earlier, white floor products are dangerous for diabetics. One of them is white bread. White bread has a high glycemic index and can directly lead to elevated blood sugar levels. Diabetics can swap white bread for whole-grain or brown bread.
Pancake
Pancakes are made of white floors so they are high in carbohydrates, making them a bad choice for diabetics. Pancakes are usually loaded with more unhealthy toppings such as sugary syrup and saturated fat butter. Sugar and saturated fat in combination make the blood sugar spike last longer.
Milk
Most people assume that milk is healthy for diabetics but that is not the case. Drinking milk can be dangerous for diabetics as the saturated fat present in it can make insulin resistance worse. Diabetics, however, can try other milk products such as yogurt and cheese.
Coffee
Sure they look awfully tempting topped with whipped cream and chocolate sauce, but if you have diabetes, you should say no to blended coffee. A small blended coffee can contain 500 calories and 98 grams of carb. That is why it is considered one of the worst foods for diabetics.
Candy
Candies are mentioned as one of the worst foods for diabetics because they contain high amounts of sugar and are devoid of any nutrition at all. Candies are just filled with flavored sugars which can lead to diabetes.
Fruits To Avoid In Diabetes
Although fruits are healthy, some of them are full of sugars and can be dangerous for people with diabetes. These fruits are-
Grapes
Grapes are a healthy choice for people considering their nutritional value. But for diabetics, it is not advised to consume grapes. Because they have high levels of glucose and can cause sudden increases in blood sugar levels.
Mangoes
Mangoes are rich in carbohydrates and their sugar content is also high, so they can increase the blood glucose level. Mango has a GI of 56 and sugar as high as 12.7 grams per three ons and contains 70- calories. So, sadly, diabetes patients should avoid this tasty fruit.
Apple
Apple is also a sugary fruit that can be dangerous for diabetics. Eating sugary fruit is like eating a candy bar, which is not good for diabetics. An apple contains 19 grams of sugar while a snicker bar has about 20 grams of sugar. That is why it is forbidden for diabetics.
Orange
Fruits like oranges, especially orange juice, are dangerous for diabetics. Oranges are sweet and one navel size of orange contains 17 grams of sugar. It is unhealthy for diabetics to eat a fruit containing this much sugar.
Pineapple
This juicy fruit is a rich source of glucose and carbohydrates, so it can raise blood sugar levels. Therefore, diabetics are advised to cut this fruit out of their diet.
Banana
Banana is a famous fruit as it is tasty and easy to include in your diet. For people managing their diabetes, bananas are not a good choice. Because even a small banana contains 15grams of carbs, which may be too much for diabetics. Research shows that Banana is a sugary fruit that can also cause irregular blood sugar spikes.
Watermelon
Watermelon is a tasty seasonal fruit liked by most people. But it is not healthy for diabetics because watermelon has a high GI of around 75, so it can raise blood sugar levels instantly. Good alternative fruit for diabetics is berries.
Fruit juice
Fruits are healthy for everyone but fruit juices are dangerous for diabetics as they can cause blood sugar spikes. Fruit juices have no fibers and contain high amounts of sugars and carbohydrates. It is advised to eat the whole fruit or drink vegetable juice to manage diabetes.
Vegetables To Avoid In Diabetes
The vegetables that can cause a spike in blood sugar levels and are dangerous for diabetics could be-
Potato
Potatoes are full of starch, which is a carbohydrate. Although these are complex carbs, your body digests them faster than other kinds of complex carbs. It can flood your blood with sugar leading to a blood sugar spike. Eating potatoes may also increase the risk of type 2 diabetes and may have negative impacts on people with existing diabetes.
Sweet Potato
Sweet potato is also a dangerous food for diabetics. Just like white potatoes it also has a high amount of carbohydrates. Which can be troublesome for people with diabetes. Sweet potatoes can cause blood sugar spikes.
Green Peas
Green peas are liked by almost everyone, but for diabetics, this vegetable can be dangerous. One cup of peas has about 20 grams of carbs. It can raise the blood sugar levels in diabetics. Therefore, diabetics should avoid eating green peas.
Junk Foods To Avoid In Diabetes
Chinese food and other fast foods will cause a spike in your blood sugar level and also promote weight gain or obesity. Such food contains high carb, high calorie, and high sodium. These are the components that can cause complications of diabetes like blood pressure and heart diseases. Therefore it is considered a dangerous food for diabetics.
Pastries
Though you must have assumed that sugary foods are bad for diabetes but pastries are worse. Pastries can contain more saturated fat and added sugars than diabetics should have in an entire day. It contains around 800 calories and 120g carbs, therefore diabetics should avoid this dangerous food.
French Fries
French fries are loaded with saturated fat, sodium, carbohydrates, and calories.
Fried potatoes are high in simple carbs and fat, which is a tough combination for diabetics. It will raise blood sugar quickly and keep it high for a long time because the fat takes a while to digest. French fries can also cause obesity. It can also increase the complications of diabetes like a heart attack. Thus, it will be best for diabetics to not eat french fries. This is one of the worst foods to avoid in diabetes.
Popcorn
Portion size is vital for controlling blood sugar levels. While popcorn is a low-GI food in small amounts, eating more than the limit might cause a spike in blood sugar levels in those with diabetes. It is recommended to avoid it as everyone’s body differs in reacting to foods, thus even a small amount of it may be dangerous for some.
Energy Bars
Diabetics should avoid energy bars because they have high amounts of carbs and sugar for instant energy. An energy bar consists of 60g carbohydrates and 450 calories which can leave a bad impact on blood sugar levels. They can raise blood glucose levels easily.
These are the 25 foods to avoid in diabetes that can cause irregular spikes in blood sugar levels.
A Word From MantraCare
If you are facing diabetes-related issues, MantraCare is here to help. Book your free trial online diabetes consultation session now to connect with a specialist diabetologist.
