Fighting Diabetes with Interesting Foods

Oats may be high in starch. But it boasts of being low in GI and thus a great source of energy. It provides iron, calcium, vitamin B6 and vitamin A. You’d be better off buying steel-cut oats (coarse oatmeal) than flakes or flour. Coarse oatmeal goes through the least amount of processing possible since it’s actually made by slicing the whole grain into two or three smaller pieces. Combined with low fat milk, and a sprinkling of nuts and seeds, it makes for a great breakfast.

If you cannot live without rice, purchase brown rice which consists of the whole grain including the bran and germ. About 200gm delivers 17% of the daily recommended value of carbs. It also provides you with vitamin B6, magnesium and fiber. If you don’t have gluten intolerance, whole wheat is a healthy alternative. But it is barley which meets you carbohydrate needs optimally while blessing you with the diabetes-friendly nutrient chromium, cholesterol lowering beta-glucan and magnesium.

Chestnuts, almonds and other nuts –

Almonds are packed with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, iron, magnesium and calcium. So it’s the ideal food choice for those on a restricted diet. Roasted chestnuts are decent options if your doctor wants you to restrict your calorie consumption. It is popular for adding to fillings which required a nutty flavor without the extra calories. Other nuts which are found to be beneficial for diabetics include walnuts, Macadamia nuts, peanuts (actually a legume), pecans, hazel nuts and pistachios.