Proper diabetes management is important during the Covid-19 pandemic. One way to keep your numbers down is by following simple dietary guidelines because managing your blood sugar has a lot to do with what you eat or drink.
Foods that will affect blood sugar are mainly carbohydrate-containing foods. You are advised to reduce simple carbohydrates because they will make you feel hungry faster, can cause you to eat more, and have a faster effect on your blood sugar.
Simple carbohydrates usually provide a lot of energy or calories, have little or no vitamins and minerals and are processed very quickly by the body. Examples are candy and soft drinks, honey and sugar. Not all simple carbohydrates should be avoided. Fructose (fruit sugar) and galactose (found in milk products) are simple carbohydrates but they provide nutrients like Vitamin C, potassium and fibre from fruits and calcium, potassium, phosphorus, and protein from milk.
Here are some tips to control your blood sugar through diet:
- Add more green and yellow vegetables and some fresh fruit to your diet and reduce the portions of starchy foods on your plate.
- Eat fibre-rich foods. The recommendation is 20–35 grams of fibre per day. Fruits, vegetables, beans and whole-grain foods are good sources of fibre.
- Drink low-fat milk or unsweetened plant-based soy or almond, instead of sugary drinks. Sugar adds to your energy intake and is changed to glucose by your body, as do other carbohydrates.
- Aim to drink more than 8 glasses of water per day.
Remember that managing your diabetes and keeping your blood sugar within the target range is one way to give yourself a fighting chance if you are infected with Covid-19. Take your medication or insulin as prescribed by your doctor.
GFNC
