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Must diabetics follow a special diet?

Many people believe that diabetics have to give up on great, tasty foods and follow a bland, boring meal plan. There is, however, no such thing as a “special diet for diabetics” as they generally have to follow the same basic guidelines of a healthy diet as non-diabetics.

These guidelines include:

- Following a balanced diet.
- Achieving and maintaining your ideal body weight.
- Eating at least five portions of fruit and vegetables per day.
- Avoiding large quantities of sugar and refined carbohydrates.
- Eating plenty of dietary fibre.
- Cutting down on fat intake.
- Eating less salt.
- Drinking enough water.
- Limiting your alcohol intake.

These are the rules for a healthy meal plan that everyone should follow for good long-term health. Unfortunately, most of us have adopted the unhealthy habits of a typical Western diet (think too much sugar, salt and fat) and very few of us will be able to tick all the boxes above.

Following a healthy diet is especially important for diabetics as unhealthy eating habits have a dramatic impact on blood-sugar levels. It's therefore highly recommended that you see a dietician who can work out a meal plan fit for your specific needs and activity levels.

Non-diabetics, however, should also follow a healthy diet plan to avoid diabetes and other lifestyle diseases such as hypertension, high cholesterol and heart disease. If you've been stuck in an unhealthy diet pattern for too long, go see a dietician to help you make the right choices.

It’s also a good idea to familiarise yourself with the glycaemic index (GI), an important tool that can be used by anyone trying to control their blood-sugar levels. It’s handy not only for diabetics, but also for slimmers, people with hypoglycaemia and sportsmen and -women. Eating foods with a low GI, for example, will release glucose slowly and steadily into the blood stream, helping you to feel fuller for longer and preventing fluctuations in blood-sugar levels.

What about those special diabetic foods on the shelves? They generally offer no special effect and can still raise blood-sugar levels, especially with diabetics who tend to see “diabetic foods” as free foods and subsequently overindulge.

Diabetic foods also tend to be more expensive and can have a laxative effect if they contain artificial sweeteners.

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