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More about Diabetes and
Nutrition
Good sources of
Chromium
| wholemeal bread
| brewer's yeast |
| liver |
| lean meats |
| poultry |
| whole grains |
| eggs |
| cheese |
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What are Vitamin A-rich
foods?
Sources of vitamin A can be divided into
two groups: one is animal source, and the other is vegetable source. Vitamin A
is better absorbed from an animal source, but when it is not always possible to
afford animal foods, vitamin A derived from vegetable sources are also
important.
Examples of animal food sources are as
follows:
| Liver
| Fish liver oil
| Egg yolk
| Milk and milk products
| Breast milk
| Butter
| Small fish |
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Examples for vegetable sources are as
follows:
| Dark green leaves
| Yellow and orange vegetables (like
carrot, sweet potatoes, yellow yam)
| Yellow and orange fruits (like papaya,
mangoes)
| Red palm oil |
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Steps to healthy
eating
The following steps will help you control
your blood glucose levels and blood fats as well as regulate your weight.
| Eat regular
meals based on starchy carbohydrate foods such
as bread, pasta, chapatis, potatoes, rice and cereals. This will help you to
control your blood glucose levels. Whenever possible, choose wholegrain
varities that are high in fibre, like wholemeal bread and wholemeal cereals
to help maintain the health of your digestive system and prevent problems
such as constipation. |
| Try and cut down on
the fat you eat, particularly
saturated (animal) fats, as this type of fat is linked to heart disease.
Choose monounsaturated fats, eg olive oil and rapeseed oil. Eating less fat
and fatty foods will also help you to lose weight. Use less butter,
margarine, cheese and fatty meats. Choose low fat dairy foods like skimmed
milk and low fat yogurt. Grill, steam or oven bake instead of frying or
cooking with oil or other fats. |
| Eat more fruit and
vegetables — aim for at least
five portions a day to provide you with vitamins and fibre as well as to
help you balance your overall diet. A portion is, for example, a piece of
fruit or a serving of a vegetable. |
| Cut down on sugar and
sugary foods — this does not
mean you need to eat a sugar-free diet. Sugar can be used as an ingredient
in foods and in baking as part of a healthy diet. However, use sugar-free,
low sugar or diet squashes and fizzy drinks, as sugary drinks cause blood
glucose levels to rise quickly. Be aware that most junk food is loaded
with sugar. |
| Drink alcohol in
moderation only — that’s two
units of alcohol per day for a woman and three units per day for a man. For
example, a small glass of wine or half a pint of normal-strength beer is
approximately one unit. Never drink on an empty stomach, as alcohol can make
hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose levels) more likely to occur. |
| If
you are overweight, losing weight
will help you control your diabetes and will also reduce your risk of
heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. Aim to lose weight slowly
over time (1-2 lbs per week) rather than crash dieting. Even if you don't
manage to get your ideal weight, losing a small amount and keeping it off
will help with your blood glucose control and improve your overall health. |
| Don't
be tempted by ‘diabetic’ foods or drinks.
They are expensive, unnecessary and have no added benefit for people with
diabetes. |
More about Diabetes
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