Many people turn to glucose monitors and exercise regimes for diabetes management. It’s also critical for people with diabetes to pay attention to their dietary choices in an effort to control blood sugar levels. Here are five pieces of advice to implement into your eating and drinking habits to manage this condition.

5 Tips for Dietary Diabetes Management

1. Focus on Fiber

Eat eight grams of fiber per meal to stabilize blood sugar levels and help you feel satisfied for longer periods of time. Barley, oats, peas, beans, and sweet potatoes are all excellent sources of this important nutrient. Use a scale to weigh out the appropriate serving size or use the nutritional information on each container to learn how many grams are in one serving.

2. Lower Red Meat Consumption

Eating large amounts of red meat has been connected with bowel cancer and heart disease. Excessive servings of this protein may even increase your blood sugar level and make your body require extra insulin to metabolize the meat. Look to other sources of protein like chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, nuts, and beans or lentils that have minimal effects on diabetes.

3. Dig Into Healthy Fats

Healthy fats can lower blood sugar. Enjoy sliced avocados on nachos or veggie tacos, and snack on nuts throughout the day to keep your energy up while stabilizing blood glucose levels. These ingredients have monounsaturated fats that may lower blood cholesterol levels while reducing the risk of stroke and cardiac disease.

4. Add Fruit to Meals

Many people struggle with diabetes management because they crave free sugars in candy, juice, and processed carbohydrates. Feed your desire while getting extra vitamins, minerals, and fibers by eating different types of fruit with most meals.

Enjoy a small portion of apples, cherries, and melons several times a day. Choose frozen, fresh, or dried fruits to avoid added sugars that can spike blood pressure.

5. Choose Whole Grain

Skip refined bread and opt for whole grains like amaranth, buckwheat, bulgur, and quinoa. Their ingredients are much less likely to raise blood sugar.

Be wary of packaged items that say “made with whole grains” or “multigrain” as they may not have much of the healthy ingredients. Rely on 100% whole-wheat options that share information on how the grain was milled when purchasing packaged items.

Those interested in diabetes management can seek the products they need to live a healthy life at Anderson Pharmacy in Denver, PA. The small-town company on Reading Road has been in business for more than 30 years, providing medications and pain management options. Call the pharmacy at (717) 484-2649 or visit the website to learn more about what they can offer you.