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If you have diabetes, trying to figure what you can and cannot eat may seem like a challenge. There are many myths about what people with diabetes should include (or not include) in their diets and it can be stressful to figure out your meal plan. From this point on, stop worrying! You don’t have to deprive yourself of all your favorite foods.

To start off, many people believe that if you have diabetes, you can’t eat certain foods like sweets, starches and chocolates. This is not completely true. The reality is that people with diabetes can eat what they want—but in moderation. It’s all about maintaining a balanced diet, whether or not you have diabetes.

Change a few of your bad habits and soon enough you will be able to relax and enjoy all sorts of delicious meals and snacks.

Starches: Every healthy diet needs small amounts of foods like whole grains, pasta, rice and vegetables. Many of these carbohydrate-containing foods are a great source of fiber. The key is to watch your portions and avoid overeating these foods at every meal.

Sweets: Dietitians recommend that sweets be saved for special occasions and to make sure your portions are not too large. However, this doesn’t mean they are completely off limits. You have to make sure that if you are consuming sweets or other sugary foods, you are still maintaining a balanced diet and exercising on a regular basis. Don’t stress though, it’s not like you can never enjoy your favorite dessert!  

Aside from the certain foods you have to be careful of and control your intake, the American Diabetes Association has put together a list of 10 Superfoods you can incorporate into your daily diet that are low in glucose and provide essential nutrients.
  • Beans 
  • Dark green leafy vegetables 
  • Citrus fruit 
  • Berries 
  • Sweet potatoes 
  • Tomatoes 
  • Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids 
  • Whole grains 
  • Nuts 
  • Skim milk yogurt 


 
 
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Pumping up the soluble fiber - from veggies, fruits and beans - you eat each day can help you lose visceral fat, the type that wraps around vital organs and is linked to high blood pressure and diabetes, says researchers at Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center.  In their study of more than 1,000 people, they found that every 10-gram increase in fiber consumption was associated with a 4% reduction in belly fat over five years.  So you may ask, what's 10 grams?  It is about the amount found in two small apples, one cup of peas and half a cup of pinto beans.