Embrace A Heart Healthy Diabetes Diet
You may have negative associations with the word dietthinking that it means you can never have anything flavorful again and that youll be eating bland food for the rest of your life, just because you want to take care of your heart and blood glucose levels.
This doesnt have to be the case. The simple definition for diet is the foods we eat. It has earned a negative connotation because so many people have strayed from eating wisely so much attention has been paid to going on a diet to mean eating to lose weight.
However, you can reframe the word to accept its original meaningto the focus has been on eating better. Eating well when you have diabetes and high blood cholesterol doesnt have to be a dull affair. You may choose to make some adjustments to the way you prepare meals like swapping whole grains for white flour, adding more fruits and vegetables, using healthy oils, and finding a way to put a little creativity into your cooking. These changes will help you prepare delicious meals that you, your family and friends can enjoy and that will assure that you are keeping your heart healthy!
Other Sources
Mediterranean Grilled Salmon Kabobs
These grilled salmon kabobs from Erhardts Eat are healthy and packed with flavor. They take chunks of omega-3-packed salmon and nonstarchy veggies like zucchini, grape tomatoes, and red onion, and then marinate everything in dried spices, olive oil, and lemons. Add the lean protein and veggies to skewers and cook on the grill for a quick, healthy meal for diabetes.
One serving offers 316 calories, 20.7 g of fat , 4.3 g of carbs, 30.4 g of protein, 1.2 g of fiber, and 2.2 g of sugar. Optional: Top the kabobs with tzatziki sauce.
How To Treat And Control High Cholesterol In Diabetes
The UKPDS, or UK Prospective Diabetes Study, showed that tight control over blood glucose is needed to prevent complications of diabetes. However, it was found that tight blood glucose is not enough to prevent cardiovascular disease in diabetics. Overall, there must be significant effort to reduce all risk factors. This can include weight loss, increasing exercise, controlling blood pressure and dyslipidemias.
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Foods To Consume For Reducing Cholesterol And Diabetes
Non-Starchy Vegetables
If you enjoy the idea of eating a lot without thinking of anything, non-starchy vegetables are the option to go for. They are extremely low in calories, and it is also okay to eat more than one serving. Instead of eating potatoes, rice, pasta bowls, you can relish the dishes made with non-starchy vegetables like salads with cucumber, lettuce, tomatoes. You can also consume green beans, zucchini, and broccoli. Raw vegetables like celery, bell peppers, and carrots are also good snacks.
Whole Grains
It is consistently associated with reducing diabetes risk and minimizing cholesterol. Also, it decreases obesity and lowers hypertension. You should swap refined grains with whole grains to get good health. Sandwiches with whole-grain bread slices or an oatmeal bowl can suffice your hunger without having any bad impact on your health.
Barley
It is an amazing food source that has soluble fiber named beta-glucan. These are known to reduce glucose and lower cholesterol. Also, fiber acts as a sponge for absorbing cholesterol, and it slows down the increase in glucose after eating meals. It also provides a feeling of completeness without many calories. You can enjoy barley on a salad or as a cereal. Barley flour is also beneficial.
Monosaturated Fats or MUFA
Nuts and Peanuts
Plant-Based Proteins
Fish
Fruits
Diabetes And High Cholesterol: Whats The Connection
When you are diabetic, there are several complications that are involved with this one single disease. You need to effectively manage diabetes in order to avoid various other complications. In a diabetic patient, even if the body has good cholesterol, the same is displaced by the bad cholesterol, causing various diseases and adverse conditions.
There is a strong relationship between diabetes and cholesterol. Let us see the same in the following points:
- When you are diabetic, there are greater chances that you will have a high degree of bad cholesterol or LDL.
- Diabetic people are more affected by the condition known as diabetic dyslipidemia. Which is a condition in which the body tends to have very high levels of triglycerides, high levels of LDL, and low levels of With this condition, you are exposed to a higher risk of contracting coronary heart diseases as well as atherosclerosis.
- People with type 2 conditions are more prone to getting strokes and heart-related conditions at a younger age as compared to those without this condition due to diabetic dyslipidemia.
- When you have diabetes as well as high cholesterol levels, the problems and complications that are caused due to the presence of high blood glucose in the body only increase with time.
Hence, there is definitely a strong relationship between diabetes and the levels of high cholesterol that the diabetic patient has.
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Keeping Your Heart Healthy With Diabetes
Quick. Whats the first thing you think about when you hear type 1 or type 2 diabetes? Most often, its blood sugar. Yes, that’s importantbut don’t forget, the heart deserves lots of TLC too. Maintaining heart health and preventing heart disease is critical for everyone living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes. Let’s start at the beginning with the basics.
What Constitutes A Good Diet For Diabetics
Dr. Horowitz applauds the diets featured in this ranking for their inclusion of complex carbohydrates , lean proteins, healthy fats and dietary fiber, as well as their restriction of sweetened drinks and simple carbohydrates.
When it comes to keeping blood sugar levels within a healthy rangea key to successful diabetes managementDr. Horowitz recommends higher fiber foods because theyre slower to digest and take longer to affect glucose levels while also improving satiety.
The key to keeping glucose levels from rising is balance, she says. Having more of the meal composed of complex carbsand also eating a consistent amount of carbohydrates from meal to meal and avoiding meals that have too much at any one time including lean protein in the meal will help with satiety and prevent overeating.
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Cholesterol Is Fat That Is Found In Our Blood Sometimes Its Called Lipids When We Hear This Word We Think Of It Building Up In Our Arteries And Contributing To Long
Healthy levels of cholesterol are vital for our cells to function and to make vitamin D and some hormones.
There are two main types HDL or high-density lipoprotein and LDL or low-density lipoprotein . If the levels of your bad cholesterol become too high and the good cholesterol too low, you are at increased risk of developing cardiovascular complications .
There are also triglycerides . These can have bad effects on your health if levels are high, too.
For many people, eating a healthy, balanced diet and being physically active is enough to keep cholesterol levels healthy. But if your bad cholesterol is high, most people need medication to lower it. And for people with diabetes, it is important that you have your levels checked every year. You can find out why it’s important in our video.
Ways To Flavor Food That Are Better Than Salt
If your doctor has advised you to ease off the salt shaker, you might be wondering why. The answer is sodium, a mineral found mainly in salt. Too much sodium in a persons diet can increase their blood pressure, raising their risk for heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease, says Lori Zanini, RD, CDE, author of Diabetes Cookbook & Meal Plan for the Newly Diagnosed.
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Oats And Whole Grains
If you have type 2 diabetes, its time to ditch the white bread. Consider purchasing whole-grain bread, pasta, and brown rice instead.
Compared to refined grains, whole grains are higher in fiber. They may help reduce cholesterol, lower your blood pressure, and decrease your overall risk of heart disease.
Oatmeal makes for a great breakfast. If you want to try something new, consider a recipe that includes whole-grain farro, quinoa, or barley.
lower levels of heart disease.
You can simply spread avocado on whole-grain toast and top with olive oil, a bit of salt, and pepper. Or, you can work avocado into many different dishes, like these flavorful turkey patties with avocado.
Heart Healthy Cooking Tips
Stick to heart-healthy fats. Wherever possible, use olive oil instead of butter or margarine. Also, all nuts, , seeds, olives, and avocados are very rich in heart-healthy fats, so eat a few servings each day. Just remember all are high in calories, so mind those portion sizes!
Choose mostly lean proteins like fish, chicken, turkey, tofu, or eggs. And aim to eat at least two servings of fish each week. Theyre low in saturated fats, which helps to reduce LDL cholesterol. Theyre also a good source of omega-3 fats which are great for your blood pressure.
Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. At least 5-7 servings each day. Theyre high in soluble fiber and can lower your cholesterol. And purple fruits and vegetables, like berries or purple sweet potatoes, contain polyphenol antioxidants that protect your blood vessels.
Incorporate a few meatless meals each week that feature legumes and whole grains with vegetables. Theyll help bump up your cholesterol-lowering fiber even more.
Limit sodium by cooking from scratch rather than using packaged foods and go easy on the saltshaker. Cooking from scratch is probably the best thing you can do to reduce your risk of heart disease and so many other chronic lifestyle diseases. Processed, packaged, and fast foods are all full of salt, sugar, unhealthy fats, and chemicals that promote inflammation in your blood vessels and throughout your body.
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What Is Cholesterol And Why Is It Harmful
Cholesterol is a type of a fat, waxy substance that is naturally present in our blood as well as different body cells. It helps to define the lipid profile in the body. Two main types of cholesterol include:
Low-Density Lipoprotein or LDL
This is bad cholesterol as it increases the chances of getting cardiovascular diseases.
High-Density Lipoprotein or HDL
This is often also called good cholesterol as it reduces the chances of getting cardiovascular diseases.
Triglycerides are also a form of fat which is naturally found in our bloodstream. When the doctors check the blood for cholesterol, the levels of triglycerides are also taken into account.
High levels of bad cholesterol and triglycerides are harmful as they increase the chances of getting several heart-related conditions. LDL can lead to the formation of plaque in the blood which makes it difficult for the blood vessels to carry blood through the heart and other body parts.
Summer Tomato And Zucchini Quinoa Pizza
Just because you have diabetes doesnt mean you have to miss out on your favorites, including pizza, Poulson says. Case in point: This recipe from Simply Quinoa. It starts with a crust made of quinoa and hummus, which provide fiber, healthy fats, and protein, Poulson notes. Use more hummus to make the sauce and then add healthy toppings. This recipe does what I often suggest to people with diabetes who still want to enjoy pizza, and that’s to top it with veggies, Poulson says. Use nonstarchy veggies like zucchini and tomatoes, as these add flavor, fiber, vitamins, and minerals without tons of carbs, she adds.
One serving packs 150 calories, 13 g of carbs, 4 g of protein, 10 g of fat , 3 g of fiber, and 1 g of sugar. Optional: Garnish with shredded vegan cheese, chopped basil, and red pepper flakes.
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Ive Heard About Ginger But Does It Work To Lower Cholesterol
Ginger has been used in traditional medicine for years to help with stomach issues, arthritic joints, as well as heart conditions. It works for motion sickness, morning sickness in pregnancy, and it may lower cholesterol. There has only been one rather small study that looked at the cholesterol lowering effects of ginger. Subjects took 3,000 mg per day for 45 days. They had an average drop in total cholesterol by 13 mg/dl. Triglycerides also dropped by 9.5. Even so, larger studies need to be done to validate this finding. As a spice, ginger is tasty in recipes.
What Foods Or Supplements Have Natural Cholesterol Lowering Properties
There are a number of supplements that people use to lower LDL-C and triglycerides. Make sure to talk with your health care provider about which ones are safe for you to try. Some listed are proven to reduce cholesterol, and some have not been proven to lower cholesterol. Its important to have a conversation with your doctor if you decide to start any new supplements.
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Are Eggs Ok For Diabetics
Eggs are a versatile food and a great source of protein. The American Diabetes Association considers eggs an excellent choice for people with diabetes. Thats primarily because one large egg contains about half a gram of carbohydrates, so its thought that they arent going to raise your blood sugar.
What Is The Level Of Cholesterol That Should Be Maintained
As per the American Diabetes Association, the following should be the levels of cholesterol in your body if you are someone who is suffering from diabetes:
- The LDL or the bad cholesterol level in the adults should be less than 100 mg/dl.
- The HDL or the good cholesterol levels in male adults who have diabetes should be greater than 40 mg/dl.
- The HDL or the good cholesterol levels in female adults who have diabetes should be greater than 50 mg/dl.
- The level of triglycerides in both men and women affected by diabetes should be less than 150 mg/dl.
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Best Diabetic Diet Options
For our Best Diets of 2022 ranking, the Forbes Health editorial team created a Forbes Health Best Diets Panel of experts to analyze 19 diets in a variety of areas, including diabetic health.
The diets we identified as the Best Diets for People With Diabetes had the highest average scores across our panel of physicians and registered dietitians for diabetic health, which we defined as the diets ability to prevent type 2 diabetes or help diabetics manage their diabetes.
Be sure to consult your doctor before beginning a new diet or eating plan.
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Jillian Kubala is a Registered Dietitian based in Westhampton, NY. Jillian holds a masters degree in nutrition from Stony Brook University School of Medicine as well as an undergraduate degree in nutrition science. Aside from writing for Healthline Nutrition, she runs a private practice based on the east end of Long Island, NY, where she helps her clients achieve optimal wellness through nutritional and lifestyle changes. Jillian practices what she preaches, spending her free time tending to her small farm that includes vegetable and flower gardens and a flock of chickens. Reach out to her through her website or on .
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Is Coffee Bad For Cholesterol
While coffee does not contain cholesterol, it can affect cholesterol levels. The diterpenes in coffee suppress the bodys production of substances involved in cholesterol breakdown, which causes cholesterol to increase. Specifically, coffee diterpenes may cause an increase in total cholesterol and LDL levels.
What Should A Diabetic With High Cholesterol Eat For Breakfast
A diabetes-friendly breakfast is one that includes a combination of carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats in the right proportions, which helps balance blood sugar, says Al Bochi. A simple diabetes-friendly breakfast she recommends is a plate of eggs and avocado on whole-grain toast.
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Type 2 Diabetes Diet Definition And Facts
- Type 2 diabetes involves problems getting enough glucose into the cells. When the sugar cant get where it is supposed to be, it leads to elevated blood sugar levels in the bloodstream, which can lead to complications such as kidney, nerve, and eye damage, and cardiovascular disease.
- Foods to eat for a type 2 diabetic diet meal plan include complex carbohydrates such as brown rice, whole wheat, quinoa, oatmeal, fruits, vegetables, beans, and lentils. Foods to avoid include simple carbohydrates, which are processed, such as sugar, pasta, white bread, flour, and cookies, pastries.
- Foods with a low glycemic load only cause a modest rise in blood sugar and are better choices for people with diabetes. Good glycemic control can help in preventing long-term complications of type 2 diabetes.
- Fats dont have much of a direct effect on blood sugar but they can be useful in slowing the absorption of carbohydrates.
- Protein provides steady energy with little effect on blood sugar. It keeps blood sugar stable, and can help with sugar cravings and feeling full after eating. Protein-packed foods to eat include beans, legumes, eggs, seafood, dairy, peas, tofu, and lean meats and poultry.
- Five diabetessuperfoods to eat include chia seeds, wild salmon, white balsamic vinegar, cinnamon, and lentils.
- Healthy diabetes meal plans include plenty of vegetables, and limited processed sugars and red meat.
Glycemic index and load
Carbohydrates can be classified as either