Type II Diabetes Diet

Your pancreas is responsible for producing the insulin you need to break down sugars in the blood and turn them into energy for your cells. When your pancreas doesn't produce enough insulin or your cells refuse to accept the insulin that is produced, you have what is known as type 2 diabetes. It can be serious, but if you take precautions and the necessary steps, type 2 diabetes doesn't have to hinder your life.

Diet for Life

Type 2 diabetes can be devastating but, when managed properly, it can actually prolong life. The basics behind a good diabetic diet are substituting healthy food choice for all the junk we put in our bodies. These are not just diabetic choices, they are life choices that will help you control your weight and your problem with insulin at the same time.

Carbohydrates

With type 2 diabetes, you can still eat many of the foods you enjoyed before being diagnosed with the condition. But you have to be smart about it. Foods that are high in fat, in carbohydrates and in sugar content need to be subjectively dismissed at certain times. Carbohydrates are especially interesting because there are three types, two of which can raise blood glucose levels (starches and sugars). While it is best to limit your consumption of sugar and starch carbohydrates, fiber carbs are okay. You can find these in beans and cereal grains. People who have had diabetes for a period of time are quite well versed at counting the amount of bad carbohydrates in foods and how many they have consumed during the day.

Fats

Much like carbohydrates, fats can be both bad and good for those with type 2 diabetes. Because diabetes raises the risk of heart disease, it's good to avoid high-cholesterol fats. Saturated fat found in processed foods can be especially damaging, because they are also high in cholesterol and can clog up arteries and blood vessels. Whole milk, fatty meat, butter and gravy are foods to avoid. Some fats, on the other hand, can actually lower your cholesterol level. These monounsaturated fats include avocados, olive and sesame oils, and various types of nuts, including peanuts. Omega-3 fatty acids, another good choice for lowering bad cholesterol, are found in foods like fish, flax seed and tofu.

Dessert

People who have diabetes often assume that eating anything sweet ever again is completely out of the question. But that's not true. You can eat whatever you want just as long as you understand you may have to sacrifice something else later on. Because sweets are often high in carbohydrates via sugar, you have to make sure that whatever you eat fits in your carb counting calculations. Dark chocolates and very pure chocolate will generally be lower in carbohydrates, but check the packaging to determine exactly how many carbs you're taking in. If you want to eat sweets, you can. But don't make it a daily thing. Reserve the sweets for the sweet times in life instead.