The Mediterranean diet is known to be healthy for people with diabetes because it’s rich in fruit and vegetables.The Mediterranean diet has been shown to protect against type 2 diabetes as well as help people with diabetes maintain control of their blood sugar levels.
The Mediterranean diet is composed of:
- Oily fish
- Poultry
- Fresh fruit and vegetables
- Legumes
- Fresh bread
- Pasta
- Olive oil
Vegetarianism plays a significant role in the health benefits of Mediterranean diets. Aside from being healthy for the blood sugar levels, vegetables like tomatoes, peppers, aubergines, olives, onions, rocket, lettuce, and even mung beans are visually appealing too.
For most people, moderate amounts of fruit should be sufficient. For people who experience sharp spikes in blood sugar levels, you should eat fruits with fewer carbs, such as berries.
- Increase your fruit and vegetable consumption. Eat 7 to 10 servings of fruit and vegetables each day.
- Choose whole grains. Make the switch to whole-grain bread, cereal, and pasta. You might also want to try bulgur and farro as other whole grains.
- Healthy fats are important. Replace butter when cooking with olive oil. Rather than dipping bread in butter or margarine, try dipping it in olive oil flavored with herbs and spices.
- Make seafood part of your diet. Fish should be eaten twice a week. A healthy choice is fresh tuna, salmon, trout, mackerel, or herring packed in water. You don’t have to do much cleaning after grilling fish. Deep-fried fish should be avoided.
- Reduce red meat consumption. Meat can be substituted with fish, chicken or beans. Make sure you eat lean meat and keep your portions small if you eat meat.
- Have some dairy. Eat low-fat Greek or plain yogurt and a variety of cheeses in small amounts.
- Add some spice. Spices and herbs enhance flavour and reduce the need for salt.
A Mediterranean diet typically includes a variety of foods high in fat such as
- Cheeses such as Feta and mozzarella, yoghurt, olive oil, avocado, oily fish, and nuts
- Beans, nuts, seeds, poultry, eggs, and a moderate amount of red meat
The NHS and various health charities often recommend this diet because it contains more unsaturated fats than saturated fats, is high in fresh vegetables, and relies largely on natural foods. The diet isn’t restrictive, so it doesn’t cause vitamin or mineral deficiencies, so it gets further praise for being easy to follow and adopt.
References:
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/diet/mediterranean-diet.html
https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/mediterranean-diet/art-20047801