Guides for a vegetarian diet
1. Making high fibre carbohydrate choices
Making high fiber carbohydrate choices may help reduce blood sugar levels by balancing carbohydrate choices. In addition to maintaining stable blood sugar, fiber can also help you feel full longer, and aid digestion.
High fiber carbohydrate examples for a vegetarian diet for diabetes:
- Instead of white bread, choose whole grain bread (3 grams or more per slice)
- Replace white rice with brown rice
- Replace refined pasta with chickpea pasta
- Cornflakes instead of bran cereal
- Grits instead of oatmeal
- You may want to substitute popcorn for pretzels (low fat)
- Potato chips are replaced with baked beans
2. Eat protein-rich plant foods
Generally, one should consume at least 4-6 ounces of protein food each day.
Plants contain a variety of protein sources, including:
Legumes
Plant proteins such as black beans, pinto beans, chickpeas, lentils, kidney beans, and split peas are excellent and affordable. Additionally, they are a good source of soluble fiber, which has many health benefits.
Soy
A variety of soy products are heart healthy, including soy milk, meat substitutes, soybeans and soy bean burgers, soy-based yogurt and cheese, tofu, and soy nut butters.
Meat substitutes
A vegetarian diet for diabetes can include meat substitutes, but they aren’t necessary for a balanced diet. The fresh and frozen sections of the supermarket and some restaurants offer options like plant-based veggie burgers, chicken patties, sausages, and more. Because some meat substitutes contain carbohydrate, be sure to check the label to include them in your meal plan.
Nuts and nut butters
Nuttin Ordinary cashew cheese is one of the many protein-rich vegetarian foods you can add to your vegetarian diet for diabetes.
3. Consume healthy fats in your meals
A vegetarian diet for diabetes replaces saturated fat in animal products with heart-healthy fats in plant foods. Healthy fats are essential to your diet because your body cannot produce two essential fatty acids on its own: omega 3 and omega 6, which are essential for good health and disease prevention. The fats you add to your meals – such as avocados, olives, canola oil, nuts, and margarine and mayonnaise made from plant fats – help you to:
- Weight loss is made easier when you feel full for longer
- Reduce your cardiovascular risk
- Keeps cell membranes healthy and promotes cellular growth
- Blood pressure should be kept in check
- Maintain a healthy hair, skin, and nail regimen
The following foods (recommended to be eaten) are rich in iron:
- Eggs
- Bread
- Breakfast cereals
- Dark green vegetables
- Nuts
- Dried fruit
- Beans and pulses
References:
https://agamatrix.com/blog/vegetarian-diabetic-diet/
https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/eating-with-diabetes/vegetarian-diets