Diabetes and related problems affect around 500 million individuals worldwide. With a disease like diabetes, people’s dietary options are limited since they cannot consume items heavy in starch or sugar.
As a result, meal planning becomes extremely important for such folks. Although most foods contain some starch, some foods high in fibre are acceptable for diabetics.
It is mostly due to the fact that the human body does not absorb fibre, which keeps you full for an extended period of time. It also plays an important role in nutrition.
Fibre is found naturally in plant foods such as fruits and berries, vegetables, grains (such as rice, wheat, and oats), and nuts. A high-fibre diet also aids in the absorption of other nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins and fat). As a result, fibre becomes an essential component of your diabetes food plan.
Dietary Fibre and Their Varieties
Dietary fibre is a carbohydrate found in plant diets. Although fibre is not absorbed or digested by our bodies, it is necessary for good health. There are two forms of dietary fibre: soluble and insoluble. Both types are present in the majority of meals. However, one is usually more plentiful than the other.
Fibre promotes intestinal health and aids in the maintenance of gut health. Furthermore, it protects our hearts and aids in the loss and maintenance of a healthy weight. Furthermore, it maintains blood sugar levels and aids in the prevention of long-term diabetes complications.
Because our system does not break down fibre, it has no effect on blood sugar levels. Instead, it aids in the prevention of blood sugar spikes.
[Read – Diabetes Meal Plan For Weight Loss Made Easy]
Furthermore, persons who consume enough fibre have improved heart health, which is important because diabetics are more prone to develop heart disease. The two types of fibres are as follows:
Soluble Fibre
When soluble fibre dissolves in water, it creates a gel-like substance. It can help decrease blood cholesterol and glucose levels.
Oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley, and psyllium are all high in soluble fibre.
Insoluble Fibre
Insoluble fibre aids persons suffering from constipation or irregular stools by boosting stool volume and speeding up food extraction through the digestive tract.
Insoluble fibre is found in whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts, legumes, and vegetables such as cauliflower, green beans, and potatoes.
The Fibre-Diabetes Relationship
Diabetes increases the likelihood of acquiring cardiovascular disease. Increased fibre consumption, particularly from cereals and whole grains, reduces the risk of cardiometabolic illnesses (such as cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and obesity) and colon cancer.
Dietary fibre absorbs moisture and expands the weight of waste, softening and making stools easier to pass. Furthermore, diets high in soluble fibre help reduce blood cholesterol.
Increasing your dietary fibre intake can also aid in weight loss. These meals are filling, and the majority have a low glycemic index (GI), which can help you control your appetite while also lowering your blood glucose levels.
If you have diabetes, a high-fiber diet can help you manage your disease and reduce your risk of complications.
However, before you begin, you should get the advice of a nutritionist or a healthcare professional to aid you in developing a diabetic meal plan.
Managing your blood sugar levels might be difficult at times. Although figuring out how to get enough fibre into your diet may be tough at first, with experience and knowledge, you’ll be able to get enough of this crucial vitamin.
According to one study, increasing daily fibre intake by 15 to 35 grammes lowers the risk of premature death in persons with diabetes.
Furthermore, increasing fibre consumption improves glycemic control and other cardiometabolic risk factors in persons with prediabetes or diabetes.
Diabetes Fibre Meal Plan: Best Foods to Include
Although many foods have high levels of dietary fibre, the following are some of the greatest food sources of dietary fibre for diabetics.
Lentils
Lentils are high in fibre, which accounts for around half of the carbs in lentils. As a result, it aids in the control of your blood sugar. Cooked lentils have more than 15 grammes of fibre and 230 calories per cup, making them an excellent source of both fibre and calories.
The same meal has around 40 g carbs and approximately 18 g protein, with protein giving additional satiety. It benefits you in a variety of ways. Protein, for example, not only aids in weight loss but also in muscle mass development.
Beans contain around 120 calories and 21 grammes of carbs per serving. Beans and lentils contain starch, which is resistant to digestion, which means it does not quickly enter the bloodstream and modify blood sugar levels.
Bean starch is also advantageous to gut flora health. Bacteria aid in the production of fatty acids after starch digestion. These beneficial fatty acids aid in the improvement of insulin sensitivity and colon cell activity.
Artichoke
Artichokes are both delicate and sweet, as well as abundant in fibre. They also include potassium and magnesium, both of which help to lower blood pressure. Furthermore, they are high in vitamin C and folate.
Furthermore, artichokes have only 8 grammes of carbs and 35 calories, making them appropriate for a diabetes meal plan. Here’s an easy technique to get the most out of your artichoke leaves.
Ingredients:
2 artichoke leaves
200 mL water
Method:
- Remove the artichoke leaf’s thorns and stalk.
- Bring water to a boil and immerse the leaves in it.
- Steam the leaves for 25 minutes in boiling water.
- After the bracts have cooled, remove them and toss them in an olive-oil-based vinaigrette.
Avocados
It comes as no surprise that avocados are one of the healthiest fruits. Their nutritional characteristics make them useful in a variety of ways.
Avocados are abundant in soluble and insoluble fibre, as well as omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial to your heart health. Avocados are also beneficial for weight loss and diabetes due to their high fibre content.
Avocados are quite versatile and may be used in a variety of dishes. For example, you can use them to make great toast, salads, dinners, egg dishes, and so on.
Although avocados are well-known for their high quantity of healthy fats, one cup contains 10 grammes of fibre.
Peas
These starchy, high-soluble-fibre veggies are an excellent substitute for rice and other grains. Aside from vitamins A, C, and K. A 23rd cup serving of canned, drained green peas has around 3.5 g of fibre. As a result, it is a good source of fibre.
Yellow or green split peas are other excellent choices; a 14 cup cooked meal contains 9 grammes of fibre, 120 calories, and 21 grammes of carbohydrates, making it healthful. Consider incorporating peas into your favourite salad for added nutrients and fibre.
You may also eat them on their own with some fresh mint and parsley. This will assist you in controlling your carbohydrate intake while reaping these benefits.
Berries
Berries are small, tasty fruits that are strong in fibre and antioxidants. Although many fruits can be beneficial to one’s health, insoluble fibre fruits such as raspberries and blackberries are two of the best examples.
Berries are also strong in health-promoting compounds, such as those that are known to help prevent cancer and enhance heart health. A cup of berries has approximately 3 grammes of fibre, 15 grammes of carbohydrates, and 60 calories. Consider using them as a snack or as a dessert topping.
Oatmeal and barley
Barley and oatmeal are complete grains that are high in insoluble fibre. In your favourite dishes, try substituting barley for rice or pasta. Simultaneously, replace bread crumbs in meatloaf with oats, or cover cooked chicken or fish with oats.
These whole grains contain beta-glucan, a fibre that improves insulin activity while lowering blood sugar levels. It also aids in the elimination of cholesterol from the gastrointestinal tract.
Cooked barley contains more than 7 grammes of fibre, 37 grammes of carbohydrates, and 170 calories per 14 cup serving, making it an outstanding health food.
Potatoes
Fibre is abundant in sweet potatoes, red potatoes, purple potatoes, and even ordinary white potatoes.
One small potato with skin, for example, contains roughly 3 grammes of fibre. Unfortunately, potatoes have a bad reputation for being associated with unhealthy foods such as chips and fries.
However, boiled or oven baked potatoes (not fried or salted) can provide a number of health benefits. It is mostly because of their high fibre content.
Dried Fruits
Dried fruits like figs, prunes, and dates can help you get more fibre.
As a result, health professionals counsel those who suffer from constipation and other connected problems.
Furthermore, the naturally occurring sugar sorbitol in these fruits can help with bowel motions and provide additional relaxation.
However, eating too much can result in cramping and other problems. So start with a modest piece and see how you feel once you’ve digested it.
Nuts
Almost all nuts include a lot of protein and healthy fats. Sunflower seeds and almonds, on the other hand, have an added benefit. They contain almost three grammes of fibre per serving.
As a result, they can assist you in meeting the fibre guidelines of 25 g for women and 38 g for men.
Pre-packaged nuts should be preferred over raw or dry-roasted nuts. Manufacturers typically cook them in a way that adds excessive calories. Even nut butter has a significant fibre content.
Almonds deserve special mention due to their rich nutritious content, which includes healthy fats, vitamin E, manganese, and magnesium. Furthermore, almonds are flexible. Almond flour, for example, may be used in baking, making it easier to incorporate them into your diet.
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are small black seeds that have acquired prominence in the natural health world recently. They’re high in magnesium, phosphorus, and calcium, therefore they’re quite nutritious.
Chia seeds are one of the most useful sources of fibre in our daily diet. You may also include them into healthful snacks, making them a healthy and convenient option.
Other Health Advantages of a Fibre Meal Plan
Bowel Movement Is Normalized
According to research, dietary fibre softens and extends your faeces, increasing their weight and size.
Because it is simpler to pass, a thick stool is less likely to cause constipation.
When you have loose, watery stools, any type of fibre that absorbs water and provides volume to your stool can help.
Maintains a Healthy Weight
According to research, eating high-fiber foods aids with weight management. Because high-fiber meals are more satisfying than low-fiber foods, you’ll eat less and feel fuller for longer.
Furthermore, high-fiber meals take longer to consume and are less “energy-dense,” meaning they contain fewer calories per volume of food.
Colon Cancer Prevention
A high-fiber diet can aid in the prevention of haemorrhoids and tiny pouches in the colon (diverticular disease). A high-fibre diet, according to one study, can also reduce the risk of colon cancer by fermenting some fibre in the colon. However, more research is needed on the matter.
Aids in Blood Sugar Control
Fibre, particularly soluble fibre, can help diabetics control their blood sugar levels by decreasing sugar absorption. A healthy diet and insoluble fibre may help reduce the incidence of type 2 diabetes. Several studies back up the claim.
Improves Heart Health
Soluble fibre, which can be found in beans, oats, flaxseed, oat bran, and other foods, helps lower total blood cholesterol. It decreases LDL, or “bad” cholesterol, while also helping to raise HDL levels.
High-fibre diets may also offer other heart-health benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and inflammation, according to study.
A high-fibre meal has a number of advantages. Excessive fibre consumption, on the other hand, has some negative consequences. Consuming more than 70 grammes of fibre per day, for example, can cause stomach problems. As a result, you should consume the appropriate amount for your health.
Conclusion
Diabetics should eat a high-fiber meal. Eating fiber-rich meals provides other benefits aside from helping to control blood sugar levels.
It, for example, aids in the normalisation of bowel movements, the maintenance of a healthy weight, the prevention of gut cancer, and the reduction of cholesterol levels.
It is critical to understand what we eat and how it affects our bodies.
We can easily plan our meals once we know what and how much to eat. The same is true for a diabetes fibre meal plan.
However, because each person’s needs are unique, it is preferable to seek the advice of a professional.
An qualified nutritionist will assist you in creating a customised diet plan that is free of negative effects.
[Also Read – Diabetic-Friendly Dinners – End your day with One of These 9 Fast & Delicious Recipes]
Questions and Answers (FAQs)
Q. Does fibre cause an increase in insulin?
A. No, fibre does not cause a large increase in insulin. A chunk of fibre just travels through your digestive track, requiring no insulin to digest.
As a result, foods high in fibre had a lower risk of causing insulin rises. Furthermore, multiple studies suggest that high fibre starchy meals result in a significantly lower insulin response than glucose.
Q. Which food contains the most fibre?
A. A variety of foods are high in fibre. However, some of them are extremely high in fibre.
Sweet potatoes, whole grains, berries, lentils, veggies, nuts, and seeds, for example, are high in fibre. Broccoli, avocados, apples, and other fruits and vegetables are also high in fibre.
Q. Do eggs include a lot of fibre?
A. Eggs are abundant in protein but poor in fibre. To increase fibre, use chopped greens such as spinach, broccoli, artichoke, or avocado. Alternatively, use them as an omelette filler.
Q. Does yoghurt include a lot of fibre?
A. Regular plain yoghurt is devoid of fibre. Certain yoghurt brands, on the other hand, may include up to 5 g of fibre in a single-serving container.
Q. Are high-fiber foods healthy?
A. High-fibre foods are good for your health. However, adding too much fibre too quickly may result in intestinal gas, bloating, and cramps.
As a result, you should gradually increase your fibre consumption over a few weeks. This allows the natural bacteria in your digestive system to adjust to the change.
Q. Can a high fibre diet lead to constipation?
A. When a person consumes more than 70g of fibre per day, several undesirable side effects may occur.
Excess fibre, for example, might cause bloating, gas, and constipation. Increased hydration, exercise, and dietary changes, on the other hand, can help lessen this pain.
Q. What kind of bread contains a lot of fibre?
A. Whole wheat bread contains more fibre and is considered to be healthier than processed grains.
Furthermore, it is advantageous since the manufacturing process includes treatment to remove bacteria and bran.
Q: Which high-fiber foods are keto-friendly?
A. Green leafy vegetables, fresh fruits, nuts, and seeds may be your greatest options for a high-fiber, keto-friendly diet. These meals are high in fibre and have few carbs.