Myths: The dietary advice for people with diabetes has changed considerably over the last century. At one point people with diabetes were told to starve themselves! Years later, they were told to eliminate all sugar and sugary foods from their diet.

Facts: Today, however, the most important message for people with diabetes is to eat healthy food, in exactly the same way that is recommended for the whole population - that is a balanced diet based on plenty of fibre rich cereals, pulses, and plenty of vegetables and is low in fat, salt and sugar.

So the good news is that small amount of refined cereals like refined flour (maida), semolina (rava), vermicelli (sevai), white bread, root vegetables; sugar and sugar containing foods can be eaten, preferably as part of  a healthy meal.

Balance of Good health for Diabetics

A Healthier Weight and Lifestyle

Reaching and maintaining a healthy weight is important for everyone with diabetes. Weight control is extremely important in treating type 2 diabetes because extra body fat makes it difficult for people with type 2 diabetes to make and use their own insulin.

• If you are overweight, losing weight may improve your blood sugar control so much that you can stop taking or reduce your medication.
  
  
• If you smoke and have been diagnosed with diabetes, your doctor will recommend that you quit because smoking makes problems caused by diabetes worse. People with diabetes can experience blood flow problems in the legs and feet, which can sometimes lead to amputation.

Smoking can decrease blood flow even more. Smoking can also worsen sexual impotence in men, cause high levels of LDL cholesterol (the bad type of cholesterol), and can raise the risk of heart attack and stroke. If you have diabetes and you smoke, you need to quit.

Guidelines for a Healthy Diet

1. Enjoy your food

2. Eat a variety of different food- If you've been diagnosed with diabetes, you may have a lot of lifestyle changes to make. Does that mean you have to give up sugar, fat and carbohydrates forever?

Remember, your body breaks down different types of foods at different rates. Carbohydrates (be it potato or table sugar) typically takes five minutes to three hours to digest, whereas protein takes three to six hours and fat can take eight or more hours.

That is why different foods have different effects on blood sugar, such as why ice cream (higher in fat) raises blood sugar levels more slowly than potatoes.

But people with diabetes don't always have to forgo desserts and sweets. They just have to be sure not to eat moderate amounts more than once or twice a week.

Since diabetics are at a higher risk for heart problems, it's recommended that you limit fat below 30 percent of total daily calories by eating less overall fat and less saturated fat. You also need to watch your cholesterol levels, choose smaller portions of lean meats, poultry and fish, and low or non-fat dairy products.

Since high-protein diets such as the Atkins diets are high in fat, they are not usually recommended for people with diabetes.