What Should Seniors with Diabetes Eat?

If your elderly family member is diabetic and has ever lamented her new diet, she’s not alone. It can be really difficult to know what to eat to help manage diabetes. 24-hour home care providers can help your senior to add more of some of these foods to her daily diet.

Foods High in Fiber Content

Fiber helps to slow down blood sugar spikes, so eating foods that are higher in fiber content is a great plan for someone with diabetes. There are more foods that are high in fiber than people think, and those include foods like berries, sweet potatoes, and beans. Other foods, like brown rice and quinoa, can take the place of refined foods that are lower in fiber content.

Dark, Leafy Greens

Dark, leafy greens are always a good idea, no matter what health issues your senior is facing. These vegetables are high in antioxidants and they also contain lots of other beneficial nutrients. They can fill your senior up while helping her body to have what it needs to stay healthy.

Whole Grains

Most of the popular grains are highly processed, which takes a lot of their nutrients away. Sticking with whole grains whenever possible is a lot better for someone who is diabetic. That means opting for whole wheat bread rather than white bread whenever possible. It also means opting for other whole grains more often, like millet or oatmeal.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Healthy fats are important for brain and body health. One type of fat in particular to seek out is omega-3 fatty acids. These are found in fatty fish, like sardines and salmon, as well as nuts like walnuts. These foods also tend to be high in protein, which your senior’s body needs.

Foods to Avoid

It can feel so difficult to eat as a diabetic. There are a lot of foods to avoid but categorizing them can help to narrow the list down. Alcohol converts directly to sugar, so that is a no. Foods that are high in sugar content are also good to avoid as much as possible, simply because added sugar doesn’t do your senior’s body any good. Processed foods tend to be higher in added sugars, so skipping those can help to eliminate a lot of what your senior shouldn’t eat.

It can be a full-time job just managing dietary needs for someone who is diabetic. Consider hiring 24-hour home care providers for your elderly family member. 24-hour homecare providers can stay on top of making sure your senior is eating healthy meals regularly throughout the day.
Excerpt: Seniors with diabetes can quickly start to feel as if everything that they want to eat is suddenly on the “naughty foods” list.