The foods you eat matter a lot when you’re living with a chronic condition like diabetes. Keeping your blood sugar levels under control requires you to follow a carefully-balanced diet, including eating the right portions, eating during specific time a day, and other requirements. This is because, if your diabetes is not controlled, it can wreak havoc on your health and lead to heart ailments, kidney diseases, and other life-threatening complications. It’s important to know the food to include and the foods to avoid when living with diabetes.

• Drink plenty of water

  A 2011 study published by the Diabetes Association found that diabetes patients who increase their water intake, prevent dangerous dehydration (which taxes the kidneys) as well as the onset of hyperglycemia. Still and sparkling water contains zero calories or sugar, so blood sugar levels will remain healthy. Water also helps to flush excess glucose from the blood.

• Consume green leafy vegetables
  Green leafy vegetables are packed with essential vitamins, minerals, and other important nutrients that help regulate blood sugar levels without side-effects. Choose kale, spinach, and other green vegetables that are also rich in protein and fiber that aid in maintaining a healthy gut. These vegetables also contain high doses of antioxidants and enzymes to easily digest starch.
• Avoid white bread
  White bread contains refined grains and has a high glycemic index that elevates blood sugar levels. It also contains refined sugar that is bad for your heart and aggravates diabetes.
• Include whole grains
  Whole grains are nutrient and fiber-rich, consequently helping people with diabetes. This is because fiber and nutrients in whole grains help slow down the digestion process and keep blood sugar levels in control. Whole wheat and whole grains are very low on the glycemic index and hardly have any bad impact on blood sugar.
• Avoid crumb-fried steak
  With a tenderized steak as the protein, this meal involves crumbing the meat and then deep frying it, and is a double blow for anyone living with diabetes. It’s very heavy on your heart and leads to severe cardiac ailments and other complications.
• Stay away from carbohydrates
  Carbohydrates are the main sources of energy for the body. However, for someone with diabetes, carbohydrates adversely affect blood glucose levels since the body breaks starches and sugar into glucose during digestion. While you need to cut bad carbohydrates from your diet, make sure to include the right ones. Consume legumes, and whole grains, and avoid baked goods, sweets, and cereals.
• Eat fatty fish
  Fatty fish contain rich doses of omega-3 fatty acids, including eicosatetraenoic acid and docosahexaenoic that are excellent to ensure smooth functioning of the body by reducing the effects of diabetes. They also have helpful fats to promote heart and brain health.
• Exclude gluten-free foods
  Contrary to popular belief, gluten-free foods are not very healthy. Since gluten provides the elasticity and volume in foods and baked goods, gluten-free foods are more dense in carbohydrates that can severely affect blood glucose levels.
• Consume citrus fruits
  Citrus fruits like oranges, grapes, lemons, and sweet lime have antibiotic effects on the body. They also have significant amounts of vitamins and minerals and are free from carbohydrates. Hence, citrus fruits are a safe option to keep diabetes at bay.
• Avoid artificial sweeteners
  Surprisingly, artificial sweeteners are not a healthy option for people with diabetes since it is way sweeter than normal sugar. Consuming it regularly can alter your sweet bud receptors and can make you addicted while you start ignoring healthier foods.