Can I Be a Vegetarian and Have Type 2 Diabetes?

Many of my patients fear that they cannot follow a vegetarian diet if they have Type 2 diabetes because the diet is carbohydrate dense. The opposite is true, in fact, many people with Type 2 diabetes are very successful in following a vegetarian diet. Vegetarian diets include higher intakes of vegetables, whole-grain foods, starchy vegetables like corn and sweet potatoes, legumes, and nuts. These types of foods are rich in fiber, healthy fat and good carbohydrates. They are low in saturated and trans fat, sodium, and sugar. The key to eating a vegetarian diet when having diabetes is to make sure you eat adequate amounts of protein, and keep your carbohydrate intake consistent and portion controlled. I advise that if you are deciding to follow a vegetarian diet - you consult with a dietitian to assure you are getting all the vitamins, minerals and protein that you need.  Can I Be a Vegetarian and Have Type 2 Diabetes? originally appeared on About.com Diabetes on Wednesday, May 28th, 2014 at 21:09:14.Permalink | Comment | Email this
Source: About Diabetes - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news