When a person gets diabetes problem, he/she may experience weight loss problem due to rapid changes in blood sugar levels. Weight loss is a primary sign of diabetes. Diabetes can cause lower insulin than needed in the human body. This causes to break of the body cells and muscles in the body for energy. Lacking insulin may make cells not hold glucose. the body feels it starving and begins to consume all the stored muscles and leads to weight loss. The weight loss can occur anywhere between 3-4.5 kg in one month, which is not healthy. It will also cause frequent urination as the body use blood faster.
How Diabetes Impact Weight?
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Although diabetes is often linked with being overweight, especially type 2 diabetes, it is a myth that everyone with diabetes has more body mass index (BMI). Some people find it difficult to gain weight. Unintentional or unexplained weight loss can a sign of undiagnosed diabetes.
Problem with weight management occurs because of insulin, a hormone created by the pancreas. People suffering from diabetes are not able to use or create enough insulin to send extra sugar out of their blood and in the cell, where it can be utilized as energy. It can lead to burning existing fat and muscle tissue in the body to supply energy to the cell.
If your sugar levels are abnormal, then your body will continually use its stored fat and lead to weight loss.
What You Can Do
Diabetes food plans are often helping people losing weight, rather than gain, weight. It can make it difficult to figure out how to increase weight healthily.
Before trying the tips given below, take your doctor or health expert advice. They can help to provide the right diet and exercise and answer your questions.
You can follow an app that helps to monitor your diabetes. Look for an app that tracks BMI and blood sugar.
Some Options Include:
GlucOracle
This glucose predicting app uses crowdsourcing to examine the estimated amount of protein, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, and calories in each of your meals. It also shows what your glucose level will come after eating.
SuperTracker
This app helps to provide weight by providing complete nutritional details on above 8,000 food items. It also tracks your nutritional diet, targets, and activity level against the goals.
Determine your ideal weight
It is necessary to know what your present weight is, as well as learn how much weight you need to gain. Setting weekly gain aim can help you determine your progress.
You should also know the right BMI, for your height and frame. Switching your weight and height into a BMI calculator can help to get an idea of how much weight should be. Your dietitian or doctor can offer you more specific information about ideal weight. They can also help to determine what your everyday caloric consumption should be.
How To Gain Weight While Suffering From Diabetes?
While many people diagnosed with diabetes need to check their diet and everyday food consumption manage their right body weight. Others can take insulin injections to manage weight loss problems. However, there are different diabetic weight gain supplements available that are now available to people with diabetes to manage body weight. It is necessary to avoid candies, doughnuts, and confectionery things. They will cause to raise blood sugar levels and can create complications in the body.
Eat Multiple Small Meals
As the body is not able to store what a person with diabetes eats. It is necessary to feed the body continuously by eating many small meals in a day. It is also necessary to choose healthy food. Stop more sugary and oily foods and take a high glycemic index.
Replace your bigger meals with six meals in a day to improve your calorie consumption. The trick is to consume healthy food every three hours before the body starts fat burning from storage for energy.
Getting used to this eating habit need some practice, as well as planning.
It does not mean giving up on dinner with family or not socializing for lunch. But it does mean watching out your eatings and foods as calorie-dense and nutrient-dense as possible.
Meal planning always helps for a whole week. Your meal should contain the following foods.
Lean Protein
Protein is an important macronutrient to get energy along with fat and carbohydrate. It helps the body to produce new tissue, therefore helping to develop muscles and restore the damage in the body. protein is also a component of each cell of the body and makes up nearly a sixth of body weight.
Blood glucose and Protein
Protein can be divided by the body into glucose and utilized for energy, a technique called gluconeogenesis. Protein division into glucose can be checked whether you eat a meal with low carbs. High carbohydrates cause elevated blood glucose. It is necessary to monitor your sugar level with special nourishments including high protein.
How Much Protein Should You Eat?
The UK-Food-Standards-Agency has a sliding scale for suggested protein consumption, varying by age:
- 1 – 3 years: 15g
- 4 – 6 years: 20g
- 7 – 10 years: 28g
- 11 – 14 years: 42g
- 15 – 18 years: 55g
- 19 – 50 years: 55g
- Over 50 years: 53g
Some diets like the Zone diet, promote eating an amount of protein in balance to lean body mass.
Can Protein Unhealthy For You?
Various studies have found there is a link between consumption of red meat and the risk of type-2 diabetes and cancers including liver, bowel, and lung cancer. The studies discovered that if people were eating processed red meat the chance of increasing this illness was higher.
Having a specific extra protein in the diet, particularly in combination with alcohol, could potentially cause gout. Although red meat has been connected to health risks, still it is advised to choose fresh meat over-processed.
Kidney Damage And Protein
Kidney damage is a complication that happened in 40% of people with diabetes. Impairment of kidney in diabetes can be noticed by the ketones test, which shows proteins present in the urine of a patient with diabetes. Somebody with diabetes is in danger of kidney loss and is advised to reduce protein consumption.
Best Foods Comprising Protein
Lean meats are found available in skinless chicken and turkey, which is approved for a diabetic diet.
Lean meats options are good options for diabetes sufferers, who should avoid trans and saturated fats. These harmful fats can increase the risk of heart difficulties and cholesterol.
Healthy Meat Options
Lean meats include some cuts of chicken, beef, and pork can be suitable options for diabetic people. People with diabetes should take lean meats to reduce their intake of unhealthy fats.
Here are the divisions show nutrients for a one-ounce serving of meat. All portions consist of 7-gm of protein.
Very Lean Meat
Very lean meat provides one gm of fat and 35 calories every serving. The National-Institutes-of-Health of-(NIH) lists only chicken breast or turkey without skin as being lean.
Lean Meat
Lean meat provides 3-g of fat and 55 calories. These meats include:
Some beef cuts, such as flank steak, sirloin, chipped beef, tenderloin.
Lean Pork, such as cured, canned, fresh, Canadian bacon, boiled ham, and tenderloin.
Poultry, including turkey, chicken, and Cornish hen.
Wild game, such as rabbit, and venison, pheasant, and duck.
It is essential to note that certain meats like chipped beef and Canadian bacon provide higher sodium content of 400 mg or more every serving.
Meats To Consume In Moderation
Some meats are less healthy than the lean meat options but maybe good for moderate consumption.
Medium fat meat
Medium fat meat consists of 5 grams fat and 75 calories per 1-oz serving. People should consume smaller options of medium-fat meat or add them to the diet occasionally. Medium fat meat includes:
- Chuck steak, ground beef, and T-bone steak
- Loin roast, pork chops, and cutlets
- Roasted lamb and lamb chops and leg
- Veal cutlets, either cubed or ground and unbreaded
- Ground turkey, poultry with skin, and domestic goose or duck
- Heart, liver, kidney, and sweetbreads
- 86% fat less luncheon meat (contain high sodium)
Meats To Avoid
People with diabetes should not eat processed and high-fat meat. High-fat meat consists of 8g of fat and 100-calories every 1-oz serving. Meat to skip include:
Prime cuts of beef like ribs
Pork products like ground pork, spareribs, and sausages.
Lamb patties prepared from ground lamb
Processed meats such as salami, sausages, hot dogs, frankfurter, luncheon meat, and corned beef.
How Much Meat Is Enough To Eat In A Day?
The amount of meat that people should consume every day varies depending on individual factors, such as age, activity levels, and body size. Experts say that someone consuming a 2,000 calorie everyday diet should consume 50gm of protein and lower than 10% of calories from saturated fat.
According to the Food-and-Drug-Administration-(FDA), people should choose different protein foods and substitute some poultry and meat with plant-based and fish sources.
Can Eating More Meat Causes Diabetes?
The EPIC-InterAct study discovered a link between mean consumption and type-2 diabetes. The researchers followed more than 340, 000 adults in eight European countries for over 11-years. They confirmed a higher risk among individuals with a higher meat-eating, particularly of processed and red meat.
In another large study of more than 63,000 Chinese adults, researchers discovered a higher risk of type-2 diabetes in people who consumed red meat and those who consumed poultry with higher heme iron content.
These studies recommend the importance of a healthy diet in diabetes management.
Alternatives To Meat
Individuals with diabetes can substitute some of the meat in their diet with the below alternatives.
Fish
The American-Diabetes-Association, suggests that people include fish in their diet at least two times a week.
Fish type to include:
Fish with high omega-3 fatty acids like Albacore tuna, salmon, herring, mackerel, rainbow trout, and sardines.
Shellfish like lobster, crab, scallops, clams, and oysters.
Eat Foods High In Healthful Poly And Monounsaturated Fats
Choose heart-healthy fats such as sunflower seed oil. Including a portion of healthy fat in each meal can help to gain a healthy weight. Here are the essential foods:
Avocado
Avocados provide less than one gram of sugar, some carbohydrates, healthy fats, and high fiber, which will not increase blood sugar levels.
Eating avocado is linked with improved diet quality and lower body mass index and unhealthy weight(Source).
It makes them an ideal snack for patients with diabetes, especially as obesity raises the chances of increasing diabetes.
Virgin Olive Oil
Virgin olive oil is very useful for heart health. It consists of oleic acid, which is a type of monounsaturated fat that helps to improve glycemic management, lower fasting, and a triglyceride level post-meal. It also has good antioxidant properties. This fat source is important because people with diabetes may find it difficult to manage blood sugar levels and high triglyceride levels.
Oleic acid may also activate the completion hormone GLP-1. In a large study of 32 studies looking at distinctive types of fat, olive oil was the only one to find less heart disease risk.
Olive oil also consists of antioxidants called polyphenols. It serves to lower inflammation, save cells lining in blood vessels, control bad cholesterol that happened from oxidation, and lower blood pressure.
Extra virgin olive oil is unrefined, so it holds antioxidants and other essential properties to make it healthy. Make sure to take extra virgin olive oil from a reputable source, as many olive oils contain cheaper oil like soy and corn (Source).
Leafy Greens
Leafy green vegetables are very nutritious and provide low calories to gain weight in diabetic people. They also contain low carbs, which are absorbed in the body and do not affect blood sugar levels.
Kale, spinach, and other leafy greens are the best source of minerals and vitamins like vitamin C. Some proof evidence suggests that people with diabetes provide low vitamin C levels than people without diabetes and may have high vitamin C requirements. Vitamin C works as antioxidant and anti-inflammatory qualities.
Increasing dietary consumption of vitamin C foods helps diabetes and lower cellular damage and inflammation. Additionally, leafy greens are the best source of zeaxanthin and antioxidant lutein.
These antioxidants help to protect the eyes from cataracts and macular degeneration, which are common complications in diabetes.
Eggs
Eggs are also good for gaining weight while suffering from diabetes. They are one of the best food for keeping you fully satisfied between meals. Regular egg consumption may also lower the risk of heart disease in many ways.
Eggs lower inflammation, enhance insulin sensitivity, and good cholesterol.
According to a study of 2019, consuming a high fat, and low carb breakfast with egg help to manage the blood sugar levels of diabetic patients.
Older research has connected egg consumption with heart disease and diabetes. But a recent review of controlled studies discovered that consumption of 6-12 eggs every week as part of a nutrition-rich diet did not raise heart disease risk factors in people with diabetes.
Chia Seeds
Chia seeds are the best food for people with diabetes. They contain high fiber with low carbs. 11 out of 12 gm carbs present in 28 gm serving of chia seeds are fiber, which does not increase blood sugar. The viscous fiber present in chia seeds can lower blood sugar by slowing down the rate at which food moves from your gut and is absorbed (Source).
Chia seeds may help to get a healthy weight because fiber lowers hunger and keep you full. Chia seeds may also benefit to maintain glycemic management in people with diabetes.
According to a study involving 77 adults with overweight or obesity and diagnosed with type-2 diabetes shown that chia seed consumption help in weight loss and manage glycemic control.
Beans
Beans are affordable, nutritious, and super healthy. It is a type of legume-rich vitamin B helpful mineral magnesium, potassium, and calcium, and fiber. They also provide a low glycemic index, which is essential for managing diabetes. Beans help to prevent diabetes. During a study involving more than 3,000 people at high risk for heart ailments, those who had more consumption of legumes had a 35% of lowered chance of increasing type-2 diabetes.
Greek Yogurt
Greek yogurt is the best dairy food for healthy weight gain in diabetic people. Some research recommends that consuming dairy products like yogurt may increase blood sugar and lower heart disease risk factors, perhaps partly because of probiotics. Studies show that yogurt consumption may be linked with low insulin resistance and blood glucose. Additionally, yogurt may manage the diabetes risk.
According to a long-term study of health data from 100,000 participants got that an everyday serving of yogurt was connected to an 18% of lower risk of increasing type-2 diabetes.
The high levels of protein, calcium, and special fat called CLA-conjugated linolic acid present in yogurt help to lower appetite and unhealthy food cravings.
Nuts
Nuts are nutritious and delicious. It provides plenty of fiber and low net carbs. Here are nuts to add to the diabetic diet to increase weight.
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Brazil nuts
- Hazelnuts
- Cashews
- Macadamia
- Pecans
- Pistachios
Research on different nuts has shown that regular consumption may lower inflammation and reduce blood sugar. It also promotes good cholesterol levels. Eating nuts helps to increase heart health.
According to a study of 2019 above 16,000 participants with type-2 diabetes discovered that consuming tree nuts like almonds, walnuts, hazelnuts, and pistachio help to lower heart disease risk.
Research also shows that nuts can promote blood glucose levels. According to a study of type-2 diabetes, consuming walnut oil every day increases blood glucose levels(Source).
Broccoli
Broccoli is another nutritious vegetable for weight gain while suffering from diabetes. A 1/2 cup of cooked broccoli provides 27 calories and 3-gm of digestible carbs along with essential nutrients like magnesium and vitamin C.
It also protects against the damage of cellular, which can increase with age. Broccoli may also help to promote blood sugar levels.
According to another study, eating broccoli sprouts provide a 10% reduction in blood glucose in a patient with diabetes. This reduction of blood glucose level is because of sulforaphane, which is a chemical present in cruciferous vegetables like broccoli sprouts.
Additionally, broccoli provides zeaxanthin and lutein. These essential antioxidants help to prevent eye problems.
Flaxseeds
Flaxseeds are super healthy and provide omega-3, plant compounds, and fiber. The content of insoluble fiber content lignans, which may benefit to lower heart disease risk and promote blood sugar.
According to a review examined 25 randomized clinical trials found a notable link between whole flaxseed supplementation and a lowered in blood glucose. It also helps to reduce blood pressure. A study involving people with prediabetes discovered that everyday consumption of flaxseed powder reduced blood pressure, but it did not enhance insulin resistance and glycemic management.
More research is also required to find how flaxseed can help to manage diabetes.
But overall, flaxseed is helpful for gut and heart health. Another study recommended that flaxseed may benefit to lower risk of stroke caused to lower medication dosage needed to stop blood clots.
Additionally, flaxseeds contain high fiber, which increases gut health, fullness feeling, and insulin sensitivity. Your body can not absorb whole flaxseeds, so you can use ground seeds or grind them.
Strawberries
Strawberries are one of the nutritious fruits. They provide antioxidants called anthocyanins, which provide red color. Anthocyanins have been shown to lower cholesterol and insulin levels after a meal.
Anthocyanins have been shown to lower insulin levels and cholesterol after a meal. They also increase blood sugar and heart problem risk factors for people with type-2 diabetes.
Strawberries also consist of polyphenols, which are helpful plant compounds with antioxidants.
A 2017 study shows that 6-week eating of polyphenols from cranberries and strawberries improved the insulin sensitivity in adults with obesity and overweight who did not have diabetes. It is important because low insulin sensitivity can lead to blood sugar levels becoming high.
One cup serving of strawberries consists of about 46-calories and 11-grams of carbs, 3 of which are fiber.
Garlic
For its small size. and low count of calorie, garlic is more nutritious. One clove of 3-grams of raw garlic, which is roughly 4-calories, consist of:
- Vitamin B6 (2% of the DV)
- Selenium: (1% of the DV)
- Manganese: (2% of the Daily Value)
- Vitamin C: (1% of the DV)
- Fiber: (0.06 grams)
Research shows that garlic helps to increase blood glucose management and regulate cholesterol. Although much research that determines garlic is a proven healthy choice for people living with diabetes including the abnormal dietary quantity of garlic, the meta-analysis cited over only added serving from .05–1.5 grams.
For example, one clove of garlic provides 3-grams.
Research also shows that garlic can benefit to lower blood pressure and manage cholesterol levels.
Squash
Add squash to diabetic diet for weight gain. It is a dense, filling food that provides low calories and a low glycemic index. Winter varieties have a solid shell and add pumpkin, acorn, and butternut. Summer squash has a smooth peel that can be consumed. The most common types are Italian squash and zucchini. Like other vegetables, squash consists of beneficial antioxidants. It also has low sugar than sweet potatoes, which makes it a good alternative.
Research shows that pumpkin polysaccharides boost insulin tolerance and lowered serum glucose levels in rats. Research also shows that pumpkin seeds can improve glycemic management.