Diabetes is a leading cause of death and disability in the United States. With proper diet and exercise, type 2 diabetes can often be prevented. Diabetes doesn’t have to be debilitating. People with diabetes and prediabetes can lead happy, fulfilled lives by making lifestyle changes.
One lifestyle change is to increase your consumption of seafood and fish two to three times per week. This recommendation is supported by The American Diabetic Association and the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. We could all benefit from some education about why seafood and fish should be eaten more often, as only one in 10 Americans eat seafood.
How Can Seafood and Fish Be Beneficial to Someone With Diabetes?
Let’s look at the facts.
Fish and seafood are good sources of Omega-3s. They can help lower your risk of heart attack and other side effects. Diabetes has a higher risk of stroke or heart attack than the average person. Diabetes can make it twice as likely that you will have a stroke or heart attack. People with diabetes need to take extra care of their arteries and eat the right foods. Fish and seafood are naturally low in harmful fats like trans fats or saturated fats. These fats clog our arteries and prevent blood flow to the heart and brain. Omega-3s are also known to increase HDL cholesterol levels, which is the type of cholesterol that helps eliminate bad cholesterol.
Fish and seafood are naturally lower in carbohydrate. Carbohydrates make up a large part of our diet. They can be broken down into glucose, which is used to provide energy. Diabetes is when a person’s body can no longer use the sugar (or glucose) that they get from the foods they eat. This means that a person will need to drastically reduce their intake of carbohydrates. Fish and seafood have very little carbohydrate, so there is plenty of room for other foods. Any seafood or fish recipe with a breading is an exception. This would add carbohydrate to your dish.
Fish and seafood are excellent sources of protein. It helps to repair and build muscle. The body can also convert protein into glucose, which is used to provide energy. Consuming protein in a balanced meal can help stabilize blood sugar levels. Protein slows down carbohydrate absorption so that glucose spikes can be minimized.
When it comes to increasing the amount of seafood and fish in our diets, many people think about salmon. Other fish that we should include in our meal rotation include herring, mackerel and trout.
This article was written by the owner of Cap’s Steamer Bar & Grille. Cap’s is one of the best seafood in ST Petersburg FL,that serves Florida Seafood with a Bahamian Influence. Cap’s Steamer Bar & Grill is St.Pete’s destination for the freshest seafood featuring a stunning Raw Bar, table-side steamer bar, and gourmet comfort classics with a modern Americana flare.
