Or try new flavours. “Many people find that they can enjoy certain teas without sugar, like Japanese green tea, or herbal or floral teas. These types of tea, especially higher qualities ones, often have rich, complex flavours that might make you crave less sugar.”
Drinking fewer cups of sweetened coffee or tea can also help. “Consider switching out one or two cups a day,” said Yan Lin. Or flavour your morning cuppa with a slice of lemon, ginger or even a small amount of milk to make it taste better and reduce the need for sugar, she suggested.
ARE HIGH-FAT FOODS BETTER THAN HIGH-CARB FOODS FOR DIABETICS BECAUSE THEY DON’T RAISE BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS?
Fat seems like a double-edged sword for diabetics. On one hand, they slow down the rise of blood sugar levels. At the same time, fat can also lead to weight gain, which is something many diabetics have to watch.
“As a general guideline, fats should make up about 25 per cent to 30 per cent of your total daily calories,” said Dr Tan.
His tips: Aim for healthy fat sources – cholesterol- and heart disease-reducing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats – such as oil from olive, canola, peanut and soybean; most nuts (almonds, cashew nuts and hazelnuts); seeds (sunflower seeds and sesame seeds); and avocados. You can’t go wrong with oily fish such as salmon, sardine and Spanish mackerel either, he said.
“Try to limit saturated fats found in butter, lard, ghee, the fat and skin on meat, palm-based vegetable oil, and the trans fat found in fried food and baked goods, including pastries, cakes, cookies and biscuits,” said Dr Tan.
