Nigerian foods for Diabetics – Healthy Foods for Diabetic Patients in Nigeria | Healthy Diabetic Diet | High Blood Sugar Food List | List of foods that lower blood sugar | Diabetes food list

Diabetes, commonly known as diabetes mellitus, is indeed a long-term illness that produces excessive blood sugar levels.

Basically, this happens when insulin production is deficient and body cells do not react correctly to insulin. The common symptoms are frequent urination, extreme thirst and hunger, numbness in both hands and feet, unintended weight loss, tiredness,  and male sexual dysfunction.

For diabetes mellitus prevention, a well selected diet including the necessary components for balanced nutrients in suitable proportions is essential. Carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals, fats and oils, and water make up a well-balanced diet.

Diabetes, heart disease, obesity, and cancer are all linked to refined sugars. Insulin resistance and high serum triglyceride levels are risk factors for diabetes and heart disease, therefore a diet high in high-glycemic-index foods might hypothetically lead to them.

 

Types of Diabetes – Diabetes is classified into several types

Type 1 diabetes is characterized by the body’s inability to produce insulin.

Type 2 Diabetes is characterized by the body’s inability to generate an appropriate quantity of insulin for normal function.

Gestational Diabetes is another condition that affects women during pregnancy.

Being diabetes does not limit you to eating boring or bland dishes because there are many nutritious, exciting meals that are less likely to raise blood sugar levels.

What should a diabetic Nigerian eat? What Nigerian foods should people with diabetes milletus avoid?

The primary issue with being diabetic is figuring out which foods to eat together. Our diets are high in sugar or starch for a Nigerian or African diabetic person. However, to search for Nigerian foods that are sugar-free or low-sugar might be difficult, if not perplexing.

The healthiest diabetic foods are usually whole grains, unprocessed foods like legumes, fruits, and vegetables.

Similarly, excess sugar is burned and cells become more responsive as a result of exercise.

Exercise also helps to maintain a healthy level of body fat and avoid obesity, which is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

Healthy Foods for Diabetic Patients in Nigeria

Blood sugar levels can be raised by both starchy carbs and sugary food. However, in the correct doses, these foods can contribute to a well-balanced diet. Many factors, along with a person’s activity level might influence how healthy the person will be.

 

Low Carbohydrate Meals – Nigerian Foods for Diabetic Patients

• Unripe plantain porridge
• Boiled potatoes with sauce
• Ukwa food -Bread Fruit
• Acha Jollof – Fonio grain
• Okpa di Oku – Soya Beans moi moi
• Moi – Moi
• Ofada rice and Iru stew with vegetables
• Beans and plantain porridge
• Unripe Plantain with tomato egg sauce
• Brown basmati rice and stew
• Boiled plantain with vegetable stew
• Roasted unripe plantain with fish sauce
• Brown basmati coconut rice with Salad
• Brown basmati fried rice
• Jollof basmati rice with coleslaw
• Boiled plantain with vegetable egg sauce.
• Beans and wheat bread.
• Ewa agoyin (Beans)
• Agidi (Eko) and fish pepper soup or stew.
• Brown beans and guinea corn meal (Ewa Adalu)
• Plenty of Vegetables, Ugu, Spinach, Water leaves

Eat rice but in very small amount with plenty of vegetables or beans

 

Nigerian Soups – Healthy Nigerian Foods for Diabetic Patients

• Bitter leaf soup Ofe Onugbu- is perfect for diabetics, aids in the reduction of blood sugar levels.
• Vegetable soup – Edikang Ikong
• Miyan karkashi – Miyan danyen karkashi
• Okra soup
• Efo riro soup
• Miyan Kuka
• Ogbono soup
• Afang soup
• Ewedu
• Black soup (Edo Black soup)
• Fisherman soup – (Rivers native soup)
• Oha soup
• Utazi and Uziza soup

 

Staple Swallow Foods – Nigerian Foods for Diabetic Patients

• Oat swallow fufu
• Wheat swallow
• Guinea cornmeal fufu -Nni oka
• Unripe plantain fufu
• Tuwo masara
• Potato Fufu
• Tigernut Fufu (Swallow)
• Cabbage Fufu
• Eggplant Fufu

 

Healthy Stew or Sauce – Nigerian Foods for Diabetic Patients

• Tomato stew
• Carrot stew
• Garden egg sauce
• Chicken sauce
• Ugba and palm oil sauce
• Cabbage Shrimp sauce
• Fish sauce or stew

 

Simple Breakfast Food – Nigerian Foods for Diabetic Patients

• Oats (Oats and Akara)
• Waina – Masa
• Akara – (Akara balls and Ogi)
• Pap/Ogi / Akamu – Ogi Baba (Mio moi and Ogi)
• Tom brown cereal
• Toast wheat bread and chicken with Tea (Green Tea)
• Falafel -Falafel balls
• Healthy oats pancakes
• Steam Eggs or Boiled Eggs (2pcs)

 

Comfort foods – Nigerian Foods for Diabetic Patients

• Fish pepper soup
• Chicken pepper soup
• Gizzard pepper soup or Peppered Gizzard
• Isi ewu and Utazi
• Nkwobi with Utazi leaf
• Cow leg pepper soup
• Liver sauce
• Peppered snail
• Peppered Kpomo/ Pomo/Ponmo -Cow skin
• Peppered fish

 

Healthy snacks – Nigerian Foods for Diabetic Patients

• Tofu (Soybeans)
• Cashew nuts
• Almond nuts
• Coconuts
• Boiled groundnuts
• Tiger nuts
• Unripe plantain chips
• Roasted Ukwa (Bread fruits)
• Boiled or roasted corn with pear

 

Healthy drinks and Beverages – Healthy Foods for Diabetic Patients in Nigeria

• Soyabean milk
• Millet kunu
• Zobo drink no sugar
• Tiger nut milk
• Unsweetened yogurt
• Amstel malt – because of its low sugar (moderate qty) please avoid other malt drinks.
• Fura da nono without sugar

 

Fruits – Healthy Foods for Diabetic Patients in Nigeria

• Take oranges
• Eat apples
• Eat mango
• Garden eggs with peanut butter
• Carrots
• Avocado pear
• Cucumber
• Udara/Agbalumo -African star apple
• Pear
• Watermelon
• Guava
• Pawpaw
• Eat small bananas (1)

 

What Foods to avoid – Diabetic foods to avoid with high blood sugar

• Avoid red meat – cow meat
• White rice
• White bread
• Pasta
• Fried foods
• Sugary or sweetened beverages
• Canned foods
• Soft drinks
• Eba food
• Sugar cane
• Sharwama
• Pounded yam
• Fufu – Akpu

Medical Advice to Diabetic Patients

Regularly check your blood sugar levels it helps you figure out how much sugar is in your blood.

A1c blood tests can be obtained from your hospital or doctor to determine your average blood sugar levels over the past 2 to 3 months.

Keep track of your carbohydrate intake. You may simply accomplish this by keeping a record of everything you eat.

Similarly, excess sugar is burned and cells become more responsive as a result of exercise.

Exercise also helps to maintain a healthy level of body fat and avoid obesity, which is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes.

 

Remarks

By limiting certain foods and substituting some, patients should have balanced meals and enjoy his or her native foods, resulting in improved blood glucose levels.

Diabetic persons should consume more of a protein diet, fruits, and vegetables, and maintain a low-carb diet.