Type 2 diabetes is largely a lifestyle disease that can be prevented by making healthy lifestyle choices. The condition is mainly caused by leading a sedentary lifestyle and consuming lots of calories. While exercise is a great way of reducing your chances of suffering diabetes, the diet you observe also plays a key role in the prevention of the condition. In order to keep the disease at bay therefore, you need to come up with a proper dietary plan. You may choose to either contact a dietitian for a professional opinion or plan a diet all by yourself, either way, the right diet will go a long way in preventing Type 2 diabetes.

A common mistake that most of those going on a diabetes prevention diet plan usually make, is focusing on the foods they should avoid. Although it helps to know which foods you shouldn’t consume, focusing on this information may make the whole diet thing seem impossible. What you need to pay more attention to is the food you need to include on your diet and how they will help prevent diabetes. Below are some of the common foods that have been proven to have an action against the condition.

Dairy

Studies show that a combination of Vitamin D and calcium is suppresses diabetes quite considerably. Low fat dairy products are a rich source of these nutrients. While there are other food products that offer these nutrients, dairy products are still among the best sources. You should therefore make an effort of adding dairy products such as cottage cheese, yoghurt and milk to your diet. You should however avoid regular dairy products as they have high levels of saturated fats. Rather than drinking soda and other sugary soft drinks or juices, you should opt for milk or yoghurt. When making oatmeal or other thick soups, you should also use milk.

Beans

Research indicate that consumption of beans is a great way of preventing diabetes. They are a great source of calcium with a half a cup of white beans containing approximately 100mg of calcium. Calcium is effective in the prevention of diabetes since it helps in the burning of body fat. Besides lowering cholesterol, beans also help in steadying blood sugar levels. The fact that beans is high in fiber is also great news for those trying to prevent diabetes. Fiber makes you feel full for long and prevents you from consuming more calories. Being a rich source of proteins and low in saturated fats, beans are a great alternative to unhealthy protein sources such as red meat.

Salmon and Tuna

Improving insulin resistance is a great way of preventing diabetes. Omega – 3 fatty acids helps in achieving this and there is plenty of it in Salmon. These fats also boost cardiac health and reduce inflammation. Tuna is another rich source of Omega 3 and has plenty of Vitamin – D too. It is however recommendable to take very little quantities of tuna as it may be high in mercury content.

Some of the other foods that you should include in your diet are

• Oats
• Barley
• Berries
• Dates
• Greens
• Lentils
• Flaxseed
• Walnuts