Tuna is known for being a low calorie food that is good for your diabetes and blood sugar control. It is a good source of protein, Vitamin D and Omega 3 fatty acids, as well as other important nutrients.
How Does Tuna Help in Blood Sugar Control?
You do not have to worry about increasing your blood sugar level when eating tuna since it does not have a lot of carbohydrates. A three-ounce serving of boiled or baked tuna contains only around 0.3 grams of carbohydrates. Similar serving of canned tuna does not contain a lot of carbohydrates too.
Many diabetes patients also struggle with an elevated level of cholesterol. Tuna is a good choice for you because it is low in saturated fats and cholesterol. It also contains healthy omega 3 fatty acids which helps improve vascular health by reducing bad cholestrol and blood pressure.
The Right Way to Eat Tuna when You Have Diabetes
However, the more popular way of eating tuna, which is in mayonnaise, can increase the carbohydrates and fat content of your tuna drastically. Avoid using canned tuna in mayonnaise when possible. Instead, you should prepare your own tuna salad with healthier alternatives to mayonnaise. When preparing a tuna salad, consider using mayonnaise made from tofu. It contains about half the amount of calories and fats as compared to regular mayonnaise. You can also use greek yogurt or avocado as an alternative to mayonnaise.
The best way to eat tuna is of course using fresh tuna and having it boiled, steamed or baked. You can also pan fry tuna in olive oil. On the other hand, canned tuna is not necessarily bad. When choosing canned tuna, opt for tuna in water or olive oil instead of brine or mayonnaise.
One of The Best Source of Lean Protein for Diabetes
Watching your weight is very important if you are diabetic. The best source of lean protein is tuna as it provides the building blocks necessary to maintain your body system without consuming excessive amount of calories. A three-ounce of tuna is enough to provide you with up to 25 grams of high quality protein, essential for building muscle and weight loss.
