Essential vitamins for diabetic patients

Diabetes is a lifestyle disorder. Even experts would agree. But an unhealthy lifestyle isn’t the only thing that is causing it. Diabetes comes into play along with hereditary factors, bad nutritional habits, and an unhealthy lifestyle. A study published in the Journal of Diabetes Nursing says a healthy, balanced diet is necessary for the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes. Of course, this goes hand in hand with maintaining a healthy weight and physical activity.
A balanced diet should include all the vital nutrients along with the essential vitamins. Vitamins play a crucial role in regulating blood sugar. But what’s good is that they can be easily incorporated into a diet with some common food items. Here, we reveal the role of various vitamins that are beneficial for diabetes patients along with the foods that we can get them from.
Vitamin C
According to certain studies, intake of vitamin C can reduce the occurrence of diabetic retinopathy by almost 50 percent. It also reduces oxidative stress and offers protection from inflammatory conditions. Regular intake of this vitamin also decreases the risk of this disease. Researchers from the University of Oklahoma found that if insulin was used to control blood sugar along with Vitamin C, it stopped blood vessel damage.
Vitamin E
This is a lipid-soluble antioxidant. It protects your membranes by inhibiting lipid peroxidation. However, if you take it in high doses, vitamin E can be fatal. However, moderate consumption of vitamin E can reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases in diabetes patients. Researchers of the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology found that regular intake of this vitamin in recommended doses can bring down the risk of heart attack by almost 43 percent.
Vitamin B3
This is a naturally occurring vitamin that lowers cholesterol levels and triglycerides by inhibiting their synthesis while raising high-density lipoprotein cholesterol. It also reduces the risk of heart diseases in diabetic patients. Vitamin B3 can lower blood sugar levels, reduce fatty liver and prevent peripheral nerve damage as well
Vitamin D
This is a fat-soluble vitamin and you can take it in by exposing yourself to the ultraviolet rays of the sun. A deficiency in this vitamin affects glucose metabolism. It affects the functions of your beta cells and increases insulin resistance and glucose intolerance. Both these conditions can increase your blood sugar levels.