Diabetic Diet Information
A diabetic diet doesn't have to be based on a complicated meal plan. A meal plan for a diabetic is based on choosing a variety of healthy foods in moderate amounts. Diabetics should eat approximately the same amount of food at the same time each day to help keep blood sugar levels stable.
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The Facts
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The most important aspect of a diabetic diet is consistency. Whenever possible, choose vegetables, fruit and whole grains. Plan your menu around foods that are naturally rich in nutrients and low in fat and calories. Excess fat and calories result in a rise in blood sugar. Watch serving sizes, and eat about the same amount of carbohydrates and calories each day.
Food Choices
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According to the American Diabetes Association, the easiest way to choose your foods for a meal is to divide your plate in half. Then divide one of the halves in half. Half of your plate should contain non-starchy vegetables such as lettuce, mushrooms, spinach, carrots, green beans, broccoli, cucumbers or tomatoes. One of the smaller portions of the plate should contain starchy foods such as whole grain bread, cereal, rice, potatoes or pasta. The other small portion should contain meat such as chicken, turkey, fish or lean red meat.
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Carbohydrates
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One way to help manage your blood glucose levels is by counting carbohydrates. Foods that contain carbohydrates raise blood sugar, which is a concern for diabetics. Read food labels and pay attention to how many carbohydrates you eat. Foods that contain carbohydrates include bread, cereal, fruit, juice and starchy vegetables such as potatoes. Sweets such as candy and soda also contain carbohydrates and raise blood glucose quickly. Learn more about carbohydrate counting from the American Diabetes Association (see Resources).
Fats
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It's more important to pay attention to what type of fat you're eating than it is to count total fat grams. Avoid unhealthy fats such as saturated fats and trans fats. Certain fats are considered "healthy fats." These include monounsaturated, polyunsaturated and omega-3 fats. Learn more about fat and diabetes from the American Diabetes Association (see Resources).
Monitor Blood Glucose
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Planning a diabetic diet should be based on choosing healthy foods in moderate portions. The goal is to keep blood sugar under control. Be sure to monitor blood sugar and pay attention to how your diet choices are affecting your readings. Diabetes is a balancing act, and blood glucose readings will fluctuate. But the more you keep blood glucose in the target range recommended by your doctor, the greater your chances of avoiding the serious complications of diabetes.
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References
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