How Much Carbohydrate for Diabetic Diet

A Guide to Mealplanning for People With Diabetes

If you're diabetic or live with someone who is, you know that diabetics have to carefully think about the foods they eat. The best diet plan for diabetics is the one that effectively helps the individual control blood sugar levels and manage weight. As you choose a meal plan, look for one that emphasizes healthy foods and fits your lifestyle and medical needs.

Why Meal Planning Is Important for Diabetics

Meal planning is important for all diabetics because it's one way they manage their condition. They have to manage the foods they eat as well as the timing to prevent spikes and drops in their blood sugar levels. Controlling blood sugar levels reduces the risk of diabetes complications like nerve, kidney and heart damage.

A balanced diabetic meal plan helps people manage their weight, which also helps diabetics control their blood sugar levels. Even if you're not diabetic, you can benefit from it. Eating the right balance of carbohydrates, protein and fat helps you avoid eating too many calories. This actually can help reduce your risk of developing diabetes later in life.

Basics of Meal Planning for Diabetics

A basic diabetic meal plan is built around three meals a day consumed at regular intervals. This improves the body's ability to use insulin, which helps control blood sugar. These meals contain low-fat dairy products, heart-healthy fish, good fats and healthy carbohydrates. These carbohydrates have a high fiber content that affects the way the body processes the starch.

Recommended food include plenty of low-starch vegetables like spinach, broccoli and tomatoes. Carbohydrates, such as fruits, whole grains and starchy vegetables are also part of the meal plan, but they may need to be eaten in moderation depending on how they affect blood sugar levels. Fish like cod, tuna, halibut, sardines and salmon along with avocados, nuts and olive oil are also beneficial.

Types of Meal Plans for Diabetics

There are several ways to approach meal planning for diabetics. The American Diabetes Association promotes the Create Your Plate method and offers a tool on its website to help patients use it. To use this method, practice filling half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables. Fill one-quarter of the plate with a protein and the remaining quarter of the plate with a carbohydrate. Complete the meal with a serving of dairy or fruit and an unsweetened drink.

Other options emphasize specific types of foods. Some diabetics count their carbohydrate intake each day. To do this, they choose the foods they eat based on the total number of carbohydrates in them and how much insulin they need to take after the meal. Others use the glycemic index, which indicates the way specific foods affect blood sugar levels. Diabetics may also use an exchange list, which categorizes food into lists. They build meals by choosing items from the list that fit a meal plan designed by a doctor or registered dietician.

Foods to Include

A weekly diabetic meal plan should include an assortment of nutrient-rich foods. Eat plenty of superfoods, such as beans, leafy green vegetables, citrus fruit, sweet potatoes, berries, nuts, whole grains, milk and yogurt. Other fruits and vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, mushrooms and apples, are also good choices. Lean meat is allowed in moderation.

Foods to Avoid

Examples of diabetic meal plans leave out certain foods that can negatively affect blood sugar levels. This includes beverages with high sugar content like sodas, juice and sweet tea. Breakfast meals for diabetics should avoid sugar-sweetened cereal, fruit-flavored yogurt and maple syrup. Other foods to avoid are dried fruit, pre-packaged snack food and items cooked with trans fats.

Sample Menu for Diabetics

The Mayo Clinic offers the following sample menu for diabetics. Breakfast includes whole-wheat bread with jelly, shredded wheat cereal with low-fat milk, fruit and coffee. Lunch consists of pita bread stuffed with cheese and vegetables, an apple with almond butter and water. Dinner starts with salmon cooked in a small amount of vegetable oil. A baked potato, carrots and side salad round out the meal. This menu also has a snack of popcorn or piece of fruit with low-fat cottage cheese.

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How Much Carbohydrate for Diabetic Diet

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