Foods for Weight Loss & Diabetes Management

Losing weight is often important for people with diabetes. For people with diabetes, losing weight can help you lower blood glucose levels, blood pressure and cholesterol levels, helping you better manage your diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association.

Carbohydrates and Portion Size

• When choosing foods for weight loss and diabetes management, carbohydrates and portion size are very important components. The two main types of carbohydrates and simple (i.e., white bread) and complex (i.e., whole grain bread). Diabetics who are trying to lose weight should eat whole grain carbohydrates, fruits, and vegetables and avoid sugar and processed carbs.

  Carbs are turned into glucose in the body, making your blood sugar levels rise so it's important to keep track of how many carbs you eat each day. Work with your physician to develop a meal plan specific to your age, weight and medical issues. Always pay attention to the serving sizes on the package and don't eat more than one serving in a sitting. Most people reach into a bag of their favorite snack and mindlessly eat away. Rather than doing this, measure out a single portion and put the box or bag away immediately. In terms of common serving sizes, one serving of meat is three to four ounces, one serving of cheese is one ounce, one serving of dairy, fruits and vegetables is one cup, one serving of bread is one slice and one servings of rice or pasta is one-half cup.

Diabetes Food Pyramid and Creating Your Plate

• Understanding how much you should eat from each of the food group is another important part of weight loss and diabetes management, according the the American Diabetes Association. From the grains and starches group, you should eat at least six servings per day with a maximum of 11 servings. If you're trying to lose weight, keep this number closer to six servings. You should also eat three to five servings of vegetables and two to four servings of fruit each day. From the milk and dairy group, you should consume two to three servings each day and from the meat and meat substitutes group, eat four to six ounces per day. Consume foods like fats, sweets and alcohol in extreme moderation.

  The American Diabetes Association offers the following recommendations for "creating your plate." Always fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables; one-third of your plate with starchy foods, mostly from whole grains; and the last third of your plate with lean meats like chicken, turkey and fish. Add one cup of milk or light yogurt.

Types of Foods to Eat

• According to the Mayo Clinic, eating low energy dense foods can help you feel more full while eating fewer calories. Low energy dense foods are those that have a larger portion sizes with fewer calories. Choose foods that have higher water content, are high in fiber and are low in fat. Foods with high water content provide more volume with fewer calories. Examples of these types of foods are grapefruit, watermelon and carrots. Foods that are high in fiber provide high volume, low calories and are slower to digest. Eat high fiber foods such as fruits, veggies and whole grains. Fats raise energy density so it's best to eat more fruits, vegetables, whole grain, and lean sources of protein like chicken, beef and fish. These foods will help you maximize weight loss and manage your diabetes.