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What to Eat on a Diabetic Diet Plan?

If you have diabetes, your body cannot properly transfer the sugar (glucose) in your blood to the cells, where it is used as fuel. Because of this, you end up with high blood sugar, especially after a meal. If you do not find an alternative way of regulating this circulating blood sugar, you put yourself at higher risk for heart disease, stroke, eye disease, nerve damage, kidney failure and gum disease. To effectively regulate your blood sugar levels, you need to make healthy food choices.

  1. Carbohydrates

    • All types of carbohydrates count, not just sugar. This does not mean you have to go on a low-carbohydrate diet, but you do need to monitor the amount of carbohydrates consumed at each meal. Your health care provider can help you figure out how many carbohydrates you need based on your condition, activity level and other factors. Include the same amount of carbohydrates in each meal, every day. Invest in a carbohydrate-counter reference book and make it a habit to read labels. Keep a notebook until you automatically know serving sizes and carbohydrate contents of various foods.

      WebMD reports that the type of carbohydrate (and not merely the "total carbohydrate" you read on the label) can affect post-meal blood sugar levels. This is the theory behind glycemic index (GI) diets. Foods with a low GI digest more slowly and have less of an effect on blood sugar levels. Those with a high GI cause blood sugar spikes that are especially harmful for those with diabetes. To help regulate your blood sugar, choose carbohydrates with a low GI such as whole grains, beans, whole wheat bread, apples, oranges, milk and yogurt. Foods with a high GI index are refined or processed junk foods. Avoid sugar, sugary cereals, white rice, white bread, potato chips, cookies and pancakes. Fruit juices and white potatoes also have a high GI. Sweet potatoes, despite their sweetness, actually have a lower GI. Replace refined foods with healthy carbohydrates found in whole grains and vegetables to help maintain stable blood-sugar levels. Choosing these foods also helps ensure adequate intake of a range of vitamins, minerals and fiber needed for good health.

    Fat

    • The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends limiting saturated fat to 7 percent of your daily caloric intake. That's about 15 g per day. Saturated fats are found primarily in fatty meat, eggs, dairy and chocolate. This does not mean that you need to go on a low-fat diet. The ADA encourages the consumption of healthy unsaturated fat found in walnuts, olive oil, tofu, flax seeds and cold-water fatty fish such as salmon and sardines. The ADA recommends getting 60 to 70 percent of your calories each day from carbohydrates and healthy fats.

    Protein

    • There is no evidence that people with diabetes need to modify the amount of protein they eat. You should, however, choose proteins that are low in saturated fat such as fish, tofu, beans, nuts, low-fat dairy, lean cuts of beef and white chicken meat cooked without skin.

    Superfoods

    • The ADA considers the following foods to be diabetes superfoods: beans, citrus fruit, dark green leafy vegetables, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, salmon, whole grains and nuts.

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