How to Eat Healthy While Being a Diabetic

Diabetes is a serious health condition in which the body is unable to adequately produce or properly utilize insulin. As a result, blood-sugar levels remain elevated, but glucose does not reach cells where it is needed. An estimated 7.8 percent of Americans have some form of diabetes. A healthy diet is essential in order to avoid some of the disease's more severe long-term consequences, which include kidney and liver damage, heart disease and stroke.

Instructions

• 1

  Count carbs. The digestive system breaks down carbohydrates into simple molecules for use by the body's individual cells. Limit your overall carb intake to help maintain normal blood-sugar levels. Begin with 45 to 60 grams per day, and add or subtract carbs based on how your body responds.

• 2

  Make vegetables the bulk of your meals. Nonstarchy vegetables such as broccoli and spinach provide essential nutrition with few carbs or calories.

• 3

  Choose foods that are low on the glycemic index. Simple carbohydrates, like sugar, enter the blood stream quickly, raising blood-sugar levels and aggravating a diabetic's symptoms. Low-glycemic-index foods, though they contain carbs, are digested much more slowly and have a lower impact on blood sugar levels. Eat beans, whole grains, and most fruits and vegetables, which are low on the glycemic index. Choose raw and unprocessed foods, which have a lower glycemic-index score than canned and precooked foods.

• 4

  Avoid empty calories. Empty calories tax the body's ability to process carbohydrates without the benefits of essential nutrition. Don't eat sugary or high-fat snacks, beverages and desserts, which are usually empty in calories and high on the glycemic index. Avoid alcohol, which can cause your blood sugar to rise and stimulate your appetite, causing you to overeat.

• 5

  Plan ahead when eating out. When ordering, substitute vegetables for starchy sides like French fries. Ask for high-calorie dressings and sauces to be served on the side, and use sparingly. Be creative, combining salads and healthy appetizers instead of choosing high-glycemic entrees or fried foods. Eat slowly, and don't be afraid to take large portions home.