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Type 1 Diabetic Diet

According to the American Diabetes Association, approximately 23.6 million Americans are living with diabetes. Living with diabetes can be a lifelong challenge. Upon diagnosis, learning how to adjust eating and health habits can often take time. Individuals with type 1 diabetes must maintain a healthy menu of fruits, vegetables and other foods that affect blood-glucose levels. Learning what a balanced type 1 diabetes diet is can make all the difference in being healthy.

  1. Carbohydrates

    • Type I diabetes affects about 5 to 10 percent of the 23.6 million with diabetes. The major characteristic of type 1 diabetes is that the body does not produce insulin. We need insulin to convert sugars and starch to energy. Individuals with type 1 diabetes must take daily injections of insulin to regulate their glucose levels. This form of diabetes differs from type 2 in that individuals with type 2 can still produce insulin, just not enough to function normally. Type 2 diabetics, however, do not have to take daily insulin injections. Because insulin is needed to control sugars and starches, it is important to regulate carbohydrates in the diet. Carbohydrates are a large part of what can affect an individual with type 1 diabetes. Many foods with carbohydrates have high levels of glucose (sugar). This can greatly affect the health of a person with type 1 diabetes because the diagnosis affects how the body produces insulin and breaks down the glucose. For this reason, it's important to monitor the amount of carbs that are eaten. Foods high in carbohydrates include many starches, some fruits and dairy products. It is recommended to have between four to 11 servings daily of starches. Adopting a habit of watching portion sizes and paying attention to labels needs to become a regular part of the diet routine.

    Fats

    • Type 1 diabetes also requires the monitoring of fat intake. There are "good" and "bad" fats that can pass through the body. Some ways to incorporate the right kind of fats into the diet are to eat fresh fish, which contain essential oils that the body needs. It is also recommended to use low-fat dairy products (i.e., skim milk) and to avoid frying foods. Instead, try steaming , roasting or baking for favorite meals. These methods of cooking help retain a lot of the natural flavors, as well as essential vitamins. Overall, maintaining a diet low in fat will help a person maintain a healthy weight.

    Snacks

    • When you think of diet, you may not necessarily see the importance of snacking. For individuals with type 1 diabetes, incorporating snacks into daily food consumption is essential. It is important for diabetics to make sure they do not have low blood-glucose levels. To avoid this, it it advised to include a few snacks throughout the day. These should be healthy snacks that could include fresh or dried fruit and crackers.

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