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A Good Diet for Somebody With Sugar Diabetes

Diabetics looking for a good diet to follow can start by following the guidelines of the Food Pyramid for nutrition. They will do well to be careful of their carbohydrate intake. People living with diabetes can eat the equivalent amount of food they normally ate before their diagnosis and follow the same eating schedule they've always had to maintain their blood sugar levels.

  1. Diabetes Diet

    • A diabetic can get herself on a well balanced dietary meal plan in several ways. This can aid in not only controlling the carbohydrate and sugar intake which are crucial for diabetics, but it can also assist in helping maintain a healthy weight level, which is another very important factor, especially for those with type 2 diabetes.

    Starch

    • It is very important to eat starchy foods such as potatoes, breads and cereals. Having six servings of this type of starch every day are excellent staples in the diabetic diet. Eating whole grain cereal with fat free milk is a great morning breakfast in addition to an English muffin with a little bit of jam.
      For a more filling meal, add corn, chick peas or black beans to a salad.

    Fruits and Vegetables

    • It's always good to eat plenty of fruits and vegetables daily. Diabetes patients can eat fruits as a healthy snack alternative. You can also try a few vegetarian dishes like substituting meat for vegetables in homemade chili. Vegetable stews and stir-fried veggie meals are also tasty, filling and healthy. Natural raw vegetables like carrots, celery and broccoli with some fat free salad dressing or dip can make for great lunch or late night snack. Five fruits or vegetables a day is recommended for diabetes patients.

    Sugar

    • Just because someone is a diabetic doesn't mean he can't eat sugars or sweets. Diabetics can still eat their favorite sugary snacks and desserts, but it must be one or two times a week maximum. Instead of having a whole dessert or sugary snack, just eat half, which satisfies the sugar craving yet keeps the sugar, calories, cholesterol and fat intake to a minimum.

    Soluble and Insoluble Fibers

    • Diabetics need to keep a close watch over their glucose levels. Good soluble fibers found in fruits, vegetables and certain edible seeds are great for reducing the glucose being absorbed from the intestines. Kidney beans are one of the best foods for soluble fiber. Carrots are another soluble fiber food which is useful for maintaining stable blood sugar levels. Insoluble fiber foods such as nuts, whole grains and bran scrub the intestines and thus provide the lower gastrointestinal tract with a good cleansing.

    Other considerations

    • Fish has less saturated fat and cholesterol than lean meat or poultry. Low-fat or fat-free dairy products are also beneficial for the diabetic diet.

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