|  | Conditions Treatments | Diabetes

Right Foods for Diabetic Patients

With a diabetes diagnosis, you may think you must make a drastic changes to your diet and eliminate all your favorite foods. This is far from the truth. In fact, a variety of foods are encouraged. Even sweets can be eaten in relatively small amounts. However, there are certain foods and serving amounts that diabetics should always include in their diets, such as complex carbs, meats and vegetables.

  1. Complex Carbohydrates

    • One of the best foods for diabetics is complex carbohydrates. Diabetics have problems either with the pancreas unable to create insulin (Type 1) or not making enough (Type 2). Insulin transforms glucose into glycogen, or blood sugar. Complex carbohydrates allow for blood sugar to be created at a sustainable pace. Complex carbs like whole grains and oatmeal often come with dietary fiber, which slows the breakdown of carbs into glucose. This prevents sharp spikes in blood sugar levels. The diabetic food pyramid as shown on the Diabetes website suggests six to 11 servings of complex carbohydrates per day. One serving would equal one slice of bread, ¾ cup of dry cereal, ½ cup of potatoes or 1/3 cup of rice.

    Vegetables

    • Vegetables are next on the diabetic food pyramid in terms amount of servings needed per day. Three to five servings are recommended, with ½ cup of cooked or one cup of raw vegetables equal one serving. Veggies are great because they are low in fat and calories, making them an excellent component in lunches and dinners, or as a snack. Brussels sprouts, carrots and tomatoes all count as vegetables. It should be noted that potatoes, corn, peas and lima beans all count as complex carbohydrates in the diabetic food pyramid.

    Fruits

    • For fruits, two to four servings per day are needed. Fruits are beneficial in that they also add healthy blood sugar in the form of fructose. Ensure that fruit servings are not in syrup or through fruit juice because those have more concentrated amounts of sugar. One small apple or one-half cup of canned fruit equals one serving. Fruit can make a healthy in-between meals snack or an emergency food for a low blood sugar drop.

    Proteins

    • Diabetics should eat protein as well. Proteins help rebuild damaged tissues or muscles, helping prevent amputations that diabetics sometimes incur. Two to three servings per day of lean meats like fish and chicken is recommended. One ounce of lean meat counts as a serving. One egg, one tablespoon of peanut butter and ½ cup of tofu also equal a meat serving. For vegetarians, protein sources could include soy and tofu products.

    Carb Counting

    • Carbohydrate counting should aid diabetics in maintaining good blood sugar levels. Pay particular attention to the number of carbs eaten by reading labels and tracking meals. The carb items all have a glycemic index (GI) that measures how they directly affect the blood sugar.The base number is 100. The closer the food's GI is to 100, the faster it affects blood sugar. A low GI carb is grapefruit, which has a GI of 25, while pretzels have a GI of 83.

Diabetes - Related Articles