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Do's & Don'ts for a Diabetic Diet

Diabetic statistics continue to rise. According to the American Diabetes Association, 7.8 percent of the population in the United States has diabetes. More than 5 million adults and children are undiagnosed. Diabetes is manageable with proper medication, blood sugar monitoring, exercise and diet. Knowing the do's and don'ts of diabetic dieting is the first step to managing this chronic disease.

  1. Learn to Count Carbohydrates

    • Do learn to count carbohydrates every day. Your dietitian will give you a range of carbohydrates to eat at each meal. Do not save up the carbohydrates to eat at one meal. Diabetics must spread out their carbohydrate intake in order to stabilize blood sugar. Do consider snacks, if there are more than four hours between meals. Dietitians recommend 15 g of carbohydrates for a snack. A typical 15-g snack is 3 cups of popcorn, 2 rice cakes, 3 graham cracker squares, 1 slice of toast, 8 oz. of milk, 1 small piece of fruit or 1 granola bar. For meals, your dietitian will recommend approximately 30 to 50 g of carbohydrates for each meal, depending upon your age, weight and activity level. Do plan to eat at approximately the same time each day.

    Plan Your Meals

    • Do eat a combination of foods at each meal. Do eat healthy proteins such as lean meats, meat alternatives, fish, chicken and low-fat dairy products. Do trim off visible fat and skin. Avoid prime cuts of meat because they have the highest amount of fat. Do bake, roast, broil, grill, poach, steam or boil protein. Don't fry meat. Do learn to read labels. Hot dogs are high in fat, but there are lower fat varieties. Meat or fish that is breaded contains carbohydrates, so count 15 g of carbohydrates for 3 tbsp. of dry grains. Do eat vegetables. Learn the difference between starchy and non-starchy vegetables. Non-starchy cooked vegetables contain 5 g of carbohydrates per half cup , while starchy vegetables contain 15 g of carbohydrates per half cup. Broccoli, cucumber, carrots, green beans and salad greens are non-starchy vegetables. Potato, winter squash, corn and peas are starchy vegetables, so limit your intake. Learn to divide your plate into three sections. First, divide it in half. Fill one-half with non-starchy vegetables. Divide the other half again. Place protein in one section and starchy vegetables in the other section.

    Keep a Log

    • Meal planning is important, but keeping track of your carbohydrates, fat, calories and variety of food will help you manage your diabetes. Depending upon your dietitian's suggestions, keep carbohydrates at approximately 45 to 60 g per day. Eat 4 to 6 oz. of protein per day. Limit fats to foods that contain less than 3 g of fat for every 100 calories. If you are overweight, talk to your dietitian about limiting your calorie intake. Loosing weight can lower blood glucose. Review your log with your dietitian and adjust as needed.

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