Diabetic Diet for Women

Diabetic women who adhere to a healthy eating plan feel better, have greater success controlling their blood sugar and reduce the risk of complications caused by diabetes such as heart disease. A healthy diet for a diabetic woman isn't very different from a healthy diet for any woman. The main difference for a diabetic woman is that she needs to balance out her food to maintain blood-sugar levels within the goals her physician set for her. A diabetic woman also needs to achieve and maintain a healthy weight because being overweight contributes to higher blood-sugar readings.

When to Eat

• Eating on a regular schedule each day helps keep blood sugar levels stable and makes it easier to balance exercise and medication with food intake. Three meals plus three between-meal snacks daily will divide your food consumption in such a way to help keep your blood sugar stable during the day. Keeping your blood sugar stable, that is, around the same level without large changes, helps you feel better.

What to Eat

• The diabetes food pyramid depicts six food groups for diabetics: grains and starches, vegetables, fruits, milk and dairy, meat and meat substitutes, and fats and sweets. Although similar in concept to the U.S.Department of Agriculture food pyramid, it is not identical. In the diabetes food pyramid, foods are grouped based on protein and carbohydrate content rather than traditional food groups, and suggested serving sizes are adjusted to create portions that have similar amounts of carbohydrates.

How Much to Eat

• Most women need between 1,200 to 2,000 calories per day, depending on individual build, activity level, and weight goals. Extremely active women with a medium or large build can eat as many as 2,000 to 2,400 calories per day while maintaining a healthy weight. A large-sized woman who wants to lose weight can eat between 1,600 and 2,000 calories per day. All other women, including small women who exercise and small and medium-sized women who want to lose weight, need only 1,200 to 1,600 calories per day.

  For a 1,200 to 1,600 calorie diet, you can eat six servings from the grain and starch group, three servings of vegetables, two servings of fruit, two servings of milk and dairy, four to six ounces of meat and meat substitutes, and up to three servings from the fats and sweets group.

  For a 1,600 to 2,000 calorie diet, you can eat eight servings from the grain and starch group, four servings of vegetables, three servings of fruit, two servings of milk and dairy, four to six ounces of meat and meat substitutes, and up to four servings from the fats and sweets group.

  For a 2,000 to 2,400 calorie diet, you can eat 10 servings from the grain and starch group, four servings of vegetables, four servings of fruit, two servings of milk and dairy, five to seven ounces of meat and meat substitutes, and up to five servings from the fats and sweets group.