Diabetic Diet – The best diabetic diet lists

What IS “diabetic diet”?

There are so many questions, misunderstanding and myths about diabetic diet lists, it is important for a diabetic to understand the fundamentals of nutrition, which is just one of many essential elements of successful diabetes management.

Whether you’re trying to reduce your risk of diabetes or manage a pre-existing diabetes problem, you can still indulge in your favorite foods and enjoy your meals. Your nutritional needs of a diabetic are similar as everyone else. There is no special foods or complicated diets plans.

A di abetic diet is simply eating a variety of nutritious foods in moderate amounts and sticking to regular mealtimes. It is a healthy-eating plan that’s naturally rich in nutrients and low in fat and calories, with an emphasis on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. In fact, a diabetes diet is also good for people not suffering from diabetes.

For people with diabetes, the total amounts of carbohydrates, fats and proteins consumed each day must be monitored carefully, especially carbohydrates as it has the greatest influence on blood sugar levels.

A good diabetic diet plan will help manage your blood sugar levels, reduce the risk of heart disease and other diet-related medical conditions, maintain an ideal weight, as well as meet your nutritional, lifestyle, social, and cultural needs.

 

What is Diabetic Diet ?

There are three things to remember for eating right for good diabetes management:

What and what not to eat.

Eat a variety of vegetables that are high in fiber and low on starch like broccoli and spinach and fruits of different colors like apple, orange, banana, papaya, cherries and berries. Eat whole grains, wheat spaghetti and brown rice instead of processed foods. Cut back on refined carbs and sugary drinks including coffee and tea, and choose healthy fats over unhealthy fats. It is better to just drink water and fresh, natural fruit juices.

When to eat.

Take regular meal and snacks. Don’t leave large gaps or too low gaps between successive meals such as lunch and evening snacks. These will help keep your blood sugar levels more constant.

Start your day off with a good and balanced breakfast. Eating breakfast daily will provide you with energy as well as steady blood sugar levels.

How much to eat.

The amount you eat matters in your diabetic diet. Even if you eat healthy meals, too much of it will make you gain weight, which is a factor in diabetes.

Try to eat 3 small meals plus 3 snacks spread out over the day. This will prevent you from getting overly hungry and over-eating.  Keep portion sizes under control which also control your calorie intake. Keeping calorie intake the same on a day-to-day basis will help regular your blood sugar levels. Cultivate the habit of eating only up to 80% full.

 

The Diabetes Food Pyramid

The diabetes food pyramid will help you make wise food choices on a daily basis. It divides foods into groups, based on what they contain. Eat less from the groups at the top and more from the groups at the bottom of the pyramid. This is a great guide to a healthy diabetic diet.

 

 

 

Starches

Example of starches are pasta, grains, bread, cereal, and starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn. Starches provide carbohydrate, vitamins, minerals, and fibber. Whole grain starches are healthier as they contain more minerals, fiber and vitamins.

Examples of starches are

• pasta
• rice
• bread
• corn
• potatoes
• pretzels
• lentils
• cereal
• crackers
• yams
• tortillas
• beans

Examples of  one starch serving

 

 

Healthy ways to eat starches in your diabetic diet

• Eat whole grain breads and cereals.
• Eat cereal with fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk.
• Eat less fried and high-fat starches such as tortilla and potato chips,  French fries, pastries, or cakes. Try baked tortilla chips or potato chips, baked potatoes, pretzels, fat-free popcorn, or low-fat muffins.
• Use fat-free plain or low-fat yogurt or fat-free sour cream instead of regular sour cream on a baked potato.
• Use low-fat or fat-free substitutes such as low-fat mayonnaise or light margarine on sandwich, bread, rolls, or toast.

 

Vegetables

Vegetables provide many vitamins, minerals, and fiber and a must in your diabetic diet. They are also low in carbohydrate.

Examples of vegetables are

• tomatoes
• spinach
• lettuce
• asparagus
• kai-lan
• cabbage
• broccoli
• peppers
• celery
• carrots
• green beans
• chillies

 

Examples of one serving of vegetables

 

Healthy ways to eat vegetables

• Eat more steamed vegetables
• Eat raw and cooked vegetables with little or no sauces or dressings.
• Try low-fat or fat-free salad dressing on raw vegetables.
• Add some chopped onion or garlic in vegetables.
• Try mixing with herbs and spices.
• Add a little vinegar or lime juice to salad
• Instead of using fat to cook vegetables , add a small piece of lean ham
• Replace meat fat and butter with olive or canola oil when cooking vegetables

 

Fruits

Fruits provide vitamins, minerals, carbohydrate and fiber which are essential in your diabetic diet.

Examples of fruits include

• oranges
• apples
• bananas
• papaya
• strawberries
• pineapples
• grapes
• mango
• grapefruit
• sour sop
• honeydew
• watermelon
• peaches
• guava
• berries

Examples of one serving of fruit

 

 

Healthy ways to eat fruits

• Eat fresh fruits
• Eat a variety of fruits with different colors, like orange, apple, berries, papaya
• Don’t add  syrup to fruit juice
• Eat fruits before a meal

 

Milk

Milk provides protein, calcium, vitamins, minerals and carbohydrate.

Examples of one serving of milk

 

 

 

Healthy ways to have milk in your diabetic diet

• Drink fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk.
• Eat low-fat or fat-free fruit yogurt sweetened with a low-calorie sweetener.
• Use low-fat plain yogurt as a substitute for sour cream.

 

Meat and meat substitutes

The Diabetes Food Pyramid meat and meat substitutes group includes meat, fish, poultry, cheese, tofu and eggs. Consume small portions of these foods daily.

Meat and meat substitutes provide protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Examples of meat and meat substitutes include

• beef
• mutton
• pork
• turkey
• fish
• chicken
• duck
• canned tuna or other fish
• eggs
• peanut butter
• cottage cheese
• cheese
• tofu

Examples of one serving of meat and meat substitutes

Meat and meat substitutes are measured in ounces.

 

Examples of 1-ounce serving:

 

 

Healthy ways to eat meat and meat substitutes

• Eat beef, pork, and mutton that have little fat on them. Cut away the extra fat.
• Eat chicken, duck or turkey without the skin.
• Cook meat and meat substitutes in low-fat ways:

1. steam
2. roast
3. broil
4. grill
5. stir-fry
6. microwave

• To enhance the flavor, add lemon juice, vinegars, soy sauce, herbs, and spices, salsa, ketchup, and barbecue sauce.
• Use non-stick pan when cooking eggs.
• Reduce the amount of high fat food like nuts, butter, and fried foods.
• Pick low-fat or fat-free cheese.

 

Sweets and Fats

Eat less sweets and fats as part of your diabetic diet. Sweets can be high in carbohydrate and fats have a lot of calories.  Some contain saturated fats, trans fats, and cholesterol that increase your risk of heart disease. Restricting these foods will help you lose weight and keep your blood glucose and blood fats under control.

Examples of fats include

• butter
• margarine
• salad dressing
• mayonnaise
• oil
• cream cheese
• olives
• ham
• bacon
• avocado

Examples of sweets include

• cake
• cookies
• doughnuts
• ice cream
• pie
• chocolate
• honey
• syrup

Examples of one serving of sweets

 

 

 

Examples of one serving of fat

 

 

Healthy ways to eat sweets and fat

Eat sugar-free cookies, diet soda, fat-free ice cream or frozen yogurt, or sugar-free hot chocolate.

• Eat sugar-free cookies, diet soda, fat-free ice cream or frozen yogurt, or sugar-free hot chocolate.
• Eat less or share your desserts.
• Order small sizes of ice cream or frozen yogurt.

 

Alcoholic Drinks

Alcoholic drinks have no nutrients but calories. Don’t take alcoholic drinks on an empty stomach as they can drastically reduce your blood glucose level. It can also raise your blood fats. Avoid or reduce alcoholic drinks as they are unhealthy.

 

Diabetic Diet Lists – Summary

Taking into all the information outlined above, a diabetes diet plan for a person with diabetes includes 10 to 20 percent of calories from protein, less than 30 percent of calories from fats, and 50 to 60 percent from carbohydrates.

Carbohydrate foods that contain dietary fiber are recommended, as they are helpful with reducing the risks of cancers, especially colon cancer. People with high blood pressure and high cholesterol levels are encouraged to eat food with lower total fat and saturated fat contents. Sodium should be limited to 2400 mg or less per day.

There is no such a thing as the best diabetic diet list. In fact, ANY food can fit into the diet of someone with diabetes. A registered dietitian can help you plan  a diet based on your tastes, lifestyle, medical condition and health goals.

If you are suffering from diabetes, you should consult your doctor and dietitian to create an eating plan that works for you. If you stray from your prescribed diabetic diet lists, you run the risk of fluctuating blood sugar levels and other serious complications.

 

Incoming search terms:

• food pyramid
• nutrition pyramid
• diabetic food pyramid
• food groups pyramid
• food group pyramid
• food groups
• diabetes food pyramid
• besin piramidi
• Nutritional pyramid
• food group