Diabetic Foods
Diabetes and heart disease are, unfortunately, intimately linked. Most diabetics have high blood pressure and high cholesterol, two of the main risk factors for heart disease. According to the statistics, 65 percent of people with diabetes die from heart attack. But this is far from a foregone conclusion. By managing blood glucose levels, monitoring high blood pressure, and working to keep LDL cholesterol levels down, diabetics can reduce their risk. Along with exercise and stress management, a healthy diet for diabetic patients is a crucial component to preventing, controlling, and healing diabetes. This article takes a closer look at how food choices impact health for those with diabetes.
Diabetic meals and snacks require the correct diabetic foods in appropriate portions to create a day’s worth of healthy eating for blood sugar regulation. While this may sound overwhelming to the newly diagnosed diabetic, when we take a close look at diabetic food choices, the list is not much different than healthy, balanced eating habits.
Basic Principles
In an effort to modulate the glucose-insulin response, diabetics will benefit from keeping these three principles in mind:
- Eat plenty of fiber. Fiber slows down digestion. It is the food component that defines carbohydrates as complex. There is soluble and insoluble fiber, of which there should be an equal intake. A diet comprised of 25 grams of fiber is highly recommended and beneficial to diabetics, and the general population as well.
- Include sources of lean protein at each meal and snack as often as possible. Protein also decreases the rate of digestion when eaten with carbohydrates that otherwise would enter the bloodstream rapidly. With the addition of a small piece of chicken or a slice of turkey, the white dinner roll ends up having a much less dramatic effect on blood sugar. Of course, by following principle #1, the roll will be a whole grain variety. A daily intake incorporating 20% of calories from protein is advisable.
- Make healthy fats a part of your diabetic meal plan. Sources of healthy, unsaturated fats include avocado, olive oil, canola oil, peanut butter, fatty fish, nuts, and seeds. Acceptable but containing some saturated fats include meats, such as lean beef cuts, chicken and turkey breast, and low fat dairy foods. By adding sources of fat to your daily intake, digestion will again be slowed down and you will better absorb the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. A daily intake of 25-30% of total calories derived from healthy fat sources is recommended. Saturated fat is best limited to no more than 10% of total calories.
List of Diabetic Foods
Protein:
- lean beef cuts – look for “top” or “tip”
- white poultry meat
- fish
- egg whites
- legumes
- whole grains
- soy – tofu, tempeh
Fat:
- canola oil
- olive oil
- nuts
- seeds
- avocados
- low fat dairy products
Carbohydrates:
- whole grain breads
- bran cereals
- oatmeal
- fruits with skin
- vegetables with skin
- kidney beans
- chickpeas
- lentils
- whole wheat pasta
- brown rice
Foods to Avoid
While there is a vast selection of food to choose from when creating a diabetic-friendly meal plan, some carbohydrates are simply best to be avoided. The reason for this is the intense reaction such foods have on blood sugar levels. Here are the main culprits:
- white potatoes
- tropical fruits
- rice cakes
- many cold cereals (void of wheat germ and wheat bran)
- white bread (including bagels, English muffins, dinner rolls, etc. especially if not combined with protein or fat)
- sugar
- white rice
- candy
- soft drinks
Prepared Food Choices
If you roam the aisles of your local supermarket, you are sure to find many prepackaged foods suitable for a diabetic meal plan. In fact, diabetic foods can now be found in nearly every grocery department, including the frozen section, candy aisle, and beverage aisle, to name a few. Your supermarket may even have an area dedicated just to diabetic foods. Such items will usually be sugar-free and made with a sugar substitute. The frozen section will not only offer you entrée selections, but also sweet treats such as ice cream pops, bars, sorbets, and the like. There are also food companies that offer shake mixes, diabetic-friendly snack bars, and other food supplement items. There are also diabetic foods available online such as Eat Well Be Well company.
Diabetic Diet Sample
The ideal diabetic meal will consist of a combination of foods. Some foods cross categories, like bread products that are high in fat, dairy items that provide protein, and starchy vegetables. Our needs will vary depending on the time of day and how much physical activity we engage in. Following is a sample diabetic diet meal :
- One serving of protein (3 oz of chicken, lean beef or fish)
- One serving of bread (whole grain roll, tortilla or ½ cup pasta)
- One serving of dairy (cheese, milk or low-fat sour cream)
- One serving vegetables (fist sized portion or a small bowl of salad)
- One serving fruit (tennis ball sized or ½ cup sliced)
Small amounts of unsaturated fats are needed, so add a little dressing or a pat of soft margarine. Avoid sweets; consider the fruit your dessert!
Foods that should be avoided include; fatty red meat, organ meat, highly processed food, fried food, fast food, high cholesterol food and foods rich in saturated fat.
Individuals learning the best way to control or prevent diabetes through proper eating can benefit from following a diabetic diet sample until they become comfortable creating their own menus and meal plans.
Eating to Control Diabetes
If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, your doctor may provide you with a specific, calorie restricted diabetic diet sample to follow. He or she may also recommend that you consult with a registered dietician, diabetes educator, or nutritionist to develop an optimal eating plan.
If your healthcare provider doesn't provide you with a specific plan, or if you are simply changing the way you eat to reduce your risk of developing diabetes, you may want to put together your own sample eating plan to guide you in meal preparation. Information about diabetic diets is widely available, so it isn't difficult to design your own diabetic diet sample.
A proper diabetic diet is high in fiber, low in sugar, and follows the Diabetes Food Pyramid developed by the American Diabetes Association
Creating a Diabetic Diet Sample
Diabetic diet plans often include three meals and two snacks every day. By looking at the serving allocations recommended by the Diabetic Food Pyramid, one can easily create a sample diet to follow.
Grains & Starches
- Recommendation: 6- 11 servings each day
- Plan 2 - 3 servings for each meal, and allow 1 serving for each snack.
- Note: Potatoes, peas, corn, winter squash, and other starchy vegetables go in this category, as do legumes.
Vegetables (Non-starchy)
- Recommendation: a minimum of 3-5 servings each day
- Eat 2 or more servings of vegetables with at least two meals each day.
- Note: It’s perfectly acceptable to eat more than 5 servings of non-starchy vegetables daily on a diabetic diet.
Fruit
- Recommendation: 2-4 servings each day
- Savor one or two servings of fruit at two daily meals or snacks.
- Note: Fruit are not a "free food" on a diabetic diet. Do not exceed the recommended quantities.
Dairy
- Recommendation: 2-3 servings daily.
- Enjoy one serving of reduced fat dairy products, such as yogurt and milk, with two to three meals or snacks each day.
- Note: It is always advisable to chose low fat and fat-free dairy options.
Meats or Meat Substitutes
- Recommendation: 4 - 6 ounces daily, divided among meals.
- Consume up to three ounces of meat at two meals every day.
- Note: Be sure to select only the leanest cuts of meat. Note that cheese falls under this category when planning meals for a diabetic diet.
Oils, Fats, Sweets
- Recommendation: Consume only in limited quantities.
- Save oils, fats, and sweets for special occasions and always enjoy in moderation.
- Note: When selecting oils for cooking , be sure to select heart-healthy varieties and avoid adding trans fats to your food.
Serving Sizes
In addition to focusing on how your food consumption is allocated among the different levels of the Diabetes Food Pyramid, it's also important to follow recommendations for serving sizes. Each item on the following lists represents one serving:
Grains and Starch Servings
- 1 slice of bread
- ¼ of a bagel (1 ounce)
- ½ an English muffin
- 1/2 of a pita bread
- one tortilla (6 inches)
- ¾ cup dry cereal
- ½ cup cooked cereal
- ½ cup starch vegetable (beans, sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, peas)
- 1 cup winter squash (acorn, butternut, etc.)
- 1/3 cup of cooked rice
- 1/3 cup of cooked pasta
Vegetable Servings
- 1 cup of any raw vegetable (non-starchy)
- 1/2 cup of any cooked vegetable (non-starchy)
Dairy Servings
- 1 cup yogurt
- 1 cup fat free, skim, or low fat milk
Meat & Meat Substitute Servings
- a three ounce serving of lean meat is approximately the same size as a deck of playing cards
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
- 1/4 cup of cottage cheese
- 1/2 cup tofu
Oils, Fats, Sweets
- 1/2 cup of ice cream
- 1 cupcake
- 2 small cookies
Following the Plan
By adapting your eating habits to follow the principles of the Diabetic Food Pyramid, you'll be on your way to improved health. Whether you have to change the way you eat to keep diagnosed diabetes under control, or you're just looking for a healthier way to eat, following a diabetic diet can have a positive impact on your overall health and well being..