Designing a healthy meal plan for people with diabetes


There is no longer any such thing as a "diabetic diet." The same dietary guidelines suitable for all Americans are now recommended for people with diabetes: Follow a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean protein, low-fat dairy, healthful fats, and fiber in appropriate portion sizes. No longer can there be a recommended "diabetic diet," as there once was.

You can even eat sweets; just make sure they're worked into your meal plan. A highly effective meal arrange for anyone with diabetes is one that enables you to keep your blood sugar, cholesterol, blood pressure, and weight within your target range, while letting you enjoy what you eat and not feel overly restricted.

A healthy meal plan should also address quantity, timing between meals, and also the consistency of your carbohydrates - the food group that is primarily responsible for raising blood sugar. Quantity - Most dieticians recommend that most women with type 2 diabetes get 45-60 grams of carbohydrate at each meal and many men 60-75 grams.

The particular foods that you eat will most likely vary, but to maintain blood sugars level you need to eat comparable amount of carbohydrate grams at each meal.

If you eat cereal with milk for breakfast one day along with a vegetable omelet the next, your blood sugars will be quite different as a result of the varying amount of carbohydrates in the two meals.

Timing between meals - A healthful meal plan offers choice regarding when you should eat. Many people who eat regular meals spaced about four hours apart will not need to snack, because having regular meals helps keep blood sugars level.

If you take medication that requires snacks, you might need to eat more often. If you use carbohydrate counting to complement your medicine and carb intake, you will have maximum freedom regarding when you eat.

Consistency - Meals plan that matches your needs must be one you can stick with. Work healthful foods that you prefer into your carbohydrate allowance, and mix them up which means you don't get bored. If you are craving something that's not on your meal plan but you just have to contain it, have it and then return to your plan. This helps keep you from binging.

Most people count calories to maintain or lose weight. Dietitian Megrette Fletcher advises counting fat grams instead: Eat the same quantity of fat grams for the whole day as you eat carbohydrate grams at one meal.

If you're female and therefore are allotted 45-60 carbohydrate grams at each meal, space 45-60 fat grams throughout your day. Keep to the budget of that 45-60 gram range if you want to slim down, and keep to the higher end to keep your weight.

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