Diabetes is a serious disease that, if poorly managed, increases the risk of developing heart disease and kidney damage. While there is no cure, those with type 2 diabetes can control their blood sugar and, ultimately, reduce the risk of developing serious complications by following a healthy diet, exercising regularly and keeping body weight in check. Eating well-balanced, healthful meals and snacks regularly throughout the day, increasing dietary fiber and decreasing fat intake is recommended.
Choose Wisely and Eat Regularly
Consume a plant-based, high fiber diet. Base meals on fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grain breads and cereals (rich in fiber). Avoid skipping meals and try to eat every four to five hours. Meals and snacks should contain a balance of lean protein, unsaturated fat and complex carbohydrates. Eating three meals (about the same size) and two snacks daily is optimal and keeps blood sugar steady and hunger in check. For example, on a 1,800 calorie diet, breakfast, lunch and dinner should each provide approximately 500 calories; the two snacks, approximately 150 calories each. This schedule may need to be modified depending upon individual needs.
Watch Portion Sizes and Control Carbohydrates
Eating sensibly is not enough. Refer to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food Guide Pyramid for proper portion sizes, especially for carbohydrate-rich foods, which include starchy beans, breads and cereals, pasta and rice, fruits, milk and dairy products, sweets and, to a lesser extent, vegetables.
Carbohydrate-rich foods should still make up approximately 50 percent of total calories, even for those with diabetes. They are necessary for energy and provide many vitamins and minerals. Choose whole, unprocessed foods more often and spread carbohydrate intake evenly throughout the day. In general, include the following foods at each meal: a grain product, a vegetable and/or fruit (limit fruits to three servings daily and fruit juices to no more than 1/2 cup daily), a meat/ protein alternative and/or a milk product. Snacks should include a meat/meat alternative or milk product and a grain product or fruit.
Use Caution with Fats and Sweets
Fat intake, especially saturated and trans fats, should be minimized. Foods high in saturated and trans fat include bacon, butter, fatty cuts of meat, the skin of poultry, high-fat dairy products, commercially-prepared cakes, pastries, pies, doughnuts and chips (to name a few examples). Healthy sources of fat should be consumed in moderation, including olive and canola oil, nuts and seeds, avocados and non-hydrogenated tub margarine spreads.
Choose sweets less often. While these foods do not have to be completely omitted, they should be limited, as they provide few nutrients and many calories.
