According to the Mayo Clinic, people with diabetes need to stick to a balanced meal plan and eat regularly at designated mealtimes. Rather than eating a special diet, most people can continue with a balanced diet that consists of various foods in moderate amounts. The best diabetes recommended diet plans are, in fact, the best kinds of diets for everyone.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates have the biggest impact on blood sugar levels. Consistently eating the same amounts of carbohydrates every day can help to reduce symptoms associated with diabetes, such as blood sugar spikes. At the same time, it is important to balance the amount of carbs with the starch and sugar content found in most carbohydrates. The main foods that contain carbohydrates are beans and legumes, grains and starchy vegetables, dairy products, sweets and fruit. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends filling each meal with nonstarchy vegetables to get the best carbs in your diet. The healthiest meals for diabetics contain between 45 and 60 g of carbohydrates, particularly those that are low in fat and calories. It is important for diabetics to maintain a healthy weight as well as a balanced diet.
Protein
People with diabetes are at a greater risk for developing heart disease and should limit the amount of saturated fat in their diets. The best way to receive the proper amounts of protein without adding unwanted fat calories is to limit the amount of animal protein in daily meals. Approximately 10 to 20 percent of the day's calories should come from protein. About 20 to 40 grams of protein is sufficient for a diet plan that consists of 2,000 calories per day. Ideal protein comes from low-fat dairy products, eggs, fish and beans.
Fat
People with diabetes need to control fat intake mainly to help control weight gain. One way for diabetics to control blood sugar levels is to maintain an ideal weight. Fewer than 30 percent of the day's intake of calories should come from fat. Fat can take up to 8 hours or more to break down into blood sugar, which is why it affects the system on a much slower basis. Diabetics need to control their intake of high-fat foods found in many cheeses, ice cream and desserts to gain better control over their blood sugar levels. Doctors at the Life Clinic Health Management Systems recommend that diabetics limit their intake of sweet desserts to once or twice a week when they know they can afford to wait for blood sugar reactions.
