Maintaining good blood sugar control can help prevent serious complications for people with diabetes, according to the International Diabetes Federation. Treatment usually involves diet, exercise and medication. There are a number of different food programs to help you manage your blood sugar, and a doctor or dietitian can help you determine which one is right for you.
Carbohydrate Counting
Carbohydrate-containing foods, including milk, starches and fruits, have the greatest impact on blood sugar. The carbohydrate-counting diet is a diabetic meal-planning tool designed to help you control the amount of carbohydrates you eat at each meal to help you achieve normal blood sugar. A doctor or dietitian can determine the amount of carbohydrates you need at each meal, but people generally start at 45 to 60 g, according to the American Diabetes Association. Standard serving sizes and food labels can help you count your grams of carbohydrates. Vegetables contain only small amounts of carbohydrates and are not generally counted. Meats and fats do not contain any carbohydrates, but should be included with each meal to help create balanced meals.
Diabetes Exchange Diet
The diabetes exchange diet is a calorie-controlled, low-fat diabetes food program designed by the American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association. When following the exchange diet, you can eat a certain number of servings, or exchanges, from each of the standard food groups, including starches, fruits, milk, meat and meat substitutes, nonstarchy vegetables and fats. Items in each group contain about the same amount of calories, carbohydrate, protein and fat, and can be exchanged for one another. For example 1/3 cup of rice can be exchanged for 1/3 cup of pasta or 1/2 cup of mashed potatoes. A doctor or dietitian determines the number of exchanges to eat each day based on your individual calorie needs.
Diabetes Food Pyramid
Based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture's food guide pyramid, the diabetes food pyramid teaches you how to make healthy food choices for blood sugar control. Foods are divided into the different food groups based on similarities in nutrient content like the original food guide pyramid, but with some modifications based on specific dietary needs for diabetics. For example, starchy vegetables, such as corn and peas, can be found in the starch and grain group. When following the diabetes food guide pyramid, you can eat a certain number of servings from each group based on your calorie needs. The food program encourages you to select more foods from the bottom of the pyramid, including starches, fruits and vegetables, and fewer foods from the top of the pyramid, sweets and fats.
