Diet plays an important role in helping you manage your diabetes. Following a calorie-controlled diet can help you both manage your blood sugars and maintain a healthy weight. The ADA, or American Diabetes Association, diet is a calorie-controlled diet guide that uses an exchange system to help with meal planning and nutrient balance. Most men and women can safely follow an 1,800-calorie ADA diet for weight maintenance or weight loss. Consult with your physician before making major changes to your diet.
Diet Basics
The ADA diet exchange system divides foods into groups based on similarities in nutrient composition. Groups include starches, fruits, milk, meat, vegetables and fats. On the 1,800-calorie ADA diet you can have a certain number of exchanges from each food group at each meal, helping you to create meals that balance your calorie, carbohydrate, protein and fat intake. When meal planning, you can "exchange" food items within each group. For example, at your breakfast meal, you can exchange two slices of toast for an English muffin.
Breakfast
For breakfast on the 1,800-calorie ADA diet, you can have three starch exchanges, one meat exchange, one fruit exchange, one milk exchange and one fat exchange. A sample breakfast meal may include a toasted whole-wheat English muffin with 1 tsp. of margarine, a boiled egg and 3/4 cup of unsweetened whole grain ready-to-eat cereal with a small banana and 1 cup of nonfat milk. Choosing foods high in fiber, such as whole grains and fresh fruit, helps to slow digestion, aiding in both hunger and blood sugar control. Another breakfast meal idea on the 1,800-calorie ADA diet may include a 3 oz. toasted whole-wheat bagel with 1 oz. of cheese melted on top, served with a 6 oz. container of nonfat sugar-free yogurt and a small orange.
Lunch
Lunch on an 1,800-calorie ADA diet should contain three starch exchanges, three meat exchanges, one vegetable exchange, one fruit exchange, one milk exchange and one fat exchange. A sample lunch meal includes a small whole-wheat pita stuffed with 3 oz. of tuna mixed with 1 tbsp. of low-fat mayonnaise, five whole-grain crackers, 1/2 cup of unsweetened canned fruit, 1 cup of sliced cucumbers and 1 cup of nonfat milk. Or you can try 2 cups of chicken noodle soup with 3 oz. of grilled chicken on top of 2 cups of mixed greens with 2 tbsp. of low-fat salad dressing, a small pear, six saltine crackers and a 6 oz. container of nonfat, sugar-free yogurt.
Dinner
Your dinner on an 1,800-calorie ADA diet should consist of four starch exchanges, three meat exchanges, two vegetable exchanges, one fruit exchange and one fat exchange. A dinner meal may include tacos made with two corn tortillas each filled with 1-1/2 oz. of taco meat, served with 2/3 cup of rice and beans, 1 cup of broccoli sauteed in 1 tsp. of olive oil and 3/4 cups of fresh pineapple. Another dinner meal idea may include 3 oz. of pork tenderloin with 2 cups of roasted red potatoes, 1 cup of roasted carrots and 17 grapes.
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