The goal of a Type 2 diabetic diet is to control blood sugar by monitoring dietary carbohydrate intake. To achieve this, eat the same amount of carbohydrate-containing foods in regularly scheduled meals and snacks and adjust total calorie intake to optimize body weight. Consult a physician or registered dietitian to help devise a meal plan specifically tailored to meet your blood sugar and healthy weight goals.
Background
A person with Type 2 diabetes lacks sufficient insulin to transport sugar from the bloodstream into the body cells where it is burned for energy. Since this sugar originates from carbohydrate-containing foods, limit the total amount of dietary carbohydrates in order to avoid high blood sugar, or hyperglycemia. Keep blood sugar within a normal range to prevent the adverse health effects commonly associated with diabetes, such as poor circulation, heart disease and kidney failure.
Features
To keep blood sugar levels stable, try to eat regularly scheduled meals every three to four hours, each with identical carbohydrate content. In order for food choices to be healthy, the American Dietetic Association recommends that the "focus should be on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans and low-fat milk. Sweets should be saved as occasional treats."
Carbohydrate Counting
Monitor the amount of carbohydrates eaten by using a method known as carbohydrate counting. One serving of carbohydrate, called a "carb choice," contains 15g of carbohydrate. Examples of foods which count as one carb choice include: one slice of whole grain bread, a small banana, 1/3 cup rice or pasta, a small apple or a corn tortilla.
Carbohydrate Needs
Generally speaking, most women need approximately two to three carb choices (30 to 45g) per meal, with two carb choices (30g) for snacks. Most men, on the other hand, need more, approximately three to four carb choices with an additional three carb choices for snacks. Become familiar with food portion sizes and their carbohydrate content to ensure success with carbohydrate counting, advises registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator Karmeen D. Kulkarni.
Sample Menu
The following carbohydrate-controlled meal plan contains three carb choices for each meal and also one snack. For breakfast, choose 8 oz. low-fat milk, one slice whole wheat toast, one small banana and a hard-cooked egg. For lunch have 8 oz. low-fat milk, 1/2 cup green beans,1 cup green leaf lettuce salad with 1 tbsp. olive oil and 1 tbsp. vinegar, 1/3 cup whole wheat noodles and 1/2 cup spaghetti sauce with meat. Enjoy a dinner meal of 8 oz. low-fat milk, 4 oz. baked salmon, 1/3 cup brown rice and one small apple. Three to four hours later eat a small snack consisting of two slices whole wheat bread with 1 tbsp. peanut butter and a small orange.
