People with juvenile, or Type I, diabetes, need special diet plans for this condition. Besides taking insulin regularly, juvenile diabetes patients need to consume foods that help regulate their insulin levels. A balanced meal plan makes it easier to control the disease and contributes to overall health and well being.
Total Calories
A diet plan for juvenile diabetes balances fats, carbohydrates and proteins in relation to total calorie intake. High-quality carbohydrates provide about 60 percent of total calories; proteins, 10 to 20 percent; and fats, no more than 30 percent, according to the website Diabetes Life.
Carbohydrates
According to Harvard Medical School, foods have a glycemic index, which describes how each food affects insulin levels; high-glycemic foods cause blood sugar levels to spike, while low-glycemic foods do not. The body digests low-glycemic carbohydrates more slowly than high-glycemic carbs. Low-glycemic carbs include whole-wheat pasta, quinoa, brown rice and millet; high-glycemic carbs include cake, cookies and fruit juices. A diet plan for juvenile diabetes emphasizes the former and avoids the latter.
Proteins
Protein helps build and repair tissues but has little effect on blood sugar levels of those with diabetes, according to the University of Iowa Health Care. A diet with too much protein that contains saturated fat can increase the chance of heart disease. A diabetes diet plan avoids beef, liver, cheese and full-fat dairy products and encourages consumption of plant proteins such as legumes, nuts and soy foods.
Fats
Good fats, the monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, make up part of the juvenile diabetes meal plan. Foods rich in good fats include avocados, sunflower seeds, almonds, olive oil and vegetable oils. In addition to saturated fats, the meal plan avoids the trans fats in some baked goods, highly processed snacks and fried foods.
Fiber
Fiber plays an important role in regulating insulin levels. A meal plan that includes high-fiber foods -- such as beans, lentils, oatmeal and apples -- helps slow down sugar absorption and stabilize blood sugar while contributing to a feeling of satiety.
