The goal of treatment for your diabetes is to maintain blood sugars as close to normal as possible. You can help achieve good blood sugar control through diet, exercise and medication. When it comes to diet, there are a number of different types to choose from. Your doctor or dietitian can help to determine the most appropriate plan for you.
Diabetic Exchange Diet
The diabetic exchange diet is a low-fat, calorie-controlled diabetic diet guide. It was developed by the American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association and is the most structured of all of the diabetes meal plans. It aims to balance your carbohydrate, protein and fat intake to help you manage your blood sugars. On the exchange diet, foods are divided into groups based on similarities in calorie, protein, fat and carbohydrate content. Your meal plan consists of a set number of servings from each group based on your calorie needs. When meal planning, you "exchange" items within their food group. For example, at lunch you can exchange 1 cup of milk for a 6 oz. container of sugar-free yogurt.
Diabetes Food Pyramid
The diabetes food pyramid is another meal planning guide you can follow to help you control your blood sugars. It works by showing you how to make healthier food choices by encouraging you to eat more foods from the bottom of the pyramid -- starches, fruits and vegetables--, and fewer foods from the top of the pyramid -- fats and sweets. Like the exchange diet, it too divides foods into groups based on similarities in nutrient content and allows you to eat a certain number of servings from each food group based on your calorie needs.
Carbohydrate Counting Diet
Carbohydrates in food raise blood sugar. The carbohydrate counting diet teaches you how to manage your blood sugars by controlling the amount of carbohydrate you eat at each meal. Carbohydrate-containing foods include starches, bread, fruits, milk and yogurt. On the diet, you can eat a certain amount of carbohydrates at each meal based on your calorie and blood sugar needs. Your doctor or dietitian can help you determine your carbohydrate needs. Having a good understanding of basic food serving sizes and carbohydrate content can help you track your carbohydrate intake. Food labels are also helpful.
Create Your Plate
The create your plate diabetes meal plan is the simplest diet guide. It teaches you how to control portions for blood sugar and weight management using your dinner plate. When following the Create Your Plate meal plan, you divide your plate in half, and then divide one half in half again to create three separate sections. The largest section of your plate is reserved for low-calorie, non-starchy vegetables such as broccoli, green beans and spinach. The other two smaller sections should be used for your portion of lean meat, such as poultry or fish, and starch, such as potatoes or brown rice. You can round out your meal by adding a piece of small fruit and 1 cup of nonfat milk.
