Controlling blood sugar through diet is a daily part of managing diabetes. When blood sugar levels are high, you increase your risk for short-term complications of ketoacidosis and long-term complications of cardiovascular disease, nerve and kidney damage, vision loss and amputations. Ketoacidosis is a condition in which your body burns fat instead of glucose for energy and can lead to coma and death. Consult your doctor about your health and diet.
Breakfast
After fasting overnight, your body needs to refuel with nutrients, especially glucose, the sugar molecule your body uses for energy. Carbohydrates provide sugars that your body digests into glucose. As a diabetic, you need to eat low-glycemic foods that help you control your blood sugar levels. Low-glycemic breakfast foods include whole grain cereals, soy milk, low-fat yogurt and nuts and fruits, such as pears, peaches, cherries, apples, oranges and grapefruits. Whole grains and fruits contain fiber, particularly soluble fiber, which may help you to control your blood sugar and lower your cholesterol levels.
Lunch
For lunch, eat a salad and bowl of chili. Your salad can contain a mixed array of vegetables, such as dark-green lettuce, tomato, cucumber, celery, carrots, bell pepper, parsley and avocado, a fruit with monounsaturated fatty acids to reduce your risk of heart disease. Vegetables contain vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Use a dressing made with olive oil or vegetable oil that contains healthy fats. Your chili can contain black beans, pinto beans and legumes that contain fiber to help you control your blood sugar. If you eat meat, add lean turkey, chicken or beef.
Dinner
Fish, especially coldwater fish such as salmon or herring, is an ideal dinner entrée for diabetics because of the high content of omega-3 fatty acids. These healthy fats may reduce your risk of heart disease. The American Heart Association recommends eating at least two 3.5 oz portions of fish each week to maintain your heart health. Research published in "Diabetes Educator" in 2010 showed that diabetic diets higher in fish and omega-3 fatty acids may reduce cardiovascular risk. Start your dinner with a small dinner salad and a cup of mushroom barley soup. Barley is a low-glycemic grain that can help you manage your blood sugar. For a side dish, eat a vegetable such as steamed kale, a green leafy vegetable very high in antioxidants, or carrots, a vegetable that is a good source of vitamin A and fiber.
Snacks
Snacks may help you maintain normal blood sugar levels during periods when they become lower than normal. Low-glycemic snacks include grapefruit, peanuts and walnuts. You also may eat low-fat yogurt, ice cream or soy ice cream or drink soy or almond milk.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Complications
- American Diabetes Association: Ketoacidosis
- Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University: Glycemic Index
- University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Center for Integrative Medicine: Glycemic Index
- HealthCastle Nutrition: Fiber 101: Soluble Fiber Vs. Insoluble Fiber
