Characterized by elevated blood sugars, diabetes, if left uncontrolled,can lead to kidney failure, cardiovascular disease and nerve damage. Obesity is a risk factor for diabetes, and maintaining a healthy weight can improve your blood sugar control. Following a 1,200-calorie diet can help you lose weight and manage your diabetes.
Diet Guidelines
The diabetes exchange diet is a calorie-controlled meal-planning guide used to help people with diabetes manage their blood sugars and get to a healthier weight. It divides foods into basic food groups -- starches, meat, vegetables, fruit, milk and fat -- based on similarities in nutrient composition. Based on your calorie needs, you can have a certain number of servings from each food group each day. On a 1,200-calorie diabetic diet, you can have five servings of starches, 4 oz. of meat or meat alternatives, two servings of vegetables, three servings of fruit, two servings of milk and three servings of fat. Food items are evenly distributed throughout the day to create balanced meals.
Breakfast
A balanced breakfast meal on your 1,200-calorie diabetic diet may include one serving of starch, one serving of fruit, one serving of milk and one serving of fat. To create meals, you select and exchange items within each food group. A sample breakfast meal may include one slice of whole wheat toast with 1 tsp. of margarine, a 6 oz. container of nonfat, sugar-free yogurt and a small banana. To vary your intake, you can exchange a slice of toast for 1/2 of a whole-wheat English muffin or 1/2 cup of oatmeal, and the yogurt for 1 cup of milk.
Lunch
A balanced lunch would include two servings of starch, two servings of meat or meat alternative, one serving of vegetables, one serving of fruit, one serving of milk and one serving of fat. A sample lunch meal would include a turkey sandwich consisting of 2 oz. of lean deli turkey meat on two slices of whole-wheat bread with 1 tsp. of mayonnaise, served with 1 cup of nonfat milk, 2 cups of mixed greens with 1 tbsp. of fat-free dressing and 1/2 cup of canned unsweetened fruit cocktail.
Dinner
For dinner, your meal should include two servings of starch, two servings of meat or meat alternatives, one serving of vegetables, one serving of fruit and one serving of fat. A sample dinner meal on your weight loss diet includes 2 oz. of broiled salmon with 1 cup of roasted red potatoes tossed in 1 tsp. of olive oil, 1/2 cup of steamed broccoli and 3/4 cup of cubed pineapple.
References
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Diabetes Diet -- Diabetic Exchange List
- MayoClinic.com: Your Diabetes Diet: Exchange Lists
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Diabetes Diet - Weight Control for Type 2 Diabetes
- International Diabetes Federation: Who Gets Diabetes?
- International Diabetes Federation: Complications of Diabetes
Member Comments