Diabetes mellitus is a condition which causes your blood glucose levels to be too high. Diabetes mellitus can be caused by your pancreas not producing enough insulin or by your body not responding properly to the insulin which is produced. If you are a diabetic, you can help manage your insulin levels by following a proper diet.
Weight Loss
People with Type 2 diabetes, which typically develops later in life, are often overweight. If you have Type 2 diabetes and are overweight, one of the best things you can do for your health is to lose some of the extra weight. Not only will the weight loss reduce your risk of developing heart disease, weight loss can also help lower your blood glucose levels, Health.com notes. One of the key aspects of diet therapy for diabetes is reducing your caloric intake so that you can lose weight.
Carbohydrates
Another critical aspect of dieting for diabetes is your carbohydrate intake. As the Patient Education Institute notes, carbohydrates should make up between 50 and 60 percent of a diabetics caloric intake. This is because carbohydrates are rapidly broken down into glucose, so carbohydrate heavy meals can cause a sudden rise in blood glucose levels. Ideally, your carbohydrates should come from vegetables, fruits and whole grains, as these carbohydrates are broken down more slowly, which helps mitigate the effects of carbohydrates on blood glucose levels.
Fats
Preventing diabetes-related complications is also a factor in diabetes diets. One of the most important complications of diabetes is an increased risk of developing atherosclerosis and heart disease. If you have diabetes, you should eat a diet which gets less than 30 percent of its calories from fat, MayoClinic.com notes, and less than 7 percent from saturated fats. You should also avoid trans fats, which can be found in some baked goods and margarine, as these can also increase your risk of developing heart disease.
Plans By Weight
Because your nutritional needs may vary depending on your size, activity level and gender, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disorders notes. If you consume between 1,200 and 1,600 calories per day, you should eat six starches, two milks, three vegetables, two fruits and between 4 to 6 oz. of meat each day. If you eat 1,600 to 2,000 calories, you can add two servings of starches, as well as one serving of vegetables and fruit. If your diet involves 2,000 to 2,400 calories per ay, you can have 10 servings of starch, four of vegetables and fruits, 5 to 7 oz. of meat and two servings of dairy each day.
