The goal of any diet plan for someone with diabetes is to help bring blood sugars into as near normal range as possible and promote a healthy weight. Your diabetes meal plan should teach you how to make mostly healthy food choices in controlled amounts. There are a number of diet plans you can follow; talk to your doctor to help you determine the one that fits your lifestyle.
Diet Guide
Counting the carbohydrates you eat at each meal is one way to help control your diabetes. Carbohydrates in food raise blood sugar, and eating the same amount at each meal can help you keep your blood sugars within an acceptable range. Carbohydrate-containing foods include fruits, starchy vegetables, grains, starches, milk, yogurt and sweets. The amount of carbohydrates you can have at each meal depends on your calorie needs and blood sugar goals. The following diet plan is based on a 2,000-calorie diet and limits meal carbohydrates to 45 to 60 g and snack carbohydrates to 15 to 30 g.
Breakfast
A healthy diabetic breakfast meal may include 1 cup of cooked oatmeal with 2 tbsp. of raisins, 8 chopped walnut halves and 1 tsp. of margarine with 1 cup of nonfat milk. This breakfast meal contains 455 calories and 57 g of carbohydrates. Oatmeal makes a healthy choice for people with diabetes because of its high soluble fiber content. Foods high in soluble fiber delay digestion and the release of sugar into the bloodstream, improving control.
Lunch
For lunch eat a roast beef sandwich with 3 oz. of lean roast beef deli meat on two slices of whole-grain wheat bread with 1 tsp. of mayonnaise, served with a 6 oz. container of nonfat, sugar-free yogurt, a small orange and 1/2 cup of sliced cucumbers with 1 tbsp. of reduced-fat ranch dressing. This meal contains 570 calories and 57 g of carbohydrates. Try to eat your meals and snacks at the same time everyday. Being consistent with the timing of your meals can also help with blood sugar control.
Afternoon Snack
For an afternoon snack, you can have five whole grain crackers with 1 tsp. of peanut butter and a small apple, for 185 calories and 30 g of carbohydrates.
Dinner
For dinner, you can have 3 oz. of roasted turkey breast, 6 oz. baked sweet potato with 1 tsp. of margarine, 1 cup of peas with 1 tsp. of margarine and 1 cup of mixed greens with 1 tbsp. of low-fat salad dressing. Dinner contains 615 calories and 60 g of carbohydrates.
Evening Snack
An evening snack may include one slice of whole wheat bread toasted with 1 oz. of low-fat cheese and 1/2 cup of unsweetened canned fruit, for 185 calories and 30 g of carbohydrates.
