If you have diabetes, managing your condition includes following a healthy diet. You may not only need to change the kinds of foods you eat, but you will most likely need to develop a diet plan that takes portion size and portion control into account.
Importance
Practicing portion control may prove beneficial to your health if you suffer from diabetes. An important aspect of managing your health involves keeping your blood sugar levels stable. A key to maintaining stable blood sugar levels is portion control. The American Dietetic Association recommends that you keep your portion sizes small to help stabilize your blood sugar levels. The small portion sizes may prevent your blood sugar from getting too high, too quickly. At the same time, the high frequency of food consumption may help ensure that your blood sugar does not get dangerously low.
Recommendations
While everyone is different and there is no single diet for diabetes, you can take some recommended steps to help improve your condition. Include a combination of carbohydrates, fruits, vegetables, calcium-rich foods such as dairy, protein and healthy fats in your diet. According to the United States Department of Agriculture, a healthy diet includes 2 cups of vegetables, 2 cups of fruit, 3 cups of dairy, 5 oz. of grains and 5 oz. of protein. The USDA suggests that people with diabetes meet their nutritional requirements by eating small meals throughout the day, instead of eating three large meals a day.
Balance
If you have diabetes, you may benefit from careful monitoring of portions and proportions. A portion is the amount of food that you consume at any given time, while proportion has to do with how much of one food group you eat in comparison with the other food groups. According to the American Dietetic Association, every time you eat, you should have at least a partial serving of all of the food groups. With every meal, your goal should be to eat something from the starchy carbohydrate group, fresh fruit group, non-starchy vegetable group, protein group, calcium group and healthy fat group.
Your Plate
The American Diabetes Association developed a method designed to help you practice portion control and help you choose healthy proportions as well. You mentally divide your plate in half, then divide one of the halves into two. In the largest section of your plate, put non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, carrots, green beans, broccoli, or mushrooms. In one of the smaller sections, add a starchy carbohydrate. Examples include whole grains, rice, potatoes and corn. In the other small section of your plate, add some form of protein, either from an animal source or a plant source. Drink an 8 oz. glass of non-fat milk and finish your meal with a piece of fruit. Ask your doctor about any proposed changes to your diet plan.
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