An important part of managing your diabetes is having a healthy, diabetes-friendly diet plan. A proper diabetes diet can help stabilize your blood glucose levels, help you maintain a healthy weight, and fulfill your nutritional needs. According to the American Dietetic Association, a healthy diabetes diet includes balanced portions of healthy carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
Breakfast
The American Diabetes Association recommends that all your meals include a balance of protein and carbohydrates. For breakfast, starchy foods should comprise half your meal, fruit should be a quarter, and protein the remaining quarter. For your starchy food, try whole-wheat toast, whole-grain English muffins, oatmeal or bran cereal. In general, fruit has a low glycemic index, meaning it should not cause your blood sugar to spike. Fruits that contain edible seeds, such as berries, or fruits with edible skins, such as apples and pears, are particularly healthy choices because they tend to have high fiber contents. For breakfast protein, try lean ham. As an alternative to meat, try an egg or low-fat cheese to fulfill your protein requirement.
Lunch
The American Diabetes Association recommends that your lunch consist of half nonstarchy vegetables, a quarter starchy foods and a quarter protein. In addition, you should drink a cup of nonfat milk and eat half a cup of fruit. Try making salads or sandwiches with a variety of nonstarchy vegetables such as spinach, romaine, tomatoes, mushrooms, cucumbers, peppers, beets and carrots. If you choose to make a salad, add a side of cooked black-eyed peas or beans for healthy starch. If you opt for a sandwich, use whole-grain bread. Top your salad or sandwich with lean cuts of meat such as skinless chicken or turkey.
Dinner
Your dinner should include the same balance of nonstarchy vegetables, starchy foods and protein as lunch. Dinner should also include 8 oz. of nonfat milk and a half cup of fruit. Try eating fish, such as salmon, tuna or cod, with an assortment of nonstarchy vegetables such as broccoli, asparagus, artichokes, Brussels sprouts and turnips. For a healthy starch, add a side of brown rice, corn or baked sweet potato wedges. Instead of drinking 8 oz. of nonfat milk with dinner, you can try 6 oz. of nonfat plain yogurt. Top the yogurt with fresh berries to fulfill your dinner fruit requirement. This makes for a healthy after-dinner treat.
Snacks
Snacks play an important part in a healthy diabetes diet plan. Healthy diabetes snacks should include fruit, vegetables or whole grains. Avoid junk food snacks like potato chips and candy bars that are high in calories and unhealthy fat. Try snacks such as baby carrots, cherry tomatoes, cucumber slices, green olives, whole fruits such as a small apple or orange, fresh berries and whole-grain crackers. Try 1 tbsp. of peanut butter on a slice of whole-grain bread. Or top a slice of whole-grain bread with 2 oz. of turkey or a half cup of tuna salad.
References
- American Dietetic Association: Eat Right: Diabetes and Diet
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Create Your Plate
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Fruits
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Carbohydrates
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Non-Starchy Vegetables
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Snacks
