Diabetes is a chronic disease that affects your body's ability to use insulin. It can also increase your risk of developing infections, and kidney or heart disease. A healthy diet is one of the most important aspects of a diabetic patient's lifestyle. Consult a dietitian or physician for personalized diabetic diet recommendations.
Carbohydrate Counting
Carbohydrate counting is useful for diabetics because carbohydrate-containing foods have the most impact on blood sugar levels. It focuses on learning the basics of how to control total carb intake to regulate blood sugar levels. You count the grams of carbs based on typical food serving sizes and nutrient labels. One serving of carbohydrates is 15 g, which is equal to a small piece of fruit or 1 cup of milk. You should also pay attention to fat grams, including trans and saturated fats. A low-fat diet means calories from fat make up no more than 30 percent of your daily calories.
Food Guide Pyramid
The U.S. Government's MyPyramid provides a model for a well-balanced diabetic diet. It promotes healthy food choices and divides foods into groups based on how they compare in calorie, fat, carb and protein content. It emphasizes low-fat foods including starches, fruits, vegetables and proteins on the bottom and middle of the pyramid, as well as a limited intake of fats and sweets at the top of the pyramid. The food guide pyramid lists serving suggestions from each major food group and makes recommendations on serving sizes for each group.
Glycemic Index
The glycemic index assigns foods a number, based on how they affect blood sugar. The glycemic index measures how quickly carbs are digested in your body, and release insulin into the bloodstream, affecting glucose levels. High GI foods can cause insulin spikes, while low GI foods take longer to digest and do not adversely affect blood sugar. Diabetics using this method stick to low-GI foods to keep blood sugar levels stable.
Buynak Diet Plan
The Buynak Diet is less well known than other diabetic diets, but it follows some of the same principles. Dr. Robert Buynak recommends patients reduce their calorie intake by 500 calories a day. So, if you usually consume 2,000 calories a day, decrease it to 1,500. He does not restrict any foods, but he does promote a limited consumption of saturated fats and hydrogenated oils as well as an increase of whole grain, fruit and vegetable consumption.
References
- International Diabetes Federation: Complications of Diabetes
- American Diabetes Association: Carbohydrate Counting
- MayoClinic.com; Diabetes Diet: Create Your Healthy-Eating Plan; September 2010
- "Dr. Buynak's 1-2-3 Diabetes Diabetes Diet"; Robert J. Buynak, M.D.; 2006
- MyPyramid.gov: Steps To A Healthier You
