Diabetes affects more than 8 percent of the American population, notes the National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse. Once you are diagnosed, the key to managing symptoms is controlling your blood glucose levels. Medication is the primary intervention, along with dietary and lifestyle changes. Making healthy and nutritious food choices can be difficult initially, but you can learn meal planning with the help of your diabetic treatment team.
Plate Method
The "Plate Method," is an easy meal planning technique that emphasizes portion control with the use of a standard sized plate. Unlike the other diabetes diet management tools, using this method does not require lists of food nutrients or counting. Create lines in your plate down the middle then on one side place another line so you have three sections. The largest section is where you place the non-starchy vegetables like spinach, broccoli, mushrooms or tomatoes. In one smaller section you place the starchy foods like whole wheat bread, brown rice, sweet potatoes or beans. In the remaining small section, place your meat, such as baked chicken, salmon or scrambled eggs. Complete your meal with a beverage like non-fat milk or water.
Count Carbohydrates
Tracking the amount of carbohydrates you consume in each meal, or "carb counting," is a way to set limits for the carbohydrates you consume so you keep your blood glucose in a healthy range. The average carbohydrates per meal is 45 g to 60 g, but you should consult your nutritionist for exact recommendations. Nutrition food labels provide carbohydrate content per serving, or you can find a list online to help you estimate the carbohydrates in your favorite foods. Do not eat all of your allotted daily carbohydrates in one meal, as this will cause a rapid glucose spike. Do not forget to balance the rest of your meal with a protein source like chicken or fish.
Exchange List
The exchange system is a complex method for balancing calories carbohydrates, proteins and fats. Along with your health-care team, you create a detailed list of food groups, including starches, meats, vegetables, fruits, dairy and fat. Within each food group column, you can choose alternative foods to "exchange," with equal nutritive value. This means if you want a small apple instead of a serving of pasta you can exchange the pasta for the apple. The exchange will prevent you from losing the nutritive value of the original food that was on the meal. The exchange method is effective, but may take practice.
Glycemic Index for Diabetes
The glycemic index, GI, measures the rise in your blood glucose from carbohydrate-containing foods. You can use a predetermined GI list with foods ranked as low, medium or high GI. The high GI foods cause a rapid increase in your blood glucose and are not advised in a diabetic diet. The medium GI foods have a moderate effect on your glucose, but you can add these to your meals as long as you do not restrict your meals to medium GI foods only. Low GI foods are considered the best because they keep your blood glucose level. However, factors that affect the GI of a food include ripeness, storage, processing, cooking method and the variety of the food. The GI method is effective, but it may require patience to fully master. Consult your health-care team before using the GI method.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Create Your Plate
- American Diabetes Association: Glycemic Index and Diabetes
- University of Maryland Medical Center: Diabetic Exchange Lists
- MayoClinic.com; Diabetes Diet; Create Your Healthy-Eating Plan; Mayo Clinic Staff; September 17, 2010
- Diabetes Society: Carbohydrate Counting Food List
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: National Diabetes Statistics 2011
