High blood sugar, or glucose, characterize diabetes, a chronic disease. An estimated 25.8 Americans have diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and 7 million remain undiagnosed. In addition to medical treatment, a healthy, balanced diet can help manage your symptoms and lower your risk for chronic blood sugar imbalances and related complications. For best results, seek specified guidance from a qualified health care professional.
Function
A diabetes-friendly diet, like any healthy diet, provides sufficient amounts of calories and nutrients from a variety of foods. It also helps keep your blood sugar levels in an optimum range. Because excess weight can exacerbate diabetes and increase your risk for high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes complications, your diet should also help you reach or maintain a healthy weight. Contrary to popular belief, having diabetes does not require eliminating all desserts or sugar, according to the American Diabetes Association, or require eating specialized "diabetic" or "dietetic" foods. Keeping low-nutrient foods to a minimum and aiming for well-balanced meals is, however, important.
Guidelines/Plans
There is no universal set of diabetes dietary guidelines. Your doctor or dietitian may recommend using a specified menu or portion guide or the "plate method," which involves filling half your lunch and dinner plates with non-starchy vegetables, one-quarter with lean protein, such as fish or tofu, and one-quarter with a starch, such as bread, rice or potatoes. You then add 8 oz. of low-fat milk or yogurt or another carbohydrate serving. At breakfast, the same basic rules apply but you choose fruit instead of vegetables. The diabetes food pyramid is based on your caloric needs. A small, active or medium-build inactive woman, for example, is permitted six starches, two milk servings, three servings of vegetables, two fruits, up to three fats and 4- to 6-oz. meat or plant-based alternatives per day.
Optimum Foods
Regardless of your dietary plan, choosing nutritious foods daily from each necessary food group can help ensure positive nutrient intake, blood sugar and weight control. Healthy, fiber-rich carbohydrate sources include fruits, vegetables, legumes and whole grains. Fiber-rich foods enhance blood sugar control, promote digestive health and fullness between meals, according to MayoClinic.com. Choose lean protein sources such as low-fat dairy or soy products, fish and skinless poultry over red, fried and processed meats most often to avoid excessive saturated fat intake. Choose primarily healthy fat sources such as nuts, seeds, olive oil, canola oil, avocados and fatty fish such as salmon, mackerel and sardines. Eating fish at least twice per week promotes positive heart health.
Foods to Limit
Diabetes diets limit the same foods that most nutritious eating plans limit. Eating too many added sugars such as corn syrup, cane sugar and honey, and other high-glycemic foods such as low-fiber cereals and white bread, may offset your blood sugar and increase your risk for diabetes complications and weight gain, according to the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University. Saturated fat and cholesterol, found in fatty meats, high-fat dairy products and fried foods, are associated with an increased risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Trans fat, prevalent in stick margarine, shortening and processed snack foods, can damage your cholesterol levels and overall heart health.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: National Diabetes Fact Sheet
- American Diabetes Association: Diabetes Myths
- American Diabetes Association: Create Your Plate
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse: What I Need to Know About Eating and Diabetes
- MayoClinic: Diabetes Diet
- Linus Pauling Institute: Glycemic Index and Glycemic Load
