The diabetes food pyramid provides an eating guideline for people with diabetes. Diabetes occurs when there is too much glucose in the blood caused by too little insulin or insulin resistance and, in some cases, both. After eating, glucose levels rise; some foods cause glucose to rise rapidly, whereas others cause little change in glucose levels. The diabetes food pyramid is designed to balance blood sugar by noting foods that cause small changes in glucose levels and those that cause rapid increases.
Identification
The diabetes food pyramid divides foods into six food groups including starches, vegetables, fruits, milk, meat and meat substitutes, and fats and sweets. You should consume foods located towards the bottom of the food pyramid more than the foods towards the top of the pyramid. Foods that contain high amounts of carbohydrates can affect the blood sugar, so these food groups have limited serving amounts.
Benefits
Each individual food group contains its own health benefits. Foods from the starch category include grains and whole-grains, which contain dietary fiber and several B-complex vitamins used to regulate blood sugar and maintain the nervous system, heart and brain. Foods from the fruit and vegetable categories contain a mixture of vitamins and minerals that work to boost the immune system and reduce the risk of developing heart disease and cancer. Milk-based dairy products contain the mineral calcium and vitamin D, which work together to maintain the health of the bones and teeth. Meat and meat substitutes provide the body with protein, which is needed for healthy tissue and muscles. Fats and sweets are extremely limited since they are usually void of nutritional value. However, good fats, such as olive oil and canola oil, contain unsaturated fats, which are good for the heart.
Caloric Intake
Depending on your weight, your doctor may make modifications to your daily caloric intake, which will change the serving sizes from these categories. If you are a small woman who exercises, or a small or medium built woman who wants to lose weight, your doctor may advise you to follow the average 1,200 to 1,600 calorie per day option. In this case, your meal plan would consist of six starches, three vegetables, two fruits, two milk products, 4 to 6 oz. of meat and meat substitutes and up to three servings of fat. However, if you are a small man at a healthy weight, or a medium-build man who wants to lose weight, you may follow a 1,600 to 2,000-calorie meal plan, which contains more starches, vegetables, fruit and fat.
Diabetes Prevention
Following the standard USDA MyPyramid can help prevent diabetes and chronic illnesses. Some doctors may advise their diabetic patients to continue following the standard food pyramid, whereas others may recommend using the diabetic food pyramid as a way to manage the symptoms of diabetes, reduce the use of certain medications and minimize the risk of any complications.
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