If you have diabetes, you may occasionally experience low blood sugar, also called hypoglycemia. Your diet, exercise and any diabetes medications you may take all play a part in controlling your glucose levels. Eating the number of calories from the right types of food helps stabilize blood sugar. The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) says that an 1,800-calorie diet is appropriate for a large person who wants to lose weight or a small man at a healthy weight.
Carbohydrates and Hypoglycemia
Carbohydrates have more impact on glucose levels than fat or protein. Too many simple carbs, such as starchy foods or sugar, can quickly raise glucose levels. The faster your blood sugar goes up, the faster it comes down, which can lead to hypoglycemia. Control both high and low blood sugar by choosing carbs that have little impact on your blood sugar. High-fiber vegetables, legumes and whole grains are digested slowly, as are fat and protein. Foods that slow digestion have a less immediate impact on blood sugar and help stabilize glucose levels.
An 1,800-Calorie Diet -- Macronutrients
There are three macronutrients -- carbohydrates, fat and protein. You need to eat all three macronutrients no matter how many calories you consume. The "2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans" recommends that between 45 and 65 percent of your calories come from carbohydrates, between 20 and 35 percent come from fat, and between 10 and 35 percent come from protein. If you limit any one macronutrient, you'll need to increase calories from the other two. For example, a low-carb diet tends to have higher amounts of fat and protein, while low-fat diets tend to be high in carbohydrates. Both carbohydrates and protein have 4 calories per gram, while fat has 9 calories per gram.
The Diabetes Food Pyramid
The NIDDK has a diabetes food pyramid designed to help diabetics regulate glucose levels. A person following an 1,800-calorie diet is advised to eat eight servings of starches, four servings of vegetables, four servings of fat, three servings of fruit, two servings of dairy and 6 oz. of meat daily. Protein is limited because digesting protein can place a burden on the kidneys. Diabetes is the leading cause of kidney disease, and reducing protein intake can delay the progression of kidney disease.
Glycemic Index Diet
No matter which diet you follow, whether it's designed for people with diabetes or is a popular diet such as the South Beach or the Zone diet, using the glycemic index as a guide for choosing carbohydrates helps prevent hypoglycemia. The glycemic index, or GI, is a measure of the impact of carbohydrates on blood sugar. Foods are ranked from 1 to 100 in comparison to pure glucose, which scores a perfect 100. The lower a food scores, the less likely it is to raise your blood sugar level. Choosing low-GI foods that score 55 or less prevents a negative cycle of high and low blood sugar.
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