A balanced diet should constitute the foundation of the treatment plan to control your diabetes. Healthy eating is not only about eating foods that are considered healthy, but it is also about eating them at the right time and in the right amounts. For example, even if fruits are healthy, eating too many pieces of fruit at once will likely result in high blood sugar levels. Portion control is key to keeping your blood sugar control within the desirable range of 70 and 130 mg/dL before a meal and below 180 mg/dL two hours after eating.
Vegetables
While most people need to reduce their serving size for many foods, vegetables is the only food group that many diabetics could benefit from eating more of. Vegetables, especially non-starchy vegetables, are a good way to feel satisfied while eating smaller servings of foods and fewer calories. Choose non-starchy vegetables, such as broccoli, cabbage, bok choy, bell pepper, mushrooms, cucumber and celery, to fill half of your plate, which should correspond to at least 1/2 cup to 2 cups at each meal. Starchy vegetables like potato, sweet potato, corn and plantain fall in the carbohydrate-containing group and need to be limited to smaller servings.
Protein
If you want to make it easier for you to stick with your diabetes meal plan, make sure you include at least 15 to 30 g of protein at each of your meal. You can get this amount of protein by selecting 2 to 5 oz. of chicken, fish, shrimp, pork, beef, eggs, cheese, tofu, tempeh or vegetarian meat imitations. Protein can make you feel fuller longer, which means that you won't need to eat as much or as often if you have enough at each of your meal. This is why protein can help you lose weight, and losing 5 to 10 percent of your weight, if needed, can help you optimize your blood sugar control
Carbohydrate-Rich Foods
Controlling the serving size of the carbohydrate-containing foods is probably the most important thing to do to manage your diabetes. Breads, rice, pasta, breakfast cereals, crackers, granola bars, oatmeal, baked goods, mashed potatoes, french fries, corn, sugar, desserts, fruits and some dairy products are the principal sources of carbohydrates. When carbohydrate-containing foods are digested, they are broken down into sugar, which are then absorbed into your bloodstream and cause your blood sugar levels to rise. Limiting your carbs to 45 to 60 g per meal is a good starting point to improve your diabetes control, as recommended by the American Diabetes Association.
Tracking Your Carbs
The best way to eat just the right amount of carbohydrate-containing foods is to track your carb intake. Read the food labels to determine the amount of carbs per serving or use online tracking tools, like MyPlate, to keep track and stay between the recommended 45 to 60 g of carbs per meal. For example, at breakfast, you could have 1/2 cup oatmeal with a small diced apple and 2/3 cup of plain yogurt for the equivalent of 45 g of carbohydrates. At lunch, a sandwich made with two slices of whole grain bread and accompanied with a glass of milk also provide 45 g of carbohydrates. At dinner, 1 cup of cooked whole grain pasta or rice could be your serving of carbohydrate-containing foods, providing 45 g of carbs.
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