Following a healthy and balanced eating plan can help bring your blood sugar levels under control with diabetes. To prevent long-term complications associated with elevated blood sugar levels, which include cardiovascular disease, stroke, renal failure, blindness and amputations, your blood sugar levels should stay between 70 and 130 mg/dL before your meals and not go beyond 180 mg/dL after your meals. It is important that you monitor your blood sugar levels on a regular basis to assess the effectiveness of your eating plan.
Nonstarchy Vegetables
Include plenty of nonstarchy vegetables in your diabetes eating plan, such as leafy greens, kale, cabbage, broccoli, cauliflower, bell peppers, mushrooms and tomatoes. In addition to containing very little calories and carbohydrates, they are packed with nutrients, such as fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants. Nonstarchy vegetables can help you lose weight if you need to by making you feel fuller with fewer calories, and they do not contribute to raising your blood sugar levels. Aim for at least 1 to 2 cups per meal. For example, add onions, mushrooms, spinach and tomatoes to your scrambled eggs at breakfast, a big salad of leafy greens at lunch and accompany your dinner with a generous helping of green beans, asparagus or broccoli.
Protein
When planning your meals, plan for a source of protein at each of your meals and snacks. The satiating power of protein is greater than that of fat or carbohydrates and can help you prevent hunger and cravings between your meals, making it easier for you to reach and maintain your healthy weight. Losing weight, especially around your midsection, if needed, can greatly help decrease your insulin resistance and improve your blood sugar levels. Protein is found in fish, seafood, chicken, turkey, pork, beef, eggs and cheese. For most people, a serving of 3 to 6 oz. at each meal is optimal. For example, you could have 2 eggs and 1 oz. of cheese at breakfast, 4 oz. of sliced beef in your salad at lunch and a 6 oz. salmon fillet for dinner.
Fat
Your diabetes eating plan does not have to be fat-free or low in fat. In fact, including some fat at each of your meals can help you feel more satisfied with your diet and helps give you needed energy until your next meal. Avoid trans fat, which can increase your risk of heart diseases. Avocado, olive oil, coconut oil, nuts, seeds and their butter constitute healthy sources of fat. For example, add a few slices of avocado to your morning scrambled eggs, add almonds to your salad at lunch and drizzle your vegetables with olive oil at dinner.
Carbohydrates
The amount of carbohydrates to be included in your diabetes eating plan is probably the most controversial part. The American Diabetes Association recommends including 45 to 60 g of carbohydrates at each meal. By tracking your carbohydrate intake, with the help of food labels or online tracking tools and monitoring your blood sugar levels, you may find that your blood sugar levels are better controlled with a lower carbohydrate intake, which could correspond to 30 g, 20 g or even 10 g of carbohydrates per meal. Experiment with different levels of carbohydrate intake to determine what works best for you. Consult your doctor before changing your carbohydrate intake because your medication or insulin dosage may need to be adjusted.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Carbohydrate Counting
- American Heart Association: Monounsaturated Fats
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Protein, Weight Management, and Satiety; Douglas Paddon-Jones, et al.; 2008
- "Nutrition & Metabolism"; The Case for Low Carbohydrate Diets in Diabetes Management; Surender K. Arora, et al.; July 2005
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