Type 1 diabetes, also called juvenile diabetes, is an autoimmune disease that usually begins in childhood. Your immune system attacks and destroys the insulin-producing beta cells in your pancreas, resulting in little or no insulin and requiring you to take insulin by injection each day. IInsulin is a hormone that transports sugar from your blood to your cells. A meal plan can help you control your blood sugar and manage diabetes.
Breakfast
An effective way to control your blood sugar each morning is to have a bowl of soy yogurt with nuts and fruit and a glass of almond milk. Soy yogurt, nuts and fruits, such as peaches, pears and apples, are low glycemic foods that contain sugar that your body slowly absorbs. This prevents spikes in blood sugar, enabling you to control your blood sugar. A diet that includes low glycemic foods is associated with improved diet quality and reduction in high blood sugar, according to research by scientists at the National Institute of Child Health and Development in Bethesda, Maryland, and published in the "Journal of the American Dietetic Association" in February 2009. Research by scientists at the University of Toronto in Ontario and published in the "Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition" in 2010 found that when consumed with carbohydrate-rich foods, nuts can lower the blood sugar levels following a carbohydrate meal.
Lunch
For lunch, enjoy a bowl of lentil vegetable soup with a tuna fish sandwich on whole grain pumpernickel bread with lettuce, tomato, cucumber and alfalfa sprouts. Lentils are a legume that contains soluble fiber, an indigestible substance that slows down the absorption of sugar into your blood, helping you to control your blood sugar and lowering the amount of cholesterol from foods you absorb into your body. Whole grain pumpernickel is a low glycemic food. People with Type 1 diabetes have a high risk of cardiovascular complications and must limit their intake of cholesterol and unhealthy fats. Tuna contains high concentrations of omega-3 fatty acids, healthy fats that may improve your blood cholesterol levels and reduce your risk of cardiovascular disease.
Dinner
A healthy dinner begins with a spinach salad made with endive, arugula, tomato, carrots and green beans. For your entrée, enjoy grilled tempeh with barley and steamed cabbage. Tempeh is a soy food that contains a complete protein of all essential amino acids, healthy fats and 0 mg cholesterol. Tempeh, barley, carrots and green beans are low glycemic foods to help you control your blood sugar.
Snacks
Peanuts are a healthy snack food for Type 1 diabetics. Peanuts are a low glycemic food with healthy fats. Research by scientists at The Pennsylvania State University in University and published in the "Journal of Nutrition" in September 2008 found that peanuts contain numerous cardioprotective nutrients and can lower the risk of coronary heart disease.
References
- National Diabetes Information Clearinghouse; Diabetes; 2010
- University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Center for Integrative Medicine; Glycemic Index; 2010
- "Journal of the American Dietetic Association"; The Effect of a Low-Glycemic Diet Vs a Standard Diet on Blood Glucose Levels and Macronutrient Intake in Children with Type 1 Diabetes; Alisha Rovner, et al.; Feb 2009
- "Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Health Benefits of Nuts in Prevention and Management of Diabetes; Cyril Kendall, et al.; 2010
- MayoClinic.com; Dietary Fiber: Essential for a Healthy Diet; 2009
- American Diabetes Association; Complications; 2010
