A healthy diabetes helps manage your blood glucose levels as well as help lower your blood pressure, improve your cholesterol and maintain -- or achieve -- a healthy weight. Your three meals -- breakfast, lunch and dinner -- should each contain between 45 g and 60 g of total carbohydrate and include the proper balance of fruit, non-starchy vegetables, starchy foods, lean protein and reduced-fat dairy.
Balanced Meals
Portion sizes prove crucial when planning healthy diabetes meals. The American Diabetes Association developed a plate method to help you maintain the right balance and portions at each meal. For breakfast, one-half your plate should include starchy foods, one-quarter should include lean protein and one-quarter should include fruit. For lunch and dinner, your plate should consist of one-half non-starchy vegetables, one-quarter starchy foods, and one-quarter lean protein. You should also include 8 oz. of reduced-fat milk and 1 small piece of fruit with all of your lunch and dinner meals. Use a 9-inch plate and do not pile food higher than the thickness of a deck of cards.
Counting Carbohydrates
To manage your diabetes health, keep track of your carbohydrates at each meal. As a guideline, keep in mind that certain food portions each contain about 15 g of carbohydrate; these include 1 slice of bread, one 6-inch tortilla, 1/3 cup of rice or pasta, 1/2 cup of oatmeal, 1/2 cup of beans, lentils or other legumes, 1 small piece of fruit and 1/2 of a hamburger bun. To keep your carbohydrate intake to 45 to 60 g per meal, include no more than 3 or 4 servings of these items at breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Non-Starchy Vegetables and Fruit
When planning your diabetic meal, distinguish between starchy and non-starchy vegetables. Starchy vegetables -- corn, green peas, potatoes, plantains and butternut squash, for example -- belong to the starchy foods category. Examples of non-starchy vegetables include tomatoes, lettuce, mushrooms, eggplant, peppers, spinach, cabbage, carrots, artichoke, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower, cucumber, onions and beets. Choose fruit with edible skin or seeds -- bananas, apples, pears and raspberries, for instance. They usually contain healthy amounts of fiber, making them less likely to cause high elevations in your blood glucose levels.
Starchy Foods, Protein and Dairy
In addition to starchy vegetables, whole grains and legumes also provide healthy starch. Examples of whole grains include brown rice, whole barley, whole oats, bulgur, sorghum, buckwheat, wild rice, millet, quinoa and breads and pastas made from 100 percent whole wheat flour. In terms of legumes, try lentils, black-eyed peas or beans. Choose lean protein sources such as fish, skinless poultry, lean cuts of meat, legumes or soy-based products. Choose reduced-fat dairy products such as non-fat or 1 percent milk and yogurt.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Diabetes Meal Plans and a Healthy Diet
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Carbohydrate Counting
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Ask the Registered Dietician Archives: What is Considered a Meal?, Cassie Rico
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Non-Starchy Vegetables
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Whole Grain Foods
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Carbohydrates
