A healthy diabetes diet should include lean protein and complex carbohydrates. Protein and carbohydrate are both essential nutrients. Carbohydrates raise your blood glucose levels, but protein does not. If you have diabetes, eat a balance of protein and carbohydrate at each meal so you obtain the nutrition you need and avoid dramatic spikes in your blood sugar levels.
Balanced Diet
On a diabetes diet, foods are separated into five main groups: nonstarchy vegetables, starchy foods, protein, fruit and dairy. For breakfast, half of your meal should come from starchy foods, a quarter from fruit and a quarter from lean protein. For lunch and dinner, fill half your plate with nonstarchy vegetables, a quarter with starchy foods and a quarter with lean protein. Also include a small piece of fruit and and 8 ounces glass of low-fat or nonfat milk with your noon and evening meals. To control portion sizes of protein and carbohydrate, use a 9-inch plate and pile foods no higher than a deck of cards.
Carbohydrate
Include 45 g to 60 g of total carbohydrate at each meal. Moderately reducing overall carbohydrate consumption and eating about the same amount at each meal helps keep your blood glucose levels stable and healthy. Choose nutrient-dense carbohydrate-containing foods such as fruit, nonstarchy vegetables and reduced-fat milk and yogurt. Among starchy food carbohydrates, choose fiber-rich beans and legumes and whole grains such as brown rice, wild rice, oatmeal, barley and breads and pastas made from 100 percent whole wheat flour.
Protein
Animal protein -- such as meat, poultry, and fish -- does not contain any carbohydrate and will therefore not raise your blood sugar. In order to cut down on excess calories and saturated fat, choose lean cuts of meat and skinless poultry. Keep in mind that plant-based sources of protein -- such as beans, lentils, chick peas, black-eyed peas, split peas, tofu and other soy-based products -- do contain carbohydrate, so eating them will elevate your blood glucose levels. The American Heart Association ranks beans as a diabetes superfood because they provide both lean protein and fiber-rich carbohydrate.
Portion
To meet your protein needs, consume between 2 and 5 ounces of lean meat or the equivalent daily. Equivalents to 1 ounce of meat include 1/4 cup beans, 1 egg, 1/2 ounce of nuts and 1/4 cup tofu. To help keep your per meal carbohydrate consumption between 45 g and 60 g, here are some examples of food portions that include about 15 g of carbohydrate: 1/3 cup of pasta or rice, 1 slice of bread, 1 small piece of fruit and 1/2 cup of oatmeal.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Carbohydrates
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Glycemic Index and Diabetes
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Create Your Plate
- American Diabetes Association; Food and Fitness -- Ask the Registered Dietician Archives: Do You Have Suggestions for How to Put Together a Good Balanced Meal?; Cassie Rico
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Carbohydrate Counting
- American Diabetes Association: Food and Fitness -- Whole Grain Foods
