Diabetes is a metabolic disorder characterized by insufficient insulin production or a resistance to insulin. Since insulin lowers blood sugar levels, people with diabetes struggle with high blood sugar. Diabetics generally need to modify their diet in order to control blood sugar levels.
Objective
The primary reason for diabetics to change their diet is to keep their blood sugar from getting too high. While safe levels depend on the individual, a diabetic's pre-meal blood sugar level should ideally be below 130mg of sugar per deciliter of blood (mg/dl.) The post-meal blood sugar level should be less than 140 mg/dl.
Sugar
Diabetics need to carefully restrict their intake of sugar and may need to completely eliminate it from their diet. Simple sugars such as fruit sugar and table sugar break down easily into glucose. This can cause a diabetic's blood sugar to rise very quickly. A blood sugar spike might require an injection of insulin as an emergency measure to lower the blood sugar level.
Whole Grains
Whole grains such as rice, wheat and barley play an important role in a diabetic's diet. These foods are high in dietary fiber, which can lower the blood sugar level. People at risk for type II diabetes should get a minimum of 14gm of fiber in their diet for every 1,000 calories they consume.
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrates break down into glucose during digestion, so diabetics need to monitor their carbohydrate intake. They typically accomplish this with an aid such as an exchange list. Carbohydrates should generally contribute no more than 65 percent of a diabetic's diet. Foods such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables and beans are high in carbohydrates. Still, these foods are an important part of a healthy diabetic diet when eaten in the recommended amounts.
Meal Size
Diabetics may need to eat smaller meals and eat more often to maintain the same daily caloric intake. This strategy will keep the blood sugar level from rising too much after each meal. It will also keep the blood sugar level from dropping too much between meals.
