Suggested Daily Diabetes Food List
Starches – 8 Servings:
Bread, pasta, corn, pretzels, potatoes, rice, crackers, cereal, tortillas, beans, yams, lentils.
Vegetables – 4 Servings:
Lettuce, broccoli, lettuce, peppers, celery, broccoli, carrots, chilies, vegetable juice, green beans, greens, spinach, tomatoes, cabbage.
Fruits – 3 Servings:
Apples, bananas, mango, fruit juice, raisins, guava, strawberries, oranges, papaya, dried fruit, watermelon, berries, grapefruit, peaches, canned fruit
Dairy – 2 Servings:
Milk, yogurt, etc.
Meats and Meat Substitutes – 4-6 ounces:
Chicken, eggs, cheese, beef, peanut butter, pork, fish, tofu, lamb, canned tuna, turkey, etc.
Fats and sweets – 4 servings:
Salad dressing, oil, avocado
The Diabetes Food Pyramid can be a good general guide for making good food choices.
Diabetes is a difficult disease to manage due to its intense diet regulation. If you have just been diagnosed, you may not be quite sure what diabetic foods you can eat safely.
Besides the obvious category of diabetic foods to avoid such as refined sugars and highly processed foods, there’s no food group that diabetics should cut out entirely. However, there are specific foods in each category that people with diabetes should avoided.
Are Carbohydrates Diabetic Foods You Can Eat?
Carbohydrates, for instance, pose interesting questions to diabetics. In today’s media hype of low-carb diets, many diabetics miss out on important sources of fiber and lasting energy. Examples of complex carbohydrates that are great for diabetics are bran, barely and oats. These grains mixed together and cooked in a little bit of water in the morning with a touch of honey, cinnamon, and nutmeg make a nutritious, enduring source of energy.
In addition, instead of refined grains, those with diabetes should focus on eating whole wheat and other whole grain foods that metabolized in the blood stream more slowly. Making this change alone will improve their blood sugar ratios tremendously.
Are Fruits A Poor Diabetes Food Group?
Fruits and vegetables are another group that causes confusion. Many diabetics will stay away from fruits as a rule due to the common misconception that fruits are too sugary. Unless instructed by a doctor, many fruits can provide a healthy snack. Apples, citrus, berries, or peaches are just a few that diabetics can choose from. The only fruits that most diabetics should stay away from are dates, prunes, and watermelon. Vegetables are much the same way. Most are completely safe for diabetics to indulge in. However, the vegetables that tend to be more starchy such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and parsnips should be avoided.
If you are unsure as to which fruits are healthy, look for those with a low glycemic index value. Foods with low glycemic index values are especially good for those with pre-diabetes symptoms. If a person is teetering on the edge between pre-diabetes and diabetes, a focus on eating foods with a low glycemic index, combined with exercise, can often prevent the condition from turning into diabetes.
Proteins And Diabetes
Proteins are highly important to diabetics. This food source can sustain them between meals so that they can prevent over-eating. A great source of healthy proteins is fish. The omega-3 fatty acids are helpful in heart health and brain health. Another safe source of this vital food group is lean meats such as chicken or pork. Diabetics need to make sure though that meats are not eaten out of proportion in order to help keep their cholesterol in check.
Diabetic foods you can eat do tend to outweigh the foods that shouldn’t be eaten. Portion and common sense keep refined sugars out of the picture. While indulging on healthy fruits and vegetables, complex grains, and well-portioned meat, diabetics can enjoy a balanced diet full of variety.
Type I Versus Type II Diabetes And Foods
The health of those with type 1 diabetes, as well as those with type 2 diabetes, can be improved tremendously by paying attention to diabetic diet guidelines and diabetic recipes. In fact, in regards to type 2 diabetes, diabetic testing and recent studies have shown that dietary changes can reduce the symptoms of diabetes – and in some cases – even reverse diabetes. If you are unsure as to how to put together a reasonable diabetic diet plan, a registered dietitian can provide good suggestions. And, the American Diabetes Association is always a good resource to look to towards dietary suggestions.
Unfortunately, diabetes management for those with type 1 diabetes is much more complex and something that food choices alone cannot solve. However, even here, changing the diet to include a higher ratio of low glycemic foods can provide benefits.
Goals Of A Diabetes Food Meal Plan
The important thing is that any dietary meal plan that you eventually come up with should be mainly designed with two goals in mind. The first is to lower blood glucose levels and help to control your blood sugar. The second is to help lose weight. An overwhelming number of adults and kids with diabetes, especially type 2 diabetes, have developed it mainly as a result of poor eating habits. Luckily, the food choices that you make to control diabetes are often the same ones that can be made to help with weight control.