Healthy Eating for Diabetics
by Susan Baccari, RD, CDE
Eating healthy takes planning
Planning a healthy diabetic diet takes time and effort. Most people just want to be handed a list of the good and bad foods so they can get on with life. Unfortunately, it's not that simple, but learning how to achieve good blood sugar control is one of the best investments you can make in yourself.
First, understand that it's important to eat a variety of foods while controlling your portions. How much you should eat really depends on your calorie goal. To determine your specific calorie needs for weight management, I recommend that you see a registered dietitian. In the meantime, here are some tips to start meal planning for good blood sugar control.
Don't avoid carbohydrates - just limit them
Foods that contain carbohydrates have the most dramatic effect on your blood glucose. While these foods in large quantities raise your sugar levels, they also provide you with the energy you need to function. Therefore, don't avoid them, just limit yourself to the appropriate portion.
Carbohydrates are found in breads, cereals, rice, pasta, potatoes, beans, peas, lentils, fruits, milk and vegetables. Most women should limit their intake of carbohydrates to 2-3 servings at each meal. Men should limit their intake of carbohydrates to between 3-4 servings at each meal. For between meal snacks, limit carbohydrates to a single serving. (A serving is about 1/2 cup starchy vegetable, potato or beans, 1/3 cup cooked pasta or rice, 1 cup or 8 ounces of milk, 1 small fruit, ½ cup fruit or fruit juice.)
Choose high-fiber carbohydrates
When choosing your carbohydrates, go for the high-fiber sources. Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that does not turn into sugar; in fact, it does not get absorbed by your body at all. Fiber helps prevent you from being constipated and helps to keep you feeling full longer.
Choose breads that are 100% whole grain. Try whole-wheat pastas and brown rice and go for cereal with at least 5 grams of fiber per serving.
If you are counting carbohydrates, be aware that the above serving sizes contain approximately 15 grams of carbohydrates. If your goal is to have 2-3 servings of carbohydrates at each meal, then that translates to an average of 30-45 grams of carbohydrate for that meal.
How to read a food labelTo obtain a more exact measurement, read the packaging food labels. Always look at the serving size first. The information on the nutrition panel is based only on the serving size not the entire package. If your cereal package has a serving size of ¾ cup, then search for total grams of carbohydrate. Below the total carbohydrate, you will find grams of sugar and fiber. Please note these values are included in the total carbohydrate value, they are not separate. How much of the carbohydrate actually gets absorbed by your body?Now it gets a little tricky! Remember that fiber doesn't get absorbed by your body, so you can subtract this value from your total carbohydrates to get an exact measure of the amount that your body will absorb. For example, a ¾ cup of "Kashi Go Lean" cereal has 28 grams of carbohydrate. There are 10 grams of dietary fiber and 7 grams of sugar. Here is the equation: 28 grams of carbohydrate -10 grams of dietary fiber 18 grams of carbohydrate absorbed as sugar Now before you start to shop for your diabetic diet, please be aware that the foods claiming to be diabetic, dietetic, no-sugar added or even sugar-free still contain carbohydrates. These foods generally contain sugar-alcohols or sweeteners that replace some sugar normally found in the food product. Some of these products are considerably lower in carbohydrate than their counterparts, but some are not. To be certain, always look at your food labels and include these carbohydrates in your meal plan. What about fats and proteins?By now you may be thinking, what about fats and proteins? Are meats, chicken, oils, and margarines on that good food list? Well, since a person with diabetes is at a greater risk for heart disease, the types and amounts of protein and fat need to be considered as well. My last article on Heart Healthy Eating will provide you with all the information needed. Your diet can contain a variety of food, once you know the rules!Isn't it nice to know you can include a variety of foods in your diet? Just put my advice to practice and understand it will take some hard work. Once you achieve your goal of good or better blood sugar control, feel good about your accomplishment and know its one of the best investments you can make in yourself. |
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The information in this column is not intended to diagnose individual conditions. Readers should see their own doctors about specific problems.