Diabetes Diet - Eat Right to Control Your Diabetes

Being diagnosed with diabetes usually means a change in diet for most people. Diabetes is a condition in which the body either doesn’t produce enough insulin or doesn’t use insulin correctly, resulting in too much glucose in the blood. Eating the right foods can reduce the sugar level in the blood. Having a regular routine for meals and snacks can also help the body maintain a healthy blood glucose level.

As with any healthy diet, limiting the consumption of sweets, fats, and alcohol is an important part of a diabetic diet. A person with diabetes should eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, as well as foods rich in whole grains. Carbohydrates, however, are a diabetic’s primary concern because they generally have a noticeable affect on the level of sugar in the blood.

Different carbohydrate foods are processed various ways by the body, depending on the complexity of the food’s structure. Simple carbs, like those found in sweets, are broke down by the body quickly, resulting in a rapid increase in the level of sugar in the blood. More complex carbs, like starches, takes much longer to be processed into glucose, so the blood sugar level is more maintained.

The best diabetic diet is a consistent and well balanced meal plan that involves eating a similar amount at a similar time each day. Eating the same amount of carbs with the same calorie intake each day can help the body maintain a healthy blood glucose level. Diabetics should eat a variety of foods and plan healthy and nutritious meals and snacks. It is also important to pay close attention to serving sizes to correctly count both carbs and calories.

There are several different methods used for planning a healthy diabetic diet with a balanced amount of carbohydrates. Many people with diabetes use the glycemic index to select the best foods to control their blood glucose level throughout the day. The glycemic index rates carbohydrate foods based on how they affect the body’s blood sugar level. Foods with a high GI are simple carbs that digest quickly and rapidly increase the sugar level in the blood, while low GI foods cause a slow and gradual rise in blood glucose, which is much healthier for diabetics trying to maintain a balanced sugar level.

Some diabetics choose to use an exchange list to develop their personal diabetic meal plan. An exchange list should be prepared by a qualified doctor or a registered dietician and generally includes a variety of foods that can be used for a single serving of each important part of a balanced diet. The exchange list is a simple way to plan a healthy diabetes diet by selecting the recommended number of servings from each category on the list, like fruits and vegetables, meats, and starches.

Simply counting carbohydrates is another method of planning a diabetic diet, but can be more difficult and often leaves more room for error. A person who chooses to count carbs must not only track their carbohydrate intake each day, but their total calorie consumption must be carefully watched as well. The recommended amount of carbohydrates for a healthy diabetic diet is between 45 and 65 percent of the total daily calories, but it is best for anyone with diabetes to consult with a doctor before planning their own diet.

While having diabetes does mean a person must pay much closer attention to their diet and their eating habits, being diagnosed with diabetes does not mean a person has to give up their favorite foods. There are lots of creative ways to make favorite recipes more diabetic friendly. Diabetics can also still enjoy dining out with a little careful planning. It is important to eat on time, so if a person with diabetes is planning a dinner out, they should be prepared with a starchy food or fruit serving snack that can take the place of a dinner serving.

Diabetics who dine out may need to make substitutions to their meal so it fits their personal meal plan. For example, a salad may be more appropriate than French fries, or fresh fruit could maintain sugar levels better than chips. It is also important to remember that condiments and extra toppings can increase the calories and carbohydrates of a meal, so a person with diabetes may wish to substitute mayo with ketchup or BBQ sauce on a burger, or may ask for salsa instead of cheese and sour cream with a taco. Croutons or bacon bits can be exchanged for healthier options like raisins.

Whether a diabetic is eating out at a restaurant or eating at home, the most important key to a healthy and balanced diet is managing the serving sizes and amount of food consumed. A person with diabetes should stick to recommended portion sizes at every meal. Eating the same amount each day, on a regular routine schedule, will give the most control over the level of glucose in the blood.