The diabetic diet is a healthy diet that everyone will benefit from utilizing. Although your doctor will probably set you up with a nutritionist who will provide a formal meal planning guide tailored exclusively to you, the basic diabetic diet consists of lots of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains and minimal amounts of fats and sugars.
If you are new to planning nutritional meals and working with the food exchange list, it may seem difficult at first. With a little practice, it will become second nature - and you will be on your way to healthier eating.
Although your doctor or dietitian may suggest a different combination, a healthy diabetic diet will probably consist of most calories (40-60%) coming from carbohydrates, 20% from protein, and 20-30% from fat. Following is a general description of the three categories:
Carbohydrates:
Fruits, Vegetables, breads, pasta, dairy products, and condiments like mustard, ketchup, and no-fat mayonnaise.
Fresh or dried fruit is a much better option than canned or fruit juice. If you buy canned fruit, make sure it's packed in its own juices with no added sugars.
Protein:
Meat, poultry, fish, beans, dairy and soy products, and even some vegetables.
In general, try to eat poultry (without skin) and fish more frequently than red meat. When buying dairy products, check the label for fat content and always opt for the lower fat version.
Fat:
Butter, margarine, and oils added to food all add fat to your diet.
Although your dietitian will tell you how many grams you should aim for with each meal, everyone - diabetic or not- should stay under 30% of total caloric intake. Try to opt for lower fat versions of butter and mayo but check the labels of the products for the content of carbohydrates and added sugars.
Diabetic Recipe Exchange:
Please e-mail me at heartdiseasediabetes@suite101.com if you are interested in trading some diabetic friendly recipes. Although many diabetic cookbooks can be found in bookstores, let us know of adaptations that you have made to conventional recipes and how much your family liked the dish. We can all benefit from eating healthier!
This article is intended for general information only and is not intended to replace information from your dietitian or doctor.
Annie Austin - Annie Austin is a freelance writer/producer working primarily in the advertising and marketing field. She's worked with hospitals, ...
