Dietary Guidelines For Diabetes
Choosing the right food for a diabetic person is exactly similar to choosing a healthy diet. Both require important nutrients-protein, minerals, vitamins, carbohydrates, healthy fats and water. For a diabetic person, the main goal is to control blood sugar by right balance of foods in order to plan the right meals. Not only the diabetic person but other members of family may benefit from a diabetic meal plan. A person suffering from diabetes should plan meals, follow exercising and take proper medication in order to control diabetes. Lifestyle changes and exercise are extremely vital for people who are suffering from pre-diabetes, or who are at risk of developing type-2 diabetes. Interventions in lifestyle can be extremely effective so as to prevent the development of diabetes. These interventions are necessary for overweight people. Even moderate weight loss may help to reduce the risk of diabetes.
Patients suffering from diabetes also need to be aware of their heart health nutrition, in specific, controlling high blood pressure and cholesterol levels. For people suffering from diabetes, the treatment goals for diabetes diet are:
• First goal is to achieve normal blood glucose level. People who are suffering from diabetes and who take insulin and oral medication must coordinate their calorie intake with insulin administration or medication, exercise, and other variables to control blood glucose levels.
• One must protect the heart as there is more danger due to diabetes and aim for healthy lipid levels and control of blood pressure.
• Weight control is extremely vital. Overweight patients with type 2 diabetes who do not take medication must aim for a diet that controls both weight and glucose.
Following are the general dietary guidelines for diabetes in order to meet the goals described before:
• Carbohydrates should provide 45 – 65% of total daily calories. Amount and type of carbohydrate is both necessary. Best pick may include vegetables, beans, fruits and whole grains. These foods are rich in fiber. Patients suffering from diabetes must monitor their carbohydrate intake either through meal planning exchange lists or carbohydrate counting.
• Fats should provide 25 – 35% of daily calories. Omega-3 polyunsaturated (like fish, flax seed oil, and walnuts) and monounsaturated (such as canola oils, olive, peanuts, avocados and nuts) fats are the best types. Saturated fats (butter, red meat) must be limited to less than 7% of daily calories. One must choose low fat dairy or nonfat instead of whole milk products. Trans-fats which include commercially baked goods and hydrogenated fat found in fried foods, snack foods must be limited to less than 1% of total calories.
• Protein must provide 12 – 20% of daily calories, although this may differ depending upon the patient’s health requirements. If a person has kidney disease, he must limit the protein intake to less than 10% of calories. Protein food choices include soy, fish and poultry.
Various different dietary methods are available for controlling blood sugar:
• Follow diabetic exchange list (in order to maintain a proper balance of carbohydrates, proteins, fats, during the whole day)
• Carbohydrate counting (so as to track the carbohydrates grams consumed each day)
• Glycemic index (to track which carbohydrate foods increase blood sugar)
