Diabetic Diet

Diabetes is chronic disease where Glucose which is a primary source of energy remains in the blood in excess amount instead of getting used by the body.

Although there are many factors involved like Insulin treatment, anti- diabetic medications, exercise and lifestyle modifications in the treatment of diabetes; diet plays a major role in prevention and treatment of Diabetes.

Diabetic diet mainly consists of low calorie, low carbohydrate and low fat diet. It may sound too much to restrict these energy sources, but with simple guidelines it’s easy to follow diabetic diet without starving or depriving yourself with food you like.

Healthy food can be tasty…

When considering diabetic diet 3 things are important

What to eat:

Eating whole grain containing food like whole grain pasta and bread will keep the sugar level balance.

Fresh vegetables and fruits are considered to be healthy as it provides fiber and essential vitamins and minerals.

Lean meat, poultry and low fat dairy can be consumed in moderate amounts as to provide sufficient protein and calcium.

Highly processed foods such as bakery products, sugary desserts, and fried and salted foods are best to be avoided.

Red meats and steaks should be avoided as far as possible as they have large amount of the saturated fats which hamper the insulin metabolism thus triggering raise blood sugar levels.

Alcoholic drinks and cola drinks are high calorie beverages therefore should be consumed in moderation or avoided as far as possible.

Foods to eat:

·        Whole grains

·        Beans and Legumes

·        Fresh Vegetables

·        Fresh Fruits

·        Low fat Dairy

·        Poultry and lean meat

·        Fish & Shellfish

·        Vegetable oils

Foods to avoid:

·        White flour

·        Cereals with little whole grain and lots of sugar

·        Processed grains, such as white rice

·        Red meat

·        Sugary foods

·        Commercial prepared fried foods - crisps, battered fish and chips

·        Ready made commercial foods - cakes, biscuits and snack foods.

·        Hard margarine

 When to eat:

Eating small frequent meals is beneficial for avoiding sugar level fluctuations

Eating high protein and high fiber breakfast is very important as it will gradually increase sugar levels which are very important to avoid insulin stress. Breakfast is breaking of fast after 8-10 hrs of gap after sleep

How much to eat:

Calorie should be counted and considered for meal planning

Small portion sizes of even healthy food substance are advisable as a calorie restricted diet.

Here are some examples for portions to be considered:

Fats (Limit to 1 serving per meal) 1 serving is:

• 10 Peanuts.
• 1 Tbsp Salad Dressing
• 2 Tbsp light salad dressing or sour cream.
• 1 Tsp margarine, Oil or mayonnaise.
• 1/8 Avocado.

Sweets (Substitute for starch or fruit serving occasionally) 1 serving is:

• 2 Small Cookies.
• 1 Small Cupcake or Muffin
• ½ Cup Ice cream.
• 1/3 Cup Frozen Yoghurt.
• ¼ Cup Sherbet.
• 1 tsp Syrup or Honey.

Milk (2-3 Servings per day) 1 serving is:

• 1 cup Milk.
• 1 Cup Low Fat.
• 1 Cup Artificially Sweetened yogurt (No sugar)

Meat / Fish/Chicken (2-3 Serving per day) 1 serving is:

• 2 oz Cooked Lean Meat/Poultry/Fish.
• ½ - ¾ Cup Tuna or Cottage Cheese.
• 1 Egg or 4 oz Tofu or 1 oz cheese.
• 2 Tbsp peanut Butter.

Vegetables (3-5 Serving Per day) 1 Serving is:

• 1 Cup Raw Vegetables.
• ½ Cup Cooked Vegetables.
• ½ Cup Tomato or Vegetable Juice.

Fruits (3 Serving per Day) 1 Serving is:

• 70 gm small fruit.
• ½ Cup canned fruit.
• ¼ cup Dried Fruit.
• ½ Cup Fruit Juice. (No sugar)

Grains, Starchy Vegetables and Beans. (6 plus Servings per Day) 1 Serving is:

• 1 Slice of 1 oz bread or ½ (1 oz) Bagel or 5 Crackers or 1 Granola bar.
• ½ Hamburger or Hot dog Bun or a tortilla of 6 inch or 2 tacos.
• ½ Cup Cooked Cereal, Cooked beans, Lentils, Corn, Peas, S. Potato, Potato or Pasta.
• 1 Cup winter Squash, 1 Cup Soup.
• 1/3 Cup Rice or 3 Cup Plain Popcorn (Fat free)