diabetesinformation

Diabetic Diet

It is important that patients with diabetes follow the advice of their doctor, and dietician, because this can prevent life threatening complications, such as renal failure. The diabetic diet does not only consist of diabetic foods, but it is important to eat a balanced healthy diet. A diabetic diet plan is a guide, which tells you what kinds of food, and how much you can eat.

The mainstay of this type of diet is eating carbohydrate foods, which have low Glycemic index values. Carbs are necessary to control your blood glucose levels.

The diabetic diet is not the same for everyone; diets will vary depending on the individual’s health, lifestyle, timing of medications, and nutritional needs, for example:

A type 1 diabetic menu will focus on how fast different foods are metabolized by the body, and food intake will need to be matched to insulin.

A type2 diabetic menu will probably be more concerned with calories, losing weight, and improving the body’s ability to make use of the insulin, which it does make.

Pregnancy diabetes (gestational) is also treated through diet, plus exercise, such as walking, swimming and yoga. Although a fat free, or low-fat diet is not usually recommended during pregnancy, you will be advised to keep an eye on how much fat you eat, reduce salt intake, and eat regular meals with plenty of fruits and vegetables.

If you have diabetes your doctor may recommend that you go on a diabetic exchange det. This is a special diet that will help to control how much cholesterol, and sugar are in your blood. It will also help you to lose weight.

The exchange diet divides foods into six groups, and measures portion sizes. You normally have to eat three meals, plus up to three snacks daily. Your dietician will give you a diabetic diet sheet. This has sample meal plans, which will give examples from each food group. The idea is that can exchange foods within the same group, as long as you stick to the specified serving size.

The American Diabetes Association is one of the best websites, for those looking for information. You can download a chart, which has guidelines about how to prevent diabetes. According to this Association, the American diabetic diet calorie count should be broken down as follows:

Fifty percent carb
Twenty percent fat protein
No more than thirty percent fat

This recommendation applies to all your menus, and to 1000, 1200, 1500, 1800, or 2000-calorie diet plans.

Cooking need not be a problem, as the ADA website has a virtual grocery store that offers a variety of diets for diabetics, delicious nutritional recipes, ideas how to modify your current recipes, and there is even a facility for you to email a diabetic diet sample to your friends.