Meal Planning Basics For Diabetics

 

Meal planning is one of the most important aspects to pay attention to if you are a diabetic. Whether you have Type I or Type II diabetes, the foods you choose to eat will impact your blood sugar levels - even if you are taking insulin or other medicines to help manage your blood sugar. Talk with a diabetic educator, a dietician or your doctor to learn more. Master the basics of meal planning to eat foods that work with your body to maintain a healthy blood sugar level - and live a longer, healthier life.

First you need to remember that every meal or snack needs to have a balance of a variety of foods consisting of protein, carbohydrates and fat - in that order of importance.

For a diabetic, protein is the first most important part of any snack or meal. Proteins help your body to feel more full or satisfied with less food intake. You may have noticed that if you eat a meal consisting of only carbohydrates (like pasta or rice or even sweets), that you can seem to eat more and more before you feel full. However, with a high protein food, such as lean meat, you don't have to eat very much before you feel full. This is a natural result of eating proteins - the feeling of "fullness" (known as satiety in the medical profession).

This is important for diabetics because if there is enough protein in the meal, you will tend to eat less food, which helps to keep your glucose levels balanced. So remember to eat lean protein with each meal or snack.

Lean proteins are things such as boneless, skinless chicken breast (or other poultry), lean beef or pork as well as most fish and seafood. Other protein sources are low-fat cheese, eggs (and egg substitutes), natural peanut butter and vegetable proteins such as tofu and legumes.

The next most important thing for a diabetic to remember is to eat several small meals or snacks throughout the day instead of three bigger meals per day. By eating smaller, balanced meals every 2 to 3 hours you help your body to maintain a steady blood sugar level. The normal three meals per day routine that most people follow is bad for diabetics because it allows for too much fluctuation in glucose levels. Diabetics should eat four to six balanced meals or snacks throughout the day.

A balanced meal contains proteins, carbohydrates and even some fat. Healthy carbohydrates are items such as vegetables, fruits, whole-grain breads and cereals, beans, skim-milk and low-fat milk and yogurt.

Be careful to avoid too many starchy carbohydrates such as potatoes, white rice and corn. Most breads are made from enriched white flour which is also to be avoided. Cakes, doughnuts, white breads, pastas, white rice - all of these are bad carbohydrates for a diabetic because they cause the blood sugar levels to spike.

Carbs are foods that convert into glucose very quickly once they are eaten. Some carbs take a longer time to convert, but others convert almost instantly. Whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables take a longer time to convert to glucose. Starches such as potatoes, pasta, bread and corn convert to sugar very quickly. When carbs turn to sugar they spike the glucose levels in the body - which is dangerous for a diabetic.

Diabetics should eat good carbohydrates and avoid the bad carbs. Fresh fruits and vegetables also add needed fiber to your diet. Fiber is essential in helping with digestion and even helps in losing excess weight. Whenever possible eat fresh fruits and vegetables - eat at least 5 servings every day.

Believe it or not fats are essential to a diabetic's diet also. However you need to eat healthy fats and avoid bad fats. Healthy fats consist of such things as as vegetable oils (olive and canola are the best), nuts and seeds, and avocados. Butter and mayonnaise are alright in small amounts.

Diabetics must learn to control their cravings for two important types of carbohydrates: starches and sweets. Both are equally detrimental to everyone's diet - but especially dangerous for diabetics. Avoid or dramatically decrease your consumption of starchy carbs and sweets.

To summarize, diabetics need to have balanced healthy meals consisting of fresh fruits and vegetables and lean proteins. They should eat 4 to 6 meals or snacks at 2 to 3 hour intervals throughout the day. Avoid or dramatically decrease your intake of starchy carbohydrates and sweets. Visit with your doctor or a dietician or diabetic educator to learn more.