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How Can I Control My Diabetes |
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You can help control your blood sugar and diabetes when you eat healthy, get enough exercise, and stay at a healthy weight. A healthy
weight also helps you control your blood fats and lower your blood pressure. Many people with diabetes also need to take medicine to help control their blood sugar.
Good food choices for diabetes are no different than what is recommended for all other people. It means: You can help control your blood sugar (also called blood glucose)
and diabetes when you eat healthy, get enough exercise, and stay at a healthy weight.
- Selecting a variety of healthy foods as the base of one's diet
e.g., whole grains, fruit, vegetables, dried beans, lean meats, fish, poultry and lowfat dairy foods
- Limiting high calorie, non-nutritious foods
e.g., sweets, fats and alcohol
- Eating the right amount of all foods to maintain a healthy weight
Distributing meals and snacks throughout the day is important for people with diabetes. At least 3 meals are recommended, and for some, snacks are a good way to achieve optimal results in
carbohydrate-exercise-medication balancing Diet is a cornerstone of controlling diabetes. More than half of all adult diabetics manage their diabetes
with diet rather than insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents.
Using the food pyramid helps you eat a variety of healthy foods. When you eat different foods, you get the vitamins and minerals you need. Eat different foods from each group each day. See how to do this in the example below.
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Day 1 |
Day 2 |
Fruit: |
apple
orange |
banana
mango |
Vegetable: |
broccoli |
salad
green beans |
Carbohydrates are an important part of a diabetic's diet. There are Three types of carbohydrates - Starches, Sugar, and fibres: Starches
Complex carbohydrates include bread, grains, cereal, pasta, or starchy vegetables. Eat some
starches at each meal. People might tell you not to eat many starches, but that is no longer correct advice. Eating starches is healthy for everyone, including people with diabetes.
These raise blood sugar levels gradually over a longer period of time. The number of servings you should eat each day depends on
- The calories you need.
- Your diabetes treatment plan.
Starches give your body energy, vitamins and minerals, and fiber. Whole grain starches are healthier because they have more vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Fiber helps you have regular bowel movements.
How Much Is a Serving of Starch? One starch exchange is:
- 1/2 cup of cereal, grain, pasta, or starchy vegetable
- 1 oz. bread, or 1 slice
1 Serving:
You might need to eat one, two, or three starch servings at a meal. If you need to eat more than one serving at a meal, choose several different starches or have two or three servings of one starch. What Are Healthier Ways to Buy, Cook, and Eat Starches?
- Buy whole grain breads and cereals.
- Eat fewer fried and high-fat starches such as regular tortilla chips and potato chips, french fries, pastries, biscuits, or muffins.
- Use low-fat or fat-free yogurt or fat-free sour cream instead of regular sour cream on a baked potato.
- Use mustard instead of mayonnaise on a sandwich.
- Use the low-fat or fat-free substitutes such as low-fat mayonnaise or light margarine on bread, rolls, or toast.
- Use vegetable oil spray instead of oil, shortening, butter, or margarine.
- Cook or eat cereal with fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk.
- Use no-sugar jelly, low-fat or fat-free cottage cheese, nonfat yogurt, or salsa.
Nutritional Tips
- Many starch choices are a good source of B Vitamins.
- Foods made from whole grains provide a good amount of fiber.
- Legumes are a good source of protein and fiber.
Selection Tips
- Select starches that contain the least amount of fat.
- Rolls, Bagels, and muffins can be 3 or 4 oz. in weight, and you should make sure to count it accordingly.
- Always check nutrition facts on the food label.
They are simple carbohydrates, include sugar, candy, pastries and cakes, and these usually raise blood sugar levels very quickly.
You find the sugary foods and sweets section at the tip of the pyramid. This tells you to eat small amounts of sugary foods.
Sugary foods have calories and do not have much nutrition. Sugary foods have lots of calories. Some sugary foods are also high in fat--like cakes, pies, and cookies. They also may contain
saturated fats and cholesterol. Sugary foods and sweets are tempting. But eating small amounts of sugary foods will help you
lose weight, keep your blood sugar under control, control your blood fats, and lower your blood pressure.
How Much Is a Serving of Sugary Foods and Sweets?
Once in a while you can eat a serving of a sugary food. Talk to your diabetes teacher about how to fit sugary foods into your meal plan.
Whole bread, wholegrain cereals, fruit beans and peas.
Complex carbohydrates usually contain more nutrients, minerals and fiber than do simple carbohydrates, but simple carbohydrates can give blood sugar a quick lift to help stave off an insulin
reaction. Both forms of carbohydrates have their place in a diabetic's diet. Many diabetics must limit their fat intake as well as their intake of cholesterol and salt. Eating too much
fat and cholesterol are linked to heart disease. This may mean they have to cut out or limit eating eggs, dairy foods and red meats.
Special consideration must be given to planning medications, mealtimes and exercise so that wide swings in bloodsugar levels are avoided. An insulindependent diabetic should plan to eat foods that
are heavy in carbohydrates at a time when they coincide with the peak effectiveness of the insulin he or she uses. This will vary with the type and amounts of insulin being used.
To help diabetics in planning their meals, the American Diabetes Association has created lists of equivalent foods called exchange lists. These are nutritional guidelines that can be used every day to
help diabetics choose what to eat. A serving of any food on a given exchange list can be substituted for a serving of any other food on that list. The lists can help diabetics with daily meal plans. They'll learn
to include foods from the six exchange lists in their daily diet.
Vegetables are an important part of everyones diet. In general,Vegetables are healthy for everyone,
including people with diabetes. Eat raw and cooked vegetables every day. Vegetables give you vitamins, minerals, and fiber, with very few calories. The number of servings you should eat each day depends on
- The calories you need.
- How you take care of your diabetes.
How Much Is a Serving of Vegetables? One vegetable exchange is:
- 1/2 cup of cooked vegetables or vegetable juice
- 1 cup of raw vegetables
You might need to eat one, two, or three vegetable servings at a meal. If you need to eat more than one serving at a meal, choose a few different types of vegetables or have two or three
servings of one vegetable.
What Are Healthier Ways To Buy, Cook, and Eat Vegetables?
Eat raw and cooked vegetables with little or no fat. You can cook and eat vegetables without any fat.
- Try low-fat or fat-free salad dressing on raw vegetables or salads.
- Steam vegetables using a small amount of water or low-fat broth.
- Mix in some chopped onion or garlic.
- Use a little vinegar or some lemon or lime juice.
- Add a small piece of lean ham or smoked turkey.
- Sprinkle with herbs and spices. These flavorings add almost no fat or calories.
If you do use a small amount of fat, use canola oil, olive oil, or tub margarine instead of fat from meat, butter, or shortening. Nutritional Tips
- Canned vegetables contain more salt than fresh or frozen.
- Good sources of vitamin C include broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, and tomatoes.
- Vegetables generally contain up to 4 grams of fiber per serving.
Selection Tips
- If you eat more than 4 cups of raw vegetables or 2 cups of cooked vegetables at one meal, count them as 1 carbohydrate choice.
- Starchier vegetables are on the starch list, such as potatoes and corn.
Fruit is healthy for everyone, including people with diabetes. Fruit gives you energy, vitamins and
minerals, and fiber. Includes fresh frozen, canned and dried, as well as fruit juices. The number of servings you should eat each day depends on
- The calories you need.
- How you take care of your diabetes.
How Much Is a Serving of Fruit?
You might need to eat one or two fruit servings at a meal. If you need to eat more than one serving at a meal, choose different types of fruits or have two servings of one fruit.
How Should I Eat Fruit? Eat fruits raw, as juice with no sugar added, canned in their own juice, or dried.
- Buy smaller pieces of fruit.
- Eat pieces of fruit rather than drinking fruit juice. Pieces of fruit are more filling.
- Buy fruit juice that is 100-percent juice with no added sugar.
- Drink fruit juice in small amounts.
- Save high-sugar and high-fat fruit desserts such as peach cobbler or cherry pie for special occasions.
Nutritional Tips
- Fruit juice contains very little fiber
- Sugar content of fruit juices vary greatly
- Fruits are good soure of vitamin C
Selection Tips
- Make sure to check the serving size on the food label. If one serving has more than 15grams of carbohydrate, then adjust the serving size to fit your need.
- When the food label says no sugar or unsweetened, it means that there is no added sucrose (table sugar).
What are Milk and Yogurt Foods? |
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Fat-free and low-fat milk and yogurt are healthy for everyone, including people with diabetes. Milk and
yogurt give you energy, protein, calcium, vitamin A, and other vitamins and minerals. Milk does not include cheese or cream. One milk exchange equals 12grams carbohydrate and 8grams protein.
Drink fat-free (skim or nonfat) or low-fat (1%) milk each day. Eat low-fat or fat-free yogurt. They have less total fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol.
The number of servings you should eat each day depends on
- The calories you need.
- How you take care of your diabetes.
Note: If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, eat four to five servings of milk and yogurt each day.
How Much Is a Serving of Milk and Yogurt?
Nutritional Tips
- Milk is a good source of calcium and protein
- The higher the fat content, the higher the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol.
Selection Tips
- One cup is equal to 8oz. or 1/2 pint
- Non dairy creamers are considered free foods
- Rice milk is considered a starch
Protein foods are meat, poultry, eggs, cheese, fish, and tofu. Eat small amounts of some of these foods each day.
Protein foods help your body build tissue and muscles. They also give your body vitamins and minerals. The number of servings you should eat each day depends on
- The calories you need.
- How you take care of your diabetes.
How Much Is a Serving of Protein Food? One meat exchange is:
- 1 oz. meat, fish, poultry, or cheese
- 1/2 cup dried beans (legumes)
1 Serving:
The serving size you eat now may be too big. One serving should weigh between 2 and 3 ounces after cooking, about the size of a deck of cards.
What Are Healthier Ways To Buy, Cook, and Eat Protein Foods?
- n Buy cuts of beef, pork, ham, and lamb that have only a little fat on them. Trim off extra fat.
- n Eat chicken or turkey without the skin.
- n Cook protein foods in low-fat ways:
- Broil.
- Grill.
- Stir-fry.
- Roast.
- Steam.
- Stew.
- To add more flavor, use vinegars, lemon juice, soy or teriyaki sauce, salsa, ketchup, barbecue sauce, and herbs and spices.
- Cook eggs with a small amount of fat.
- Eat small amounts of nuts, peanut butter, fried chicken, fish, or shellfish. They are high in fat.
Nutritional Tips
- Choose the leanest meat whenever possible. High fat meats are high in saturated fat, cholesterol, and calories.
- Meats do not contain fiber
- Legumes are good sources of fiber
- Instead of frying, poach, bake, broil, grill, and steam foods.
- Place meat on a rack so the fat can drip off.
- Trim off any visible fat on your meat
Selection Tips
- Approximately 4oz. of raw meat is equal to 3oz. of cooked meat.
- Read labels to find products low in fat and cholesterol.
- Bacon is also found on the fats list
You find the fats and oils section at the tip of the pyramid. This tells you to eat small amounts of fats
and oils because they have lots of calories. Some fats and oils also contain saturated fats and cholesterol that are not good for you. You also get fat from other foods such as meats and some dairy foods.
High-fat food is tempting. But eating small amounts of high-fat food will help you lose weight, keep your blood sugar and blood fats under control, and lower your blood pressure. How Much Is a Serving of Fat or Oil? One fat exchange is:
- 1 tsp. margarine or oil
- One fat exchange is based on a serving size containing 5 grams of fat.
1 Serving:
Nutritional Tips
- All fats are high in calories, so limit serving sizes
- Nuts and seeds contain small amounts of fiber
Selection Tips
- Check food labels for serving sizes.
- Soft margarines are not as saturated as stick margarines
- When used in small amounts, bacon and peanut butter can be counted as fat choices. In larger amounts, count them as high-fat meat choices.
Alcohol can cause problems. Alcoholic beverages are empty calories and can contribute to weight
problems. Alcohol can lower bloodsugar levels which can bring on hypoglycemia. This is especially likely to happen if alcohol is taken on an empty stomach. Excessive drinking causes additional problems
for diabetics, because it raises bloodfat levels and can damage the liver.
Some people are confused about diabetic foods and think they are low in calories.
Diabetic foods usually contains sweeteners called fructose or sorbitol. These do not raise the blood sugar as much as ordinary sugar does, but contain as many as ordinary foods. They are rather
expensive. Sorbitol may give you diarrhoea. Other available sweeteners are saccharin and aspartame. Low calorie sweeteners do not raise your blood sugar, and contain no calories. Saccharine is the oldest
of the artificial sweeteners. Aspartam is the basis for a large number of more recently marketed sweeteners. Sorbitol is derived from sweet corn or potatoes. Fructose is present in fruits and honey or
produced from sucrose. How Can I Satisfy My Sweet Tooth?
Eat a serving of sugar-free popsicles, diet soda, fat-free ice cream or yogurt, or sugar-free hot cocoa mix once in a while.
Remember, fat-free and low-sugar foods still have some calories. Eat them as part of your meal plan.
To follow a healthy eating plan
- Choose foods from all six food groups each day.
- Eat a wide variety of foods from each group to get all your vitamins and minerals.
- Eat enough starches, vegetables, fruits, and low-fat milk and yogurt.
- Eat smaller amounts of lower fat protein foods.
- Eat fewer fats, oils, and sugary foods.
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