It has been said that healthy eating is the cornerstone to diabetes management. There are some basic ideas about meal planning that you need to know to prevent diabetes-related complications.

  • Eat meals and snacks often (eat every 4- 5 hours).

  • Limit foods high in sugar such as regular soda, cake, pie, ice cream, etc.

  • Follow a diet low in fat

  • Eat 25-30 grams of fiber every day

  • Do not add extra salt to your food

 

Food is made up of carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, fiber and water.  Of these nutrients, the ones that affect your blood glucose are carbohydrates, protein and fat. Carbohydrate raises your blood sugar the most.

 

Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates are our bodies’ main source of energy or fuel.  When we eat carbohydrates they are completely converted to glucose (sugar). The total amount of carbohydrate is more important than the carbohydrate source or type. It is the total amount of carbohydrate you eat that raises blood sugar levels, not whether the carbohydrate is from bread, potato, or gum drops. However, foods high in sugar also tend to have more carbohydrate than starches.

Examples of Carbohydrate Foods:

Bread, rice, pasta, beans, corn, peas, potatoes, fruit, milk

 

Protein

Protein is used for building tissue. A little more than half of protein is converted to glucose. Protein does not seem to increase or lower blood glucose levels.  Protein is converted to glucose at a much slower pace than carbohydrates.

 

Fats

Fats are a concentrated source of energy.  Our bodies need some fat every day.

 There are 4 types of fats found in foods.  They are saturated, trans, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated.  Regardless of the type of fat eaten, very small amounts, if any, are converted into glucose.

  1. Saturated: Bacon, Butter, Cream, Cream Cheese, Sour Cream, Shortening

  2. Trans Fat: hydrogenated oils

  3. Polyunsaturated:  Margarine, Mayonnaise, Nuts, Oils, Salad Dressings, Seeds

  4. Monounsaturated: (Heart healthy fat source):  Avocado, Oils (Canola, Olive, Peanut), Olives, Nuts, Peanut Butter

Eating foods that have too much fat or the wrong kind of fat may cause the blood fats (cholesterol / triglycerides) to increase. Monounsaturated fat is believed to lower cholesterol and may assist in reducing heart disease. Like polyunsaturated fat, monounsaturated fat provides essential fatty acids for healthy skin and the development of body cells. Even healthy types of fat like monounsaturated fat are high in calories and can lead to weight gain.

 

NUTRIENT AFFECT ON BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS:

 Carbohydrates: 100%           Protein:  58%                           Fats:  10%

 

RATE OF EFFECT:

Carbohydrate: 15 min to 1 ½ hrs

Protein: 2 – 4 hours

Fat: 6 hours     

You can see that all of the carbohydrate we eat is turned to blood sugar and that it is turned very quickly. This means that carbohydrate has the biggest effect of blood sugar. This means you must limit the amount of carbohydrate you eat to control blood sugar. DO NOT eliminate carbohydrate from your diet. You need to eat enough carbohydrate to give your body energy but not too much to cause blood sugars to go too high.

 

Meal Planning

We can use our plates to plan healthier meals. Try to fill half of your plate with vegetables such as broccoli, carrots, green beans, spinach, or cabbage. The other half of your plate should have a small portion of meat (about the size of a deck of cards) and a small portion of starch (such as potatoes, rice, beans, etc.) The total amount of carbohydrate will vary from person to person. Women should strive for 3-4 servings while men should strive for 4-5 servings per meal.