Food for diabetics

The diet for people with diabetes should be a balanced healthy diet, the same kind that is recommended for the rest of the population — low in fat, sugar and salt, with plenty of fruit and vegetables and meals based on starchy foods, such as bread, potatoes, cereals, pasta and rice.

Here is a highlight on all that you should know about your food and consider when planning your meals.

Meal planning

Food can make all the difference to the management of diabetes. A healthy balanced diet helps with blood glucose control, weight management, blood pressure management and the control of blood fats such as cholesterol.

Steps to healthy eating

The following steps will help you control your blood glucose levels and blood fats as well as regulates your weight.

1. Eat regular meals based on starchy carbohydrate foods such as bread, pasta, chapatis, potatoes, rice and cereals. This will help you to control your blood glucose levels. Whenever possible, choose wholegrain varities that are high in fibre, like wholemeal bread and wholemeal cereals to help maintain the health of your digestive system and prevent problems such as constipation.
2. Try and cut down on the fat you eat, particularly saturated (animal) fats, as this type of fat is linked to heart disease. Choose monounsaturated fats, e.g. olive oil and rapeseed oil. Eating less fat and fatty foods will also help you to lose weight. Use less butter, margarine, cheese and fatty meats. Choose low fat dairy foods like skimmed milk and low fat yogurt. Grill, steam or oven bake instead of frying or cooking with oil or other fats.
3. Eat more fruit and vegetables — aim for at least five portions a day to provide you with vitamins and fibre as well as to help you balance your overall diet. A portion is, for example, a piece of fruit or a serving of a vegetable.
4. Cut down on sugar and sugary foods — this does not mean you need to eat a sugar-free diet. Sugar can be used as an ingredient in foods and in baking as part of a healthy diet. However, use sugar-free, low sugar or diet squashes and fizzy drinks, as sugary drinks cause blood glucose levels to rise quickly. See also: Sugar and sweeteners
5. Use less salt, because a high intake of salt can raise your blood pressure. Try flavouring food with herbs and spices instead of salt.
6. Drink alcohol in moderation only — that’s two units of alcohol per day for a woman and three units per day for a man. For example, a small glass of wine or half a pint of normal-strength beer is one unit. Never drink on an empty stomach, as alcohol can make hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose levels) more likely to occur.
7. If you are overweight, losing weight will help you control your diabetes and will also reduce your risk of heart disease, high blood pressure and stroke. Aim to lose weight slowly over time (1-2 lbs per week) rather than crash dieting. Even if you don't manage to get your ideal weight, losing a small amount and keeping it off will help with your blood glucose control and improve your overall health.
8. Don't be tempted by ‘diabetic’ foods or drinks. They are expensive, unnecessary and have no added benefit for people with diabetes.

Food labels

A balanced diet can be achieved by eating food from the five main food groups in the proportions shown in the plate model. No foods need to be excluded because you have diabetes. Looking a food labels are one way to help you choose healthy options.

A good starting point to achieve a healthy diet is to base meals on starchy foods, include plenty of fruit and vegetables, moderate amounts of lean protein foods and low fat dairy foods and small amounts of high fat, high sugar foods. Reading food labels can help inform your choices but it isn’t essential to know every detail on the food label.

Ingredients list

This lists the ingredients within a food product in descending order of content. There may be several versions of fat or sugar in one product. For example, sucrose, invert sugar syrup, molasses are all sugars. Hydrogenerated vegetable oil, corn oil, cocoa butter, milk fat is all fats.

Nutrition information

This is not required on a label unless a nutrition claim like ‘low fat’ is made. Energy, protein, carbohydrate and fat all per 100g/100ml of product, or energy, protein, fat, carbohydrate – of which sugars, fat – of which saturates, fibre and sodium per 100g/100ml may be used. Additional information using per serving figures may be made in addition.

Healthy options at meal times

Breakfast

The following are healthy choices for breakfasts consisting of cereal and / or toast:

• All breakfast cereals are fine. High fibre cereals include: Branflakes, Fruit & Fibre, muesli, Shredded Wheat, Weetabix, porridge.
• Low fat monounsaturated / polyunsaturated margarine or spreads.
• Semi-skimmed / skimmed milk.
• Unsweetened fruit juice, fresh, dried or canned fruit in a juice.
• Breads or toast.
• Ordinary or reduced sugar jam / marmalade or pure fruit spreads - there is no need to buy ‘diabetic’ jams.
• Intense sweeteners e.g. Canderel, Hermesetas or Sweetex are available in tablet or granulated form if required.
• If you are doing a cooked breakfast then try to grill the foods rather than fry and include starchy carbohydrates like bread, muffins and hash browns.

Light meals

• Regular meals are essential to achieving good blood glucose control. Lunch may often be pushed aside due to rushing around, working to tight deadlines or just due to countless errands. Even if you don't take any diabetes medication at lunchtime, you still need to fit in lunch to achieve a balanced food intake across the day.
• Lunch is not to be missed and can be interesting as well as quick to prepare.
• Grab the opportunity to include more fruit and vegetables: add salad or vegetables to your sandwich and fill up on fruit for dessert.

Main meals

• Try to have a balanced main meal every day based on starchy foods and including plenty of vegetables and fruits. Limit fried and pastry dishes. To ensure that ready-prepared meals are balanced, serve them with starchy foods and extra vegetables or salads. End meals with fruit-based desserts.
• Always have a variety of dishes from which people can choose.
• Try to provide low fat / low calorie options, eg new potatoes as well as fried.
• Provide low fat desserts, like fresh fruit or low fat yogurts as an alternative choice.
• Provide vegetarian options.
• Provide extra vegetables and salad. Serve butter, mayonnaise or dressings separately so that people can choose whether to have it or not.
• Tap water should be available on the table.
• It is important that all staff are aware of the ingredients of each dish and should be able to answer any queries about cooking methods and ingredients.
• Serve cream and rich sauces separately so that people can choose whether to add it or not.
• Have plenty of starchy, carbohydrate foods, available. If possible serve yourself. Serve sauces and dressings separately, so that people can choose whether or not to have them.
• A person with diabetes may choose to have a high fat high sugar indulgent but dessert options such as fresh fruit salad are available.

Snack ideas

To stabilise your blood glucose levels, spread your carbohydrate intake over the day by having regular meals. Whether you snack between meals will depend upon your lifestyle, activity levels, personal preferences and the diabetes medication you are taking. Trying to think of new snack ideas that are not high in fat can be challenging. Why not try some of the ideas below or take a look at our Recipes online.

Fruit

Make the most of seasonal fruit or new innovations such as the mini fruit now available in some supermarkets. Venture into the exotic with fruits such as kiwi fruit or mango. Individual tins of fruit in natural juice (with a ring pull) such as Fruitini. Dried fruit – available in individual packets, e.g. raisins, apricots, tropical mix.

Bread or toast

Don’t just stick to the same old types of bread or the same toppings for that matter. Experiment! For example, stuff a warm pitta bread with all the goodies you can find in the fridge like ham, chicken, cheese, salad cream or even peanut butter and lettuce. Make mini pizzas on halved rolls or muffins.

As a diabetic, you need to pay constant attention to your eating habits and your sugar levels. You should also keep in regular contact with your doctor or medical supervisor, in case your condition changes. In addition, you may find it useful to follow the above guidelines. Your diabetic diet should be a well-balanced meal plan tailored to your individual needs, tastes, activity level and life style. Meal times and types and amounts of foods are planned and adjusted just for you. You may need to learn more about foods, and you may have to make some changes in your eating habits. The better you understand your diet, the more flexibility you can enjoy.