Manage diabetes by planning your meal

Once somebody is diagnosed as having diabetes, a doctor usually prescribes diet as part of diabetes treatment apart from medicines. The thought of having to convert to eating a diabetic diet can be overwhelming, especially to someone who is newly diagnosed with diabetes. But after all, one can follow diabetic recipes, eat well, and still avoid the roller coaster pitfalls of low blood sugar and high blood sugar.

The fact that proper diet is critical to diabetes treatment cannot be overlooked since it can help someone with diabetes achieve and maintain desirable weight as many people with diabetes can control their blood glucose by losing weight and keeping it off. Apart from this diet plays an important role in the maintenance of normal blood glucose levels, in order to prevent heart and blood vessel diseases, conditions that tend to occur in people with diabetes.

Common guidelines for diet planning

Spacing meals throughout the day, instead of eating heavy meals once or twice a day, can help a person avoid extremely high or low blood glucose levels. to lose weight is gradually: one or two pounds a week. It must also be kept in mind that strict diets are to be avoided except under the supervision of a doctor. People with diabetes have twice the risk of developing heart disease as those without diabetes, and high blood cholesterol levels raise the risk of heart disease. Losing weight and reducing intake of saturated fats and cholesterol, in favor of unsaturated and monounsaturated fats, can help lower blood cholesterol.

The effect of certain Foods

The major sources of saturated fats meats and dairy products are, which should be avoided and most vegetable oils are high in unsaturated fats, which are fine in limited amounts. Compared to fats and protein, carbohydrates have the greatest impact on blood sugar. Evidence now suggests that it is the total amount of carbohydrates rather than the specific type that most directly affects blood glucose. Carbohydrate types are either complex (as in starches) or simple (as in fruits and sugars). One gram of carbohydrates equals four calories. The current general recommendation is that carbohydrates should provide between 50% and 60% of the daily caloric intake. The basic goal is to balance insulin with the amount of carbohydrates eaten in order to control blood glucose levels after a meal.

Studies show that foods with fiber, such as fruits, vegetables, peas, beans, and whole-grain breads and cereals may help lower blood glucose. However, in countries where people are more used to eating refined foods, inadequacy in meeting the levels of fiber intake remain. A doctor or nutritionist can advise someone about adding fiber to a diet.

What a meal plan can do ?

The most important goal of a meal plan is to help one to move toward your ideal body weight by eating regular, well-balanced meals from the major groups. A meal plan can make the body more responsive to insulin and may help some people reduce or eliminate medicines for diabetes and high blood pressure when they are at their ideal body weight.

Last but not least, healthy eating habits can improve ones’ overall health.

What an Ideal Meal Plan Includes?

Carbohydrates: 50-60% of your daily calories should come from carbohydrates. Good sources include bread, potatoes, rice, cereals, and many fruits and vegetables.

Protein:15-20% of your daily calories should come from protein. Good sources include meat products, dairy, some vegetables and beans, and small amounts in some starches. People with diabetic kidney disease may need to eat less protein.

Less Fat: Less than 30% of your daily calories should come from fat. Eat less saturated fat (less than 10% of calories) and choose unsaturated fat products instead. Because diabetes increases your risk of heart and blood vessel diseases, a low-fat diet is key to good health. Plus, it will help you reach your ideal weight.

Less Sodium, More Fiber: Reduce your sodium, or salt intake, to 2-4 grams per day. Also, eat 20-30 grams of fiber a day.

Eating a diabetic diet can become easy

Diabetes can know by themselves what foods are best for them when they are experiencing low blood sugar and also which foods are most likely to result in a high blood sugar count. For this considerable amount of time has to be spent in learning about healthful eating and one may be surprised to find that eating a diabetic diet will become second nature rather quickly. This knowledge can leave one’s taste buds satisfied and assist in keeping blood sugar under control.