Nutrition
If you are a person with diabetes, then nutrition is very important. What, when, and how much you eat can all affect your blood glucose levels.
Keeping your blood glucose at a healthy level will prevent or help slow down future complications. Use the information below to create your personal Food Guide Pyramid. The Food Guide Pyramid is a valuable tool, and if used properly, can help keep your blood glucose in check.
The following information will help you to determine your personal caloric needs.
Consume approximately 1,200 to 1,600 calories a day if you are:
- a small woman who exercises
- a small or medium woman who wants to lose weight
- a medium woman who does not exercise much
Consume approximately 1,600 to 2,000 calories a day if you are:
- a large woman who wants to lose weight
- a small man at a healthy weight
- a medium man who does not exercise much
- a medium to large man who wants to lose weight
Consume approximately 2,000 to 2,400 calories a day if you are:
- a medium to large man who does a lot of exercise or has a physically active job
- a large man at a healthy weight
- a large woman who exercises a lot or has a physically active job
Choose the right number of servings from each food group based on your calorie levels
| |
1,200 - 1,600 |
1,600 - 2,000 |
2,000 - 2,400 |
| Starch/Breads |
6 |
8 |
11 |
| Vegetable |
3 |
4 |
4 |
| Fruit |
2 |
3 |
3 |
| Milk |
2 |
2 |
2 |
| Fats |
Up to 3 |
Up to 4 |
Up to 5 |
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Personal Food Guide Pyramid
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Food Exchange Lists
- The exchange system groups foods into categories based on nutritional content, allowing you to count carbohydrates and calories. Within each list, every food contains almost the same number of calories, carbohydrate, protein, and fat
- Meal plans are flexible in that they recommend a particular number of exchanges for each meal and snack
In order for you to make healthy food choices, you must know what one serving equals.
Use the following tables as a guide to give yourself more good-tasting choices. Within each group, these foods can be exchanged.
Starches
One serving contains 15 grams of carbohydrate and 80 calories |
1 slice of bread
½ hamburger or hot dog bun
½ English muffin or bagel
1 small roll, biscuit, or muffin
½ cup cooked cereal
1 ounce cold cereal
2 to 3 large crackers (graham size)
frac12; cup cooked pasta or rice
5 to 6 small crackers (saltine size) |
Vegetables
One serving contains 5 grams of carbohydrate and 25 calories |
½ cup cooked vegetables
1 cup chopped raw vegetables
1 cup leafy raw vegetables
½ cup tomato sauce
¼ cup tomato paste
¾ cup vegetable juice |
Fruit
One serving contains 15 grams of carbohydrate and 60 calories |
1 whole fruit: apple, banana, orange, nectarine
½ grapefruit
1 melon wedge
½ cup berries or grapes
½ cup cooked or canned fruit
½ cup frozen fruit
¼ cup dried fruit |
Milk and Yogurt
One serving contains less than 3 grams of fat and 90 calories |
1 cup milk (skim, low fat, and whole)
1 cup yogurt
1 - 1/2 ounces natural cheese
2 ounces process cheese |
Meat and Meat Alternates
One serving contains 1-5 grams of fat and 35-75 calories |
2-3 ounces cooked poultry
2-3 ounces cooked lean meat
2-3 ounces cooked fish
1 egg (yolk and white)
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1/4 cup seeds
1/3 cup nuts
1/2 cup baked beans
1/2 cup tofu |
Fats
One serving contains 5 grams of fat and 45 calories |
1 teaspoon oil (vegetable, corn, canola, olive, etc.)
1 teaspoon butter or margarine
1 teaspoon mayonnaise
1 tablespoon salad dressing
1 tablespoon cream cheese |
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Use some of these helpful tips, in addition to the food pyramid to help you plan your meals and live a healthy lifestyle.
- It is important to eat at least 3 meals spaced throughout the day. You may also need to eat a small snack between meals or at bedtime to avoid low blood glucose. Small meals more frequently will help to prevent your blood glucose levels from peaking too high or dropping too low.
- Avoid skipping meals, as this may cause low blood glucose reactions or may result in you eating too much for the next meal.
- Try to eat about the same amount of food at around the same time each day. This will help regulate your blood glucose levels to meet your goals.
- Consider keeping a food diary to track what you eat over time and how those foods affect your blood glucose readings.
- Cook healthier:
- Bake, broil, steam, poach, or grill foods (avoid frying)
- Cook vegetables without oil or butter
- Use nonstick spray to coat baking pans
- Bake low-sugar, low-fat desserts by:
- Using a sugar substitute such as Splenda
- Substituting applesauce for oil when baking
Understanding Carbohydrates
Healthy eating for people with diabetes isn‘t much different than healthy eating for everyone. Just because you have diabetes, doesn‘t mean you can't enjoy the foods you love. No food is completely off limits, but moderation is the key!
Your health care provider may have told you to “cut back on sweets” or to “eat less bread and potatoes” when you found out that you had diabetes. Foods we consider “sweets” such as candy and desserts, and starches, such as bread and potatoes, are all high in carbohydrates.
- Carbohydrates are forms of sugar -- The body turns all carbohydrates (both simple and complex) into sugar that is absorbed into the blood
- Carbohydrates are the base of The Food Guide Pyramid because the body uses carbohydrates as its main source of energy
- Carbohydrates have the biggest effect on your blood glucose levels following a meal or snack
- The more carbohydrates you eat, the higher your blood glucose levels will go after a meal or snack
- Carbohydrates should contribute to about 45-65% of your total calories .
- Low carbohydrate diets are not recommended for people with diabetes. In addition to being an important source of energy, water soluble vitamins and minerals, and fiber, your brain and nervous system need at least 130 grams of carbohydrates each day to function at their best.
- Reading food labels can help you understand true serving sizes and total carbohydrate content in foods
- 15 grams of carbohydrate = 1 serving
- Aim for 3-5 servings of carbohydrate per meal and 1-2 servings of carbohydrate per snack.
- Carbohydrates in the form of whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and low-fat milk are better for you because they provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber in addition to sugar
Alcohol
People with diabetes should take the same precautions as the general public when drinking alcohol. It is recommended that men consume no more than two drinks per day and women consume no more than one drink per day. Since alcohol should be avoided if your diabetes is not well-controlled, if you are experiencing complications such as nerve problems, or with some medications, it is best to discuss alcohol use with your health care provider first.
It is important to understand how alcohol can affect your blood glucose. Alcohol can actually make your sugar levels fall too low resulting in hypoglycemia. How does this happen? Typically, when your blood sugar begins to drop, the liver releases stored sugar into the blood to prevent a low blood sugar reaction. When you ingest alcohol, the liver works hard to break down the alcohol and cannot respond if your blood glucose levels are dropping. Only by eating a snack containing sugar can your body increase its blood glucose levels to normal.
If you do choose to have a drink, always combine it with a meal or a snack. Never drink alcohol on an empty stomach or when you know that your blood glucose levels are low. Alcohol consumption should also be avoided during or following any physical activity.
Talk with your dietician or pharmacist to create a meal plan that suits your tastes, daily routine, and any medications you may be taking.
As you become more familiar with food choices and how they affect your glucose levels, you can create your own meal plans.
