Top 10 Diabetes Superfoods

Keep these wonder ingredients on your shopping list and in your pantry.

Yes, variety is essential when it comes to diabetes. But these 10 tried-and-true staples are nutrient-rich, protect against chronic diseases, and are ideal foods for people with type 2 diabetes, says Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, LD, WebMD’s director of nutrition. Plus, they’re delicious.

Find them here: http://goldeneramart-healthjunction.com/top-10-diabetes-superfoods/

Quick and Healthy Meals for People with Diabetes

No food is off-limits when you have diabetes, as long as it’s in sensible amounts and as part of a balanced meal. The key is learning how to create a balance in your total meal that will produce normal blood sugars after you eat. Read more: http://goldeneramart-healthjunction.com/quick-and-healthy-meals-for-people-with-diabetes/

A Healthy Type 2 Diabetes Diet

Maintaining a healthy diet is important for everyone, but it is especially important for people with diabetes. A type 2 diabetes diet and following the right meal plan can make all the difference to a person struggling to keep their blood sugar under control. But, what is the right meal plan? How much of which food group should you eat?

Along with a visit to a dietician, this guide should help answer questions you may have about diabetes and nutrition.

Carbohydrates and Fiber in a Type 2 Diabetes Diet

Carbohydrates are one of the major food categories (the others include proteins and fats) in a type 2 diabetes diet. They provide fuel for the body in the form of glucose. Glucose is a sugar that is the primary means of energy for all of the body's cells.

There are two ways to classify carbohydrates -- simple and complex. Simple carbohydrates are sugars -- like glucose, sucrose, lactose, and fructose. They are found in refined sugar and in fruits. Complex carbohydrates are the starches, which are the simple sugars bonded together chemically -- they are found in beans, nuts, vegetables, and whole grains. Complex carbohydrates are considered healthier mostly because they are digested by the body slowly, providing a steady source of energy. They also contain valuable amounts of fiber.

Carbohydrates, rather than fats or proteins, have the most immediate effect on your blood sugar since carbohydrates are broken down directly into sugar early during digestion. It is important to eat the suggested amount of carbohydrate at each meal, along with some protein and fat.

Carbohydrates are mainly found in the following food groups:

• Fruit
• Milk and yogurt
• Bread, cereal, rice, pasta
• Starchy vegetables like potatoes

What Is Carbohydrate Counting?

Carbohydrate counting is a method of meal planning that is a simple way to keep track of the amount of total carbohydrates you eat each day. It helps allow you to eat what you want. Counting grams of carbohydrate and evenly distributing them at meals will help you control your blood sugar.

Instead of following an exchange list, with carbohydrate counting you monitor how much carbohydrates (sugar and starch) you eat daily. One carbohydrate serving is equal to 15 grams of carbohydrates.

With carbohydrate counting, you plan your carbohydrate intake based on what your pre-meal sugar is and your intake or insulin dose can be adjusted. Carbohydrate counting can be used by anyone and not just by people with diabetes that are taking insulin. If you eat more carbohydrates than your insulin supply can handle, your blood sugar level goes up. If you eat too little, your blood sugar level may fall too low. These fluctuations can be managed by knowing how to count your carbohydrate intake.

A registered dietitian will help you figure out a carbohydrate counting plan that meets your specific needs. For adults, a typical plan generally includes three to four carbohydrates at each meal, and one to two carbohydrate servings as snacks.

With carbohydrate counting, you can pick almost any food product off the shelf, read the label, and use the information about grams of carbohydrates to fit the food into your type 2 diabetes meal plan.

Carbohydrate counting is most useful for people who take multiple daily injections of insulin, use the insulin pump, or who want more flexibility and variety in their food choices. However, it may not be for everyone, and the traditional method of following food exchange lists may be used instead.

How Much Fiber Should I Eat?

Fiber is the indigestible part of plant foods. It plays an important role in the digestive process as it helps move foods along the digestive tract, adding bulk to stool to help it pass through the bowel. In addition, diets high in fiber are associated with lower risks of obesity, high blood pressure, heart disease, and strokes.
Fiber also:

• Delays sugar absorption, helping to better control blood sugar levels.
• Binds with cholesterol and may reduce the level of 'bad' LDL cholesterol in the blood.
• Is a good source of vitamins and minerals.
• Helps prevent constipation and reduces the risk of certain intestinal disorders.
• Promotes weight loss by helping to decrease caloric intake. (It adds bulk to the food we eat, making you feel fuller.)

The goal for all Americans is to consume 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day. The best way to increase fiber intake as part of your type 2 diabetes diet is to eat more of these fiber-rich foods:

• Fresh fruits and vegetables
• Cooked dried beans and peas
• Whole grain breads, cereals, and crackers
• Brown rice
• Bran products

Fat in a Type 2 Diabetes Diet

Since diabetes increases your risk of developing heart disease, eating foods lower in fat -- especially saturated fat -- is particularly important to keep that risk as low as possible. In addition, limiting calories from fat can help you lose any extra weight, especially when combined with an exercise program.

The major contributors of saturated fats in our diet come from cheese, beef, milk, and baked items. Trans fats also contribute to the increase risk of heart disease. These fats are vegetables oils that are harder; we recognize these as solid oils. Many of these are used in baking and frying.

Here are some general guidelines for selecting and preparing low-fat foods for your type 2 diabetes diet:

• Select lean meats including poultry, fish, and lean red meats. When preparing these foods, don't fry them. Instead, you can bake, broil, grill, roast, or boil.
• Select low-fat dairy products such as low-fat cheese, skim milk, and products made from skim milk such as nonfat yogurt, nonfat frozen yogurt, evaporated skim milk, and buttermilk. Remember to include dairy products in your daily carbohydrate count.
• Use low-fat vegetable cooking spray when preparing foods or consider using cholesterol lowering margarine containing stanols or sterols. Examples include "Take Control" and "Benecol."
• Use liquid vegetable oils that contain poly- or monounsaturated fats which can help lower your 'bad' LDL cholesterol.
• Select lower fat margarines, gravies, and salad dressings and remember to watch the carbohydrate count on condiments and dressings.
• All fruits and vegetables are good low-fat choices. Remember to include fruit and starchy vegetables in your daily carbohydrate count.

A registered dietitian can provide more information on how to prepare and select low-fat foods.

Salt in a Type 2 Diabetes Diet

Diabetes increases your risk for high blood pressure. High levels of salt (sodium) in your diet can further increase that risk. Your health care provider or dietitian may ask you to limit or avoid these high-salt foods:

• Salt and seasoned salt (or salt seasonings)
• Boxed mixes of potatoes, rice, or pasta
• Canned meats
• Canned soups and vegetables (with salt)
• Cured or processed foods
• Ketchup, mustard, salad dressings, other spreads and canned sauces
• Packaged soups, gravies, or sauces
• Pickled foods
• Processed meats: lunch meat, sausage, bacon, and ham
• Olives
• Salty snack foods
• Monosodium glutamate or MSG
• Soy and steak sauces

Low-Salt Cooking Tips

• Use fresh ingredients and/or foods with no salt added.
• For favorite recipes, you may need to use other ingredients and eliminate or decrease the salt you would normally add.
• Try orange or pineapple juice as a base for meat marinades.
• Avoid convenience foods such as canned soups, entrées, and vegetables; pasta and rice mixes; frozen dinners; instant cereal; and pudding, gravy, and sauce mixes.
• Select frozen entrées that contain 600 milligrams or less of salt. However, limit yourself to one of these frozen entrées per day. Check the Nutrition Facts label on the package for sodium content.
• Use fresh, frozen, no-added-salt canned vegetables, or canned vegetables that have been rinsed before they are prepared.
• Low-salt canned soups may be used.
• Avoid mixed seasonings and spice blends that include salt, such as garlic salt.

What Seasonings Can Replace Salt?

Herbs and spices are the answer to improving the natural flavors in food without using salt. Below are some mixtures to use for meats, poultry, fish, vegetables, soups, and salads.
 
Spicy Blend
2 tablespoons dried savory, crumbled
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
2 1/2 teaspoons onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon curry powder
 
Saltless Surprise
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon powdered lemon rind or dehydrated lemon juice
 
Herb Seasoning
2 tablespoons dried dill weed or basil leaves, crumbled
1 teaspoon celery seed
2 tablespoons onion powder
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano leaves, crumbled
A pinch of freshly ground pepper
Spicy Seasoning
1 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon coriander seed (crushed)
1 tablespoon rosemary

© 2009 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved.

Diabetes: Eating a low glycemic diet

Using a low glycemic index diet is one tool to help keep your diabetes under control. The glycemic index is a rating system for foods that contain carbohydrate. It helps you know how quickly a food with carbohydrate raises blood sugar, so you can focus on eating foods that raise blood sugar slowly.

 

Key points

• Over time, high blood sugar can harm your eyes, kidneys, nerves, and heart.
• Foods that raise blood sugar slowly have a low glycemic index. Most of the carbohydrate-rich foods that you eat with this plan should be low or medium on the glycemic index.
• Eating low glycemic foods is most helpful when used along with another eating plan for diabetes, such as carbohydrate counting. Counting carbs helps you know how much carbohydrate you're eating. The amount of carbohydrate you eat is more important than the glycemic index of foods in helping you control your blood sugar.
• People respond differently to the glycemic content of foods. The only way to know for sure how a food affects your blood sugar is to check your blood sugar before and after eating that food.
• High-glycemic foods are rarely eaten by themselves, so the glycemic index might not be helpful unless you're eating a food by itself. Eating foods together changes their glycemic index.
• Look at the overall nutrition in foods-and not just their glycemic index-when planning meals. Some low-glycemic foods, such as ice cream, are high in saturated fat and should be eaten only now and then. And some high-glycemic foods, such as potatoes, have nutrients like vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.
• You can still have high glycemic foods on this diet. Just try to eat small amounts of them to limit their effect on your blood sugar. Eating low glycemic foods along with high glycemic foods also can help keep your blood sugar from rising quickly.

What is a low glycemic diet?

The glycemic index is a way to tell how quickly foods that contain carbohydrate may raise your blood sugar.
On a low glycemic diet, you eat foods that raise your blood sugar slowly. This helps you keep your blood sugar from getting too high. This diet plan is sometimes called a "low GI" diet.

• Low glycemic foods break down slowly in your body and release sugar into the blood slowly.
• High glycemic foods break down quickly and make blood sugar rise quickly.

In general, carbohydrate raises blood sugar more quickly than other nutrients like proteins and fats. But some foods that have carbohydrate raise blood sugar more slowly than other foods with carbohydrate. For example, white bread raises blood sugar more quickly than whole-grain bread.
Foods in the index are given a number from 0 to 100. The higher the number, the higher the glycemic index. Foods are compared to glucose, which is sugar. It has a rank of 100.

• Foods that raise blood sugar quickly are high. They are rated 70 or more.
• Foods that raise blood sugar moderately are medium. They are rated 56 to 69.
• Foods that raise blood sugar slowly are low. They are rated 55 or less.

Most of the carbohydrate-rich foods that you eat on this plan should be low or medium on the index. A dietitian or certified diabetes educator can help you pick foods that you like that are low on the index. You also can look at materials from the American Diabetes Association or go to its Web site at www.diabetes.org.
Low glycemic foods include:

• Dried beans and legumes like lentils.
• Nonstarchy vegetables, such as broccoli and peppers.
• Some starchy vegetables, such as yams.
• Some whole grains and cereals, such as oatmeal and whole wheat bread.
• Many fruits, such as apples, berries, dried apricots, and cherries.

Moderate glycemic foods include:

• Apricots (fresh).
• Pineapple.
• Shredded wheat cereal.
• Spaghetti.

High glycemic foods include:

• White bread.
• Sticky rice.
• Some fruits, such as dates and watermelon.
• A few vegetables, such as some types of potatoes.

People respond differently to the glycemic content of foods. The only way to know for sure how a food affects your blood sugar is to check your blood sugar before and after you eat that food.

High-glycemic foods are rarely eaten by themselves, so the glycemic index might not be helpful unless you're eating a food by itself. Eating foods together can change their glycemic index.

Choosing a low glycemic diet doesn't mean that you can't eat any high glycemic foods. Some high glycemic foods, such as potatoes, have lots of nutrients. Just try to limit how much of these foods you eat.

You should combine a low glycemic diet with another eating plan for diabetes, such as carbohydrate counting. The glycemic index can help you know the kind of carbohydrate you're eating. Carbohydrate counting can help you know how much carbohydrate you're eating.

© 1995-2011 Healthwise, Incorporated. Healthwise, Healthwise for every health decision, and the Healthwise logo are trademarks of Healthwise, Incorporated.

Healthy Diet Basics for Diabetes

A diet for diabetes is really a healthy diet, controlled in calories, fat, sugar, carbohydrates, and salt. The foods that are good for controlling your blood sugar are good for everyone. Several components of your diet -- including the amounts of carbohydrate, fat, and protein that you eat -- affect your blood sugar levels. So to keep your blood sugar levels normal, you need to make healthy food choices, eat regularly without skipping meals, exercise regularly, and take the medicines your doctor prescribes.
Eating a properly balanced diet can help people with diabetes:

• Maintain a healthy weight or lose weight, if you are overweight.
• Prevent low blood glucose reactions.
• Reduce your risk of health problems caused by diabetes, such as heart disease and high blood pressure.
• Control your blood sugar levels.
• Control your cholesterol levels.

A registered dietitian can be helpful in creating an individualized meal plan that works for you. He or she can provide in-depth nutrition education to help you develop a personalized meal plan that fits with your lifestyle and activity level, and medical needs.

General Guidelines for a Diabetes Meal Plan

In general, a healthy diet is a healthy diet. The food choices you should make are those that would benefit everyone, whether or not they have diabetes. For example, eat plenty of fruits and vegetables, keep fat and sugar consumption down, and keep portions reasonable. Here are a few additional guidelines to remember:

• Eat a wide variety of foods. Having a colorful plate is the best way to ensure that you are eating plenty of fruits, vegetables, lean meats, and other forms of protein such as nuts, low fat dairy products, and whole grains/cereals.
• Maintain a healthy weight. If you are overweight, losing 5%-10% of your body weight could help improve your diabetes.
• Choose foods high in fiber such as whole grain breads, fruit, and cereal. You need 25 to 35 grams of fiber per day.
• Watch your portions. Eat only the amount of food in your meal plan. Eat about the same amount of food each day.
• Distribute meals three to five hours apart.
• Do not skip meals.
• Eat meals and snacks at regular times every day. If you are taking a diabetes medicine, eat your meals and take your medicine at the same times each day.

A Diabetes Meal Plan and Sugar

You might have heard that, as a diabetic, you shouldn't have any table sugar. While some doctors continue to promote this, many -- realizing that the average person lives in the real world and will probably indulge in a bit of sugar every now and then -- have adopted a more forgiving view. Most experts now say that small amounts of sugar are fine, as long as they are part of your overall healthy meal plan and consumed with other foods. Keep these tips in mind:

• Read food labels. Learn how to determine how much sugar or carbohydrates are in the foods that you eat.
• Substitute, don't add. When you eat a sugary food, such as cookies, cakes, or candies, substitute them for another carbohydrate or starch (for example, potatoes) that you would have eaten that day unless the sweet treat is included in your meal plan.
• Sugary foods can be fattening. Many foods, like chocolate, that have a lot of table sugar and tend to be high in calories and fat. If you are watching your weight (and most diabetics must), you need to eat these foods in moderation!
• Check your blood sugar after eating sugary foods and talk to your doctor about how to adjust your insulin if needed when eating sugars.

Sample Diabetes Meal Plan

Here's a sample meal plan that is about 1,600 calories and 208 grams of carbohydrate. Remember to drink plenty of water with each meal.

Breakfast

(360 calories, 52.5 grams carbohydrate)
1 slice toasted whole wheat toast with 1 teaspoon margarine
1/4 cup egg substitute or cottage cheese
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/2 cup skim milk
1/2 small banana

Lunch

(535 calories, 75 grams carbohydrate)
1 cup vegetable soup with 4-6 crackers
1 turkey sandwich (2 slices whole wheat bread, 1 ounce turkey and 1 ounce low-fat cheese, 1 teaspoon mayonnaise)
1 small apple

Dinner

(635 calories, 65 grams carbohydrate)
4 ounces broiled chicken breast with basil and oregano sprinkled on top
2/3 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup cooked carrots
1 small whole grain dinner roll with 1 teaspoon margarine
Tossed salad with 2 tablespoons low-fat salad dressing
4 unsweetened canned apricot halves OR 1 small slice of angel food cake

Snack

(Each has 60 calories or 15 grams carbohydrate. Pick two per day.)
16 fat-free tortilla chips with salsa
1/2 cup artificially sweetened chocolate pudding
1 ounce string cheese plus one small piece of fruit
3 cups "lite" popcorn

Note: If you are taking some of the newer diabetes medicines, some of these tips may not apply to you; ask your health care provider.

© 2011 WebMD, LLC. All rights reserved. 

Nine Ways to Eat Better With Diabetes

Here are nine ways to change your diet that will help you manage your diabetes better and improve your health. These tips apply to people with type 1 or type 2 diabetes, but the specifics of your nutrition management will differ depending on which type you have and should be discussed with a qualified nutritionist. 

Diabetes tip #1:  Choose plant-based foods over animal-based foods. Eating a Mediterranean-style diet -- which is high in fruits, vegetables, nuts, legumes and olive oil and low in red meat, poultry and animal fats -- has been found to reduce the need for blood-glucose lowering medications in people with type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes tip #2:  Go for whole grains rather than refined ones. Refined grains such as white flour, rice and pasta don’t offer much nutritional value and can send blood glucose soaring. Whole grains like oat flour, brown rice and whole-wheat pasta, on the other hand, are rich in fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.


Diabetes tip #3:  Use a healthier spread on bread. Avoid products that contain a lot of saturated fat, like butter and cream cheese, and regular margarine, which contains trans fats.  Your best substitutes are trans-fat-free margarines or those that contain plant stanols or sterols.

Diabetes tip #4:  Get your D from dairy. In addition to providing calcium, dairy products are a good source of vitamin D. Recent research has linked vitamin D deficiency with a greater likelihood of developing serious complications like cardiovascular disease if you have type 2 diabetes.

Diabetes tip #5:  Substitute a sweet potato for a white one. Sweet potatoes recently made the American Diabetic Association’s (ADA) list of “superfoods” and it’s easy to see why: They have a lower glycemic index than regular potatoes, meaning they don’t raise your blood glucose levels as much. They’re also rich in carotenoids, which are important for eye health; the natural plant compound chlorogenic acid, which may help reduce insulin resistance; and potassium, which lowers blood pressure.

Diabetes tip #6:  Cook with canola oil instead of corn oil. Canola oil is low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated fat, which can lower harmful low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and maintain beneficial high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol.

Diabetes tip #7:  Favor fatty fishes. Eating fish that contain omega-3 fatty acids helps to lower triglycerides and raise HDL cholesterol as well as cut down on inflammation in the blood vessels, which raises heart disease risk.

Diabetes tip #8:  Use alcohol cautiously. Alcohol taken in moderation can benefit some people and has been associated with longer lifespan. However, alcohol can cause hypoglycemia, especially if you are taking a blood glucose-lowering medication.

Diabetes tip #9:  Shake the salt habit. Excess sodium causes the body to retain fluid, which can raise your blood pressure as well as your risk of heart attack and stroke. Instead of sprinkling table salt on food, try spices, herbs, or a squeeze of lemon; avoid processed foods like jarred spaghetti sauces, luncheon meats, canned soups and condiments.

Johns Hopkins Health Alert

10 common sense weight loss tips

10 top tips to help you lose weight and maintain a healthy, balanced diet

Boots Feature

A weight loss programme is all about common sense and a healthy balanced diet. We want you to lose weight sensibly and keep it off by changing how you think about your diet and health. As a little bit of extra motivation we have put together these ten top tips to help you reach your goal.

Eat slowly

Research has shown that people who are overweight tend to bolt their food. Savour and enjoy what you eat and take time to chew your food. Macrobiotic practitioners advise chewing each mouthful 30 times as this allows the enzymes in the saliva to start the digestive process.

Stop eating before you feel full.

Remember, it takes approximately 20 minutes for the stomach to tell the brain that it is full!

Never skip meals.

When losing weight, it is important to maintain an even blood sugar level to prevent hunger. If you skip a meal you are more likely to give in to a craving.

Only weigh yourself weekly.

Try not to become a slave to the scale, remember weight loss is a long process and your weekly weigh-in will give you a good overall idea of your progress. If you weigh yourself too often you may become disheartened if you don’t drop pounds as quickly as you would like.

Use a smaller plate.

The fashion these days, particularly in restaurants is to serve food on a huge white plate. While this may look pretty it is bad for dieters as psychologically you won't feel as if you have eaten enough. At home serve your food on a small plate for a simple way to make you feel fuller.

Reduce your alcohol intake.

Alcohol is a source of empty calories and cutting down is an excellent way of increasing weight loss

Eat high fibre foods.

High fibre foods are the dieters' friends as complex carbohydrates release energy slowly and keep you full for longer. Porridge is an excellent breakfast for this reason and if you do have to have a muffin choose a low fat bran muffin for extra energy.

Keep hydrated.

If possible drink about 6 to 8 glasses of water, or other fluids per day. Water is essential for the healthy functioning of the body and often we can mistake thirst for hunger. Water will also make you feel fuller, if you have a mid-afternoon craving try drinking a big glass of water and see if you are still hungry ten minutes later.

Avoid temptation.

When shopping try not to buy snacks and sweets for other members of the family, you will be doing them a favour if you stock up on fruit, nuts & seeds instead. Unsuitable food can be stored in a box at the back of a cupboard as out of sight is, hopefully, out of mind.

Exercise.

Weight loss occurs when more calories are expended than ingested and the most effective way of maximising your weight loss programme is by incorporating regular exercise into your routine.

*We recommend that you check with your GP if you are pregnant, breastfeeding, want to lose a large amount of weight or have a current medical condition before starting any exercise or weight loss plan.

© Copyright Boots UK Limited.

Diabetes Control Through a Healthy Diet

A diagnosis by your doctor of pre-diabetes or an existing diabetic condition conjures up a number of not too pleasant visions. Among the many are thoughts of having to give up many of your favorite foods. In fact this need not be so, you can find an assortment of diabetic recipes that you can wrap your taste buds around. You do not have to start eating special foods nor do you need to follow any complicated diet. For most people, eating at regular intervals and sticking to a varied diet in moderate quantities will go a long way towards avoiding many of the serious complications associated with diabetes. Eating approximately the same amount and at the same time each day is a major step towards keeping blood sugar levels stable.

Your first critical step towards formulating a diabetic diet plan must be with the assistance of a dietitian. The dietitian will consider your lifestyle, your medication, your weight and any other existing medical conditions in order to tailor a plan which is just right for you. It is not inconceivable that this plan could also include your favorite foods, thus you will still be able to derive pleasure from your meals. The focus of your plan will be on consuming foods which are high in nutrients, low in fat, and moderate in calories. There are numerous diabetes cookbooks available with nutritious yet tasty meals to assist you in this endeavor.

Getting Started

Not always do we pay close attention to what we eat, our focus is more on pleasing our palate rather than nutrition. For the diabetic this will be a major but critical adjustment. Here’s the ABC of making those adjustments as suggested by the American Dietetic Association:

(A)  “Moderate sugar, fat and carbohydrates” – Typically carbohydrates take from five minutes to three hours to be digested, fats can take eight or more hours as opposed to proteins which take three to six hours. Therefore the reason why foods high in fat (ice cream) raises blood sugar level more slowly than vegetables (carrots). It is recommended that fat intake should be less than 30% of your daily calories. Desserts and sweets do not have to be completely eliminated from your diet but can be eaten once or twice per week, in moderate amounts.

(B)  “Eat five fruits and vegetables every day” – Replace your sugar producing foods with fruits or vegetables, these are good sources of vitamins, minerals and fibers. Soluble fibers found mostly in fruits, vegetables and some seeds, trap carbohydrates and slow the absorption of glucose. Vegetables which are highly recommended are: cooked kidney beans (rated among the highest soluble fiber foods) and carrots which are also highly rated for having a positive effect on blood glucose levels.

(C)  “Eat more starches” – Starchy foods are an important part of a healthy meal plan. Whole grain breads, cereals, pasta, rice and starchy vegetables like peas, corn, potatoes and yams can be included in your meals. Your portion though must be moderate, 3 to 4 daily servings of carbohydrate-containing foods are considered adequate.

Learning what, how and when to eat is a giant step towards taking control of your illness. There is no perfect food or diet for the diabetic, the goal of each plan is to supply a variety of foods which will provide enough sustenance while still keeping your blood sugar level under control. Your diet plan does not have to be bland, there are a number of diabetic recipe books available, also you can be daring and experiment with some of your favorite recipes, always being aware of your dietary limitations. For additional information on following a diabetes meal plan you can research or ask your dietitian about “The Food Guide Pyramid”, “Creating your Plate”, and “Carbohydrate Counting”. These are all different plans and you can choose which is most suited to you. As previously mentioned there are various diabetic recipes and diabetes cookbooks to help you make this transition more pleasurable. With careful management of your diet, exercise and taking your medication (if necessary) as prescribed by your doctor, will minimize any risk of your disease escalating to a more critical level or even eliminate your dependence on insulin or other medications.

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