I Decide to Eat Better
By M. Sue Kirkman, MD, Vice President, Clinical Affairs American Diabetes Association
Only you can make the decision to change your diet. It's one of the best things you can do for your diabetes and your overall health.
Controlling your carbohydrate intake is the key to controlling your bloodsugar (glucose) level. Your target number is determined by your height, weight, gender and activity level. For women, it’s usually between 45 and 60 grams per meal; for men, between 60 and 75 grams per meal.
Remember, carbs aren’t found only in breads, cereals, pastas and snacks. They also hide in fruits, vegetables, milk and yogurt. To get the inside story on carb counts, read labels, get information from your dietitian, or buy a book that lists carb counts. These books usually include foods served at popular restaurant chains, and most chains list nutrition content for their menu items on their Web sites and/or in brochures as well. When eating out, don’t forget this handy tip: a cup is about the size of your fist.
To see how meals and snacks affect your blood-glucose level, check your level immediately before eating and again two hours afterward. Ask your doctor or diabetes educator how often to test.
Practice Heart Health
Diabetes goes hand in hand with cardiac problems and high cholesterol. For heart health, use more unsaturated fats and limit saturated and trans fats.
Many fats are hidden, so it’s important to read labels. Here are some important guidelines:
- Limit your daily intake to 65 grams of total fat, less than 20 grams of saturated fat, 300 milligrams of cholesterol and 2,400 milligrams of sodium.
- Limit your fat calories to 30 percent of your total calories (Your dietitian will tell you how many calories to consume each day).
Read Labels
Remember, the nutrition information on a label is for the serving size noted on the label. This may differ from the serving sizes in your food plan. Pay attention to grams of total carbohydrate, not grams of sugar. A food labeled "sugar-free" may still contain carbohydrates.
If a serving contains 5 grams or more of dietary fiber, subtract half the number of dietary fiber grams from the number of total carbohydrate grams. The result is a more accurate estimate of carb content.
Also, understand the difference between "reduced" and "low." "Reduced" means the food has at least 25 percent less of a certain nutrient — either fat, calories, sugar or sodium — than the regular version has. "Low fat" means each serving contains up to 3 grams of fat. "Low saturated fat" means each serving contains up to 1 gram of saturated fat.
If the label says "fat free," look at the label of the nonfat- free version, and check whether carbs were added when fat was removed.
Include Protein
Protein helps stabilize the ups and downs of blood sugar. That’s why each meal should include protein — preferably a low-fat version such as poultry, fish, lean meat, tofu, soy, an egg substitute, or low-fat or fat free cheese. The protein should be the size of your palm or a deck of cards.
Rate Your Plate
Here’s a wonderfully easy way to control carbs and calories — and guarantee healthy variety — at each meal. Imagine that your plate is divided into four quarters.
- One-quarter of your plate should contain grains or starches, such as rice, pasta, potatoes, corn or peas.
- One-quarter should be protein — for example, meat, fish, poultry or tofu.
- One-half should be filled with non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes or cauliflower.
Enjoy Eating
After all the counting and cutting, reading and rating, it’s reassuring to know that all foods can be included in a diabetic meal plan. Even small servings of sweets and desserts can be worked in.
Get Guidance
Expert, individualized advice can help you. Contact your local hospital or health care provider to locate a registered dietitian or diabetes educator.