Diets for the Diabetes

The body does not produce enough insulin to use the sugar obtained from digesting food. A diabetic diet includes well-balanced meals and snacks to help control blood sugar levels. Effective diabetic-management requires a healthy regular lifestyle which should include a regular balanced diet, regular exercise and sensible weight control.

By changing your diet, you can help control your blood glucose levels. The best plan is to reduce the amount of simple sugars and refined carbohydrates you consume while increasing the amount of complex carbohydrates and fiber in your diet. Complex carbohydrates such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are broken down slowly by the body, leading to a slower release of glucose into the blood stream. Simple carbohydrates, such as sugars and highly processed or refined foods, are broken down quickly, leading to a rapid rise in blood sugar. People with diabetes should also eat less saturated fat.

Diabetic Diet Advice

What, when, and how much you eat all affect your blood glucose level. You can keep your blood glucose at a healthy level if you:

Eat about the same amount of food each day. Eat at about the same times each day. Take your medicines at the same times each day. Exercise at the same times each day. Every day, choose foods from these food groups: starches, vegetables, fruit, meat and meat substitutes, and milk and yogurt. How much of each depends on how many calories you need a day. Limit the amounts of fats and sweets you eat each day.