Diabetes Diet: Meal Planning
Once you have had a look at the basics of a living with diabetes diet, you will probably be wondering how you can effectively apply all those pointers while you eat. It’s not that difficult when you keep in mind a few simple things. Be sure to check out our diabetes dessert recipes and diabetes dinner recipes to help you as well.
When you plan your meal, mentally divide your plate into four sections. If you fill two of these sections with vegetables (try to have at least two kinds of vegetables at each meal), one with meat, and one with a grain, you will be on the path to healthier eating immediately. If you drink a glass of milk with dinner, you will have covered all four food groups. Eating a piece of fruit for dessert will nicely round out your meal.
It is important to eat a carbohydrate at each meal (the starch or grain part of dinner). These foods, such as potatoes, rice, noodles, or breads, are broken down into the energy that your body needs to function.
When you are choosing your protein, consider choosing a lean meat, fish, low-fat cheese, or vegetarian protein option to help keep your fat intake down.
One of the keys to diet is portion sizes. Learn the portion sizes, or try using a measuring cup for the first while you are getting used to monitoring your food intake. Remember, a serving of meat is only as big as a deck of cards (or the size of your palm and the thickness of your baby finger), whereas a serving of starch is the size of your fist. Limit fat intake to the size of the tip of your thumb, and measure your vegetable servings by how much you can hold in both hands.
Consult a dietician for specialized diet care instructions. Dieticians are trained to help individually tailor a diabetes diet for you.
If you drink alcohol, it will affect not only your diet, but also your blood sugar. Establish how much alcohol you can and should be drinking with a health professional. Alcohol might also cause you to gain weight, which can lead to diabetes complications.
