Nutrition

Healthy Eating Is The First Step In Taking Care Of Your Diabetes

You can make a difference in your blood glucose control through your food choices. You do not need special foods. In fact, the foods that are good for you are good for everyone.

If you have diabetes, it is important to eat about the same amount of food at the same time each day. Regardless of what your blood glucose level is, try not to skip meals or snacks. Skipping meals and snacks may lead to large swings in blood glucose levels.

To keep your blood glucose levels near normal, you need to balance the food you eat with the insulin your body makes or gets by injection and with your physical activities. Blood glucose monitoring gives you information to help you with this balancing act. Near-normal blood glucose levels help you feel better. And they may reduce or prevent the complications of diabetes.

The number of calories you need depends on your size, age, and activity level. If you are an adult, eating the right number of calories can help you reach and stay at a reasonable weight. Children and adolescents must eat enough calories so they grow and develop normally. Don't limit their calories to try to control blood glucose levels. Instead, adjust their insulin to cover the calories they need.

Of course, everyone needs to eat nutritious foods. Our good health depends on eating a variety of foods that contain the right amounts of carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, fiber, and water.

What Are Carbohydrates, Protein, and Fat?

Carbohydrates, protein, and fat are found in the food you eat. They supply your body with energy, or calories. Your body needs insulin to use this energy. Insulin is made in the pancreas. If you have diabetes, either your pancreas is no longer making insulin or your body can't use the insulin it is making. In either case, your blood glucose levels are not normal.

Carbohydrates – Starch and sugar in foods are carbohydrates. Starch is in breads, pasta, cereals, potatoes, and beans, peas, and lentils. Naturally present sugars are in fruits, milk, and vegetables. Added sugars are in desserts, candy, jams, and syrups. All of these carbohydrates provide 4 calories per gram and can affect your blood glucose levels.

When you eat carbohydrates, they turn into glucose and travel in your bloodstream. Insulin helps the glucose enter the cells, where it can be used for energy or stored. Eating the same amount of carbohydrate daily at meals and snacks can help you control your blood glucose levels.

Protein – Protein is in meats, poultry, fish, milk, and other dairy products, eggs, and beans, peas, and lentils. Starches and vegetables also have small amounts of protein.
The body uses protein for growth, maintenance, and energy. Protein has 4 calories of energy per gram. Again, your body needs insulin to use the protein you eat.

Fat – Fat is in margarine, butter, oils, salad dressing, nuts, seeds, milk, cheese, meat, fish, poultry, snack foods, ice-cream, and desserts.

There are different types of fat: monounsaturated, polyunsaturated, and saturated. Everyone should eat less of the saturated fats found in meats, dairy products, coconut, palm or palm kernel oil, and hardened shortenings. Saturated fats can raise your blood levels of cholesterol. The fats that are best are the monounsaturated fats found in canola oil, olive oil, nuts, and avocado. The polyunsaturated fats found in corn oil, soybean oil, or sunflower oil are also good choices.

After you eat fat, it travels in your bloodstream. You need insulin to store fat in the cells of your body. Fats are used for energy. In fact, fats have 9 calories per gram, more than two times the calories you get from carbohydrate and protein.

What Else Do I Need To Know?

Vitamins and Minerals – Most foods are good sources for vitamins and minerals, If you eat a variety of these foods, you probably do not need a vitamin or mineral supplement.

Salt or Sodium – High blood pressure may be made worse by eating too much sodium (salt and salty foods). Try to use less salt in cooking and at the table.

Alcohol – You may have an alcoholic drink occasionally. If you take insulin or a diabetes pill, be sure to eat food with your drink. Ask your dietitian about a safe amount of alcohol for you and how to work it into your meal plan.