One of the most widespread of all chronic diseases of the modern world, Diabetes is defined as the condition where the body is unable to produce the energy it requires, because of its inability to metabolize sugar. Although this disease is potentially life threatening, the graver consequences that are attributed to Diabetes, can easily be averted by taking a few remedial precautions like regular exercise, making sure you take your medication on time and also testing your glucose levels to make sure you’re in control. Your diet, too, plays a crucial role in determining how effective your diabetes treatment is going to be, because when you eat, is as crucial in regulating your blood glucose as the kind of food you eat.
Your meals are structured around what is called the Diabetic Food Pyramid. This is slightly different from the regular Food Guide Pyramid because it divides your food into groups on the basis of their carbohydrate and protein content, instead of categorizing them into the regular food slots. Also, as the focus is more on balancing the carbohydrate content in each meal, portion sizes vary in keeping with the carbohydrate content of each type of food. Hence, what may seem like an innocuous cup of fruit juice may very well tip the sugar scales unfavorably, if you don’t counter your increased intake of carbohydrates by cutting down on the amount of potatoes or even bread you consume at the very same meal.
The primary food group in the Diabetic Pyramid is Carbohydrates. It is recommended that you consume 6 to 11 servings a day, and try to stay at the lower end of the range. One serving would constitute a slice of bread, half an English muffin, a third of a cup of rice or pasta, or half a cup of potatoes, peas or cooked beans. Unlike the regular food pyramid, potatoes are included in the category of carbohydrates on account of the high levels of starch they contain.
Vegetables add the nutritional boost to your meals on account of the vitamins, minerals and fiber they provide while also going easy on the calories. To make the most of this food group, aim for at least 3 to 5 servings a day and keep each portion at half a cup of cooked vegetables or a single cup of raw vegetables. You must also try to steer away from the greasy and calorie laden varieties and opt for lighter steamed or stir-fried greens if you don’t want your cholesterol levels to skyrocket.
Fruits are quite alike vegetables in terms of their nutritional content but are also laden with more carbohydrates. And this is what you need to pay attention to when pouring yourself that extra cup of juice or snacking on an extra banana. Limit your serving size to half a cup of canned fruit, one whole small fruit or two tablespoons of dried fruit and aim for 2 to 4 such servings a day. You can also benefit from the calcium and vitamins that milk and milk products have to offer, if you pay attention to concentrating on the low fat or fat free alternatives. You must also remember that cheese is not included in this section, but rather in the category of meat because of the high fat content it has. When it comes to the Meats category, stick to the leanest options you can find and do not exceed four to six ounces a day.
If your Diabetes has driven all those sweet fantasies away, then here’s good news! You can include the occasional sweet, as research and studies have proved your intake of sugar alone, is not the determining factor behind your Diabetes. All you need to remember is to balance the remainder of your meal in keeping with the additional sugar you’re consuming and limit your sweet indulgence to special occasions. You can even sneak past the calorie devil by using low calorie or reduced calorie sweeteners in your baking or stir then into your desserts.
As with any other meal plan, remember that the key to the success of your diabetic nutritional regime lies in incorporating as much variety as you can. Keep your dietician informed of your preferences and dislikes so that alternatives can be incorporated to allow you more room to experiment. Low-carb options aren’t necessarily healthier, as they may contain high levels of sodium which may be adverse to your blood pressure while many of them are also high in saturated fats. With a little bit of care and plenty of determination, you’ll soon find that your diabetic meals are miles away from the tedious and insipid options you’ve always dreaded with time, you’ll soon learn that there’s hardly a meal plan that is as healthy and delicious as your personalized diabetes menu!
Julia Hanf author of the book How To Play the Diabetes Diet Game and Win Through a real life crisis Julia figured out how to live diabetes free. Visit http://www.yourdiabetescure.com and learn more about your solution for diabetes.
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