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There is a lot of confusion and some anxietywhen it comes to what diabetics should and should not eat. Ialways begin by telling patients that everyone should eat like they havediabetes. What I mean is that a diabetic diet is nothing more than ahealthy, balanced portion-controlled meal plan. No one can afford a diet loaded with excess calories, fat, sugar, andsodium (think all-you-can-eat buffets!). Some common myths include avoiding allcarbohydrates (carbs), eating all the protein and fat you want, or only eating“sugar-free” foods. Remember that peoplewith diabetes have a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease, hencethe amount and type of fat you eat, not just carbs, is important to yourhealth. Further, protein intake beyond what is needed for normal bodilyfunctions will be converted to and stored as fat. Carbs are an important part of any diet,including the diabetic diet. Carb-rich foods provide energy (calories),vitamins, minerals, fiber, and phytonutrients. Diabetics need to monitor theircarb intake because they have more of an impact on blood glucose levels than dofat or protein. Carbs are found in starches, fruits, vegetables, and milk. Somecarbs are better than others. Whole grains are always a better choice thanrefined carbs, but you can incorporate all carbs into a healthy meal plan. A balanced meal plan will include foods fromthe starch, fruit, milk, vegetable, protein, and fat groups. A general carb guideline for most patientswith diabetes can vary from 30-75 gram/meal and 15-30 g/snack. It is importantthat you learn how to read food labels, recognize serving sizes, and countcarbs to plan for balanced meals. A registered dietitian or certified diabeteseducator can help you determine how many total carbs you should consume formeal and snacks. She/he can help youdevelop the right meal plan to fit with your schedule and eating habits, helpyou improve your blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol, and help keep yourweight on track. Your doctor can refer you to a registereddietitian or certified diabetes educator (sorry, I’m not in private practice!)or go to www.eatright.org and click “find a nutrition professional”. For morenutrition info and recipe ideas visit www.diabetes.org and click the “food& fitness” tab. Remember to stayactive, maintain a healthy weight, protect your feet, keep blood glucoserecords, eat balanced meals at regular intervals, don’t smoke or consumealcohol in excess, limit sodium/cholesterol/saturated & trans fats, andincrease fiber. Again, everyoneshould eat like they have diabetes – doing so will put the odds of notdeveloping it in your favor! A Merry, healthy Christmas season to you! Meredith Cummings, RD |
