Diabetic Foods

Diabetic meals and snacks require the correct diabetic foods in appropriate portions to create a day’s worth of healthy eating for blood sugar regulation. While this may sound overwhelming to the newly diagnosed diabetic, when we take a close look at diabetic food choices, the list is not much different than healthy, balanced eating habits.

Basic Principles

In an effort to modulate the glucose-insulin response, diabetics will benefit from keeping these three principles in mind:

1. Eat plenty of fiber. Fiber slows down digestion. It is the food component that defines carbohydrates as complex. There is soluble and insoluble fiber, of which there should be an equal intake. A diet comprised of 25 grams of fiber is highly recommended and beneficial to diabetics, and the general population as well.
2. Include sources of lean protein at each meal and snack as often as possible. Protein also decreases the rate of digestion when eaten with carbohydrates that otherwise would enter the bloodstream rapidly. With the addition of a small piece of chicken or a slice of turkey, the white dinner roll ends up having a much less dramatic effect on blood sugar. Of course, by following principle #1, the roll will be a whole grain variety. A daily intake incorporating 20% of calories from protein is advisable.
3. Make healthy fats a part of your diabetic meal plan. Sources of healthy, unsaturated fats include avocado, olive oil, canola oil, peanut butter, fatty fish, nuts, and seeds. Acceptable but containing some saturated fats include meats, such as lean beef cuts, chicken and turkey breast, and low fat dairy foods. By adding sources of fat to your daily intake, digestion will again be slowed down and you will better absorb the fat soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K. A daily intake of 25-30% of total calories derived from healthy fat sources is recommended. Saturated fat is best limited to no more than 10% of total calories.

List of Diabetic Foods

Protein:

• lean beef cuts – look for “top” or “tip”
• white poultry meat
• fish
• egg whites
• legumes
• whole grains
• soy – tofu, tempeh

Fat:

• canola oil
• olive oil
• nuts
• seeds
• avocados
• low fat dairy products

Carbohydrates:

• whole grain breads
• bran cereals
• oatmeal
• fruits with skin
• vegetables with skin
• kidney beans
• chickpeas
• lentils
• whole wheat pasta
• brown rice

Foods to Avoid

While there is a vast selection of food to choose from when creating a diabetic-friendly meal plan, some carbohydrates are simply best to be avoided. The reason for this is the intense reaction such foods have on blood sugar levels. Here are the main culprits:

• white potatoes
• tropical fruits
• rice cakes
• many cold cereals (void of wheat germ and wheat bran)
• white bread (including bagels, English muffins, dinner rolls, etc. especially if not combined with protein or fat)
• sugar
• white rice
• candy
• soft drinks

Prepared Food Choices

If you roam the aisles of your local supermarket, you are sure to find many prepackaged foods suitable for a diabetic meal plan. In fact, diabetic foods can now be found in nearly every grocery department, including the frozen section, candy aisle, and beverage aisle, to name a few. Your supermarket may even have an area dedicated just to diabetic foods. Such items will usually be sugar-free and made with a sugar substitute. The frozen section will not only offer you entrée selections, but also sweet treats such as ice cream pops, bars, sorbets, and the like. There are also food companies that offer shake mixes, diabetic-friendly snack bars, and other food supplement items. There are also diabetic foods available online such as Eat Well Be Well company.