Diabetic Nutrition

Diabetic nutrition is a confusing subject for people who have recently been diagnosed with diabetes as well as their families. It can be confusing to determine what you should be eating and what, if anything, you should be avoiding.

Diabetics and Sugar

The first thing most people think of when they consider diabetic nutrition is that they will never be able to eat sugar again. That's a big misconception about the diabetic diet. The truth is lots of natural foods, such as corn and beans, contain sugar, and they aren't off limits.

Refined sugar is a little different, but it isn't totally banned from the diabetic diet, as long as moderation is exercised. Eating too much sugar at once can cause a spike in blood sugar while leaving you full, but empty of nutrients and likely to gain weight, none of which will help your health problems in the long run.

Protein Power

Carbohydrates are converted into glucose in the body and can cause a spike in blood sugar as surely as sugars can, When eating a lot of carbohydrates, it is important to eat protein as well. The protein slows down the absorption of the carbs and keeps your blood sugar on a more even level.

As with anyone else, it is an important part of diabetic nutrition to choose lean proteins such as chicken, tofu and eggs. The standard diabetic diet calls for four to six ounces of protein a day, spread throughout the day. That isn't a lot, but it is enough to keep your body healthy.

Cutting the Fat

It's also a good idea to cut down on saturated fats and eliminate trans fats from your diet, especially if you are trying to lose weight. This is good advice for everyone, but it especially makes sense in terms of diabetic nutrition, because losing weight is a great way to reduce your symptoms and perhaps eventually eliminate your health problems.

Monounsaturated fats are the best choice—those are the ones that come from nuts and avocados, as well as olive oil, which is a great choice for cooking and making salad dressing. Polyunsaturated is the next best; it's found in corn oil, safflower oil and most types of mayonnaise (but many also have eggs, so watch out if you have high cholesterol).

More Diabetic Nutrition Tips

• Weight loss is very important to diabetic nutrition, but it's important to lose weight sensibly. Aim for half a pound to a pound of weight loss per week.
• Walking or another physical activity is a great addition to a healthy eating plan, because it will help you lose weight even faster and improve your overall health. Always ask your doctor before beginning a major exercise program, and remember to wear shoes that fit well and socks that are dry. Check your feet for sores regularly and tell your doctor if you have sores on your feet that don’t heal.
• Low- or no-calorie sweeteners are fine for everyone to use as a substitute for sugar, except for those with a condition known as phenylketonuria, who should not consume aspartame. These sweeteners do not affect blood sugar.
• Diabetics can consume alcohol in moderation, unless they are on medications that require avoiding it. Moderation is defined as one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men.
• It is important to eat regularly when you have diabetes to keep your blood sugar on a more even level. You may find that eating smaller meals helps keep your condition in check. Whole grains are a great choice because they increase blood sugar more slowly, putting less stress on the body.
• Try not to get stuck in a diet rut. There are so many great things you can eat even if you have diabetes. Check out some diabetic cookbooks for more information on the wonderful and healthy things you can cook for yourself and your family. You should also consider talking to a dietician or nutritionist about meal plans that will make everyone in the family happy to accept a diabetic nutrition plan.