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Diabetes Diet Plans: Your Delicious Road To Good Health

By: Jula Hanf

In today's world, it is not unusual to find sedentary lifestyles and impaired dietary habits on the rise. One of the grimmest of all the consequences that these habits impose is Diabetes, or the disease which prevents your body from breaking down the glucose you consume into energy. Although, some of the complications this disease leads to, can be fatal if not treated in time, they can be easily averted if you abide by the basic principles of moderate and regular exercise, medication and close monitoring of the glucose levels in your blood. And it is here that the dietary regime, which you establish for yourself, plays a crucial role, as the food you eats, and the intervals at which you eat are one of the most important factors in ascertaining the effectiveness of your treatment.

Your nutritional requirements are best met if you plan your diet in keeping with the Diabetic Food Pyramid. This pyramid is slightly unlike the regular Food Guide Pyramid, because it classifies foods on the basis of the amount of carbohydrates and proteins they contain, instead of the basic food type. Also, the portions each meal is divided into are also determined as per the ideal level of glucose in your bloodstream and may hence vary from one food to another. Thus, although a cup of fruit juice may seem like a harmless beverage to supplement your meal, it may also cause remarkable fluctuations in your blood glucose levels, if your meal already contains the maximum approved levels of sugar.

The basic component of all your meals is Carbohydrates. The Food Pyramid advises that you stay within the range of 6 to 11 servings a day, sticking as close to the lower end as possible is advisable. A typical serving of carbohydrates can be measured in terms of a slice of bread, half an English muffin, a third of a cup of rice and a similar amount of pasta. Potatoes are also included in this category instead of being clubbed along with the Vegetables group as the regular food pyramid advises. This is because the amount of starch, which this legume contains, is significantly higher than most vegetables.

The next category, namely vegetables make great additions to your meal, either cooked or consumed raw, as they are low in fat and hence calories and also rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. One serving comprises of a cup of raw vegetables or half a cup of cooked varieties. Try to include at least 3 to 5 servings in your diet every day, or even munch on a few carrot sticks as a light snack. Keep away from the deep fried and greasy versions, and opt for the lighter and more waist-line friendly steamed and stir-fried alternatives.

Fruits, though plentiful in vitamins and minerals, are also high in carbohydrates and this is what you need to bear in mind when planning out your diet schedule for the day. Aim for 2 to 4 servings a day, each of which contains half a cup of canned fruit, one small whole fruit or 2 tablespoons of dried fruit. Milk and milk products can also do your body a world of good if you stick to the low fat or fat free versions. Cheese, however, is included in the Meat group of your Diabetic Food Pyramid, as this category is comprised of foods, which though high in protein, also have a significant amount of fat content. With meat, choose only the lean varieties and limit your portion sizes to only 4 to 6 ounces a day.

Sugar, surprisingly, is not quite the villain it's made out to be. Once held responsible as the perpetrator of Diabetes, nutritionists now allow you to incorporate your sweet indulgences in your diet, provided you keep these occasions few and far between and cut down on portion sizes. You can also try sugar substitutes if you don't want your sweet tooth to get in the way of your meticulously controlled blood glucose levels.

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!

Article Source: Main Articles

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 www.yourdiabetescure.com and learn more about your solution for diabetes.

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