Nutrition Tips:

People with diabetes have the same nutritional needs as anyone else. Along with exercise and medications, nutrition is important for good diabetes control. By eating well-balanced meals in the correct amounts, you can keep your blood glucose level as close to normal as possible.

 

Keep Your Levels as Close to Normal as Possible:

  • 6-8 cups water/seltzer daily.

  • Limit diet drinks to 16oz. (caffeine free) daily and no fruit juices, regular soda, ice tea, ect
  • Avoid fried food, fast food and Chinese Food. Use canola or olive oil. Avoid butter and magarine.
  • Use fresh and frozen vegetables and salads daily and liberally. (Avoid bottled salad dressing.)
  • 2-3 medium sized fruits daily. Eat one at a time. (1/2 banana or grapefruit, 12 Grapes/Cherries, etc.)
  • Choose lean protein-chicken, fish, turkey most often. Lean red meat 1-2 times per week maximum. (Lean types include white meat, pork loin, eye round cut beef, london broil, flank steak, veal and well trimmed lamb.)
  • Certain fish are high in DHA, a type of fat, that can help lower cholesterol levels. These fish include, salmon, tuna, herring, lake trout, halibut, white fish and mackerel.
  • Choose whole grains instead of processed foods-beans, lentils, peas, brown rice, barley, oats, whole grain cereal , etc. Reduce portions if needed. Avoid bagels, rolls, italian bread, muffins, croissants, etc. Use whole wheat bread, wheat pita & rye instead.
  • Use non-fat dairy products-milk, yogurt, cheese, 2-3 whole eggs maximum per week.

 

What is Nutrition?

Nutrition is the process of eating, absorbing, and using foods to nourish the body and maintain good health. Diabetes treatment is centered on controlling the level of sugar or glucose in the blood. This is done using diet, exercise, and sometimes medicine.

What is eaten is directly related to the amount of sugar in the blood. Right food choices help to keep blood sugar levels in the normal range.

 

Nutritional Food Choices:

1) Best Choices:

  • Chicken & turkey - skinless white meat
  • Fish high in DHA
    • (Salmon, tuna, herring, lake trout, halibut, white fish and mackerel)
  • Seafood - all varieties
  • Egg whites

2) Next Best Choices:

  • Chicken & turkey - skinless dark meat
  • Shellfish
  • Pork tenderloin
  • Veal

3) Next Choices:

  • Lean ham
  • Lean lamb-leg
  • Lean goat
  • Lean beef cuts (Bottom round, eye round, top round, sirloin, minute flank)

4) Deli Meats:

  • Low salt - chicken breast
  • Low salt turkey breast
  • Low salt ham
  • Roast beef
  • Alpine lace reduced fat cheese or other brands
  • Home made tuna in water w/ light mayo

 

Tips to Keep Fat Calories Down:

  • Do not buy self-basting chicken or turkey
  • Choose low fat cooking methods like bake, broil, roast, steam, or stir fry
  • Roast meats on a rack
  • Limit use of gravies & de-fat before using
  • Keep meat portions small; 3-6 ounces at a meal depending on meal plan and calorie needs

 

Health Tip #:002

Boost The Fiber In Your Diet

Dietary fiber has been shown to be beneficial to good health. An indigestible carbohydrate found in plant foods dietary fiber comes in two forms. One, insoluble fiber, may help prevent colon cancer. Good sources are whole grains, high-fiber cereals, fruits and vegetables. The other, soluble fiber helps lower blood cholesterol and especially important for diabetics, may help control blood glucose by slowing the digestion of dietary glucose. Soluble fiber is found in oats, legumes, fruits, and vegetables.

Just a few changes can be incorporated for any lifestyle with ease. To boost fiber:
1. Include plenty of beans and lentils in meals. These members of the legume family-which also includes peas, soybeans, and peanuts-are loaded with protein and minerals.
2. If the peel on the fruit and vegetable is edible, leave it on for more fiber.
3. Opt for whole grain breads and crackers. To tell whether a product is high fiber, check the label. Make sure the first ingredient is whole wheat or another type of whole grain flour.

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© 2007 by Vanderbilt University

Reference: American Diabetes Association:

Reference: American Diabetes Association:



There are 23.6 million children and adults in the US with diabetes -- 5.7 million people are undiagnosed and 57 million have a condition called pre-diabetes.

Take this test to see if you are at risk for having or developing type 2 diabetes.