People
who have just been diagnosed with diabetes may get all sorts of
advice about what they should eat and what they should not. This is
only natural because nutrition plays a vital role in the daily
management of your disease. However, it is also true that a lot of
advice you hear may be wrong or it may be based on hearsay -
something that is too dangerous for you to take seriously.
The
aim of a diabetic meal plan is threefold:
*
Provide sufficient nutrition
*
Keep your weight under control
*
Keep hunger at bay by balancing your blood sugar levels
To
achieve all of the above, a good diabetic meal plan consists of foods
that are low in sugar, sodium and fat. Incidentally, this kind of
diet is best suited for non-diabetics too.
Elements
of your diabetic meal plan:
Ideally,
you must include different kinds of healthy foods in your meal plan.
You must base your diet on fruits, vegetables, cereals, meat, fish
and dairy. Fried, salty foods or foods rich in sugar content are
taboo. That means, you have to say a resounding ‘no' to fast food
and be on high alert with most restaurant foods.
A
diabetic
meals must
contain high amounts of fiber. Therefore, the food they eat must
contain whole grains and healthy carbohydrates.
Does
a diabetic meal plan have to bland and boring?
Far
from it. In fact, colorful, interesting food is best suited for
diabetics because such foods contain vast reserves of nutrients. It
is true that when you have to keep away from excess fat, sugar and
salt, you may lose out on some of the flavors that you previously
enjoyed. However, you can compensate that with the clever use of
herbs and spices. For instance, you might need to stick with
egg-whites, but try adding a dash of cinnamon to it and enjoy the new
flavor.
To
have or not to have?
It
is true that a diabetic meal plan must contain little to no sugar,
white breads and alcohol. This does not mean that diabetics must
eliminate all of the above completely. They are permitted to have
small amounts every once in a while, so long as they monitor their
blood glucose levels closely. Wine is loaded with sugar. So, it is
better avoided. But, if you must have it, opt for red wine, and keep
strict control over how much you consume.
Calorie
counting:
The
best way to take in sufficient nutrients without upsetting your
calorie count is to structure your diet around the required number of
calories. So, if you need 1200 calories or 1600 calories, prepare a
menu for your daily meal that restricts what you eat to so many
calories. This way, you need not fear putting on weight.
One
of the best kept secrets of healthy diabetics is their meal plan.
There are sufficient resources when it comes to recipes and menus for
diabetics - and there are plenty of choices too. Learn more about
these recipes. Plan your meal once every week and follow your plan
closely. You will then see that there is nothing overwhelming about a
diabetic meal plan. The mantra is simple: eat healthy and ‘lite'!
For more information visit us at http://www.typefreediabetes.com
Resource Links:
Thank you for reading this article about diabetic meals. If you would also like to learn about diabetic desserts, then check out our sugarfree desserts.
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