Meal Planning for Diabetic Diets

Diabetes changes the way the body uses insulin and eventually shuts down the mechanism that produces insulin in the liver if blood glucose levels remain uncontrolled. Obesity and diet are acknowledged as the main causes of Type 2 diabetes in adults but some Type 1 diabetics can also benefit from a diet organized around good nutrition, proper preparation and moderation. Planning menus for diabetics have utilized a number of techniques such as counting "carbs," exchange systems or glucose counting. Nutritionists can start you on your way to menu planning. Use a planner or construct a daily menu using information available from organizations like the Mayo Clinic or American Diabetes Association. All of these methods agree on certain basics that should be considered when planning menus for diabetics.

Research into the causes of diabetes has revealed a complex blend of new theories, but the goals for the diabetic diet remain constant. Follow sound nutritional balance (50 to 60 percent carbohydrates, 12 to 20 percent protein; no more than 30 percent fat) but spread carbohydrates evenly over any 24-hour period to compensate for the inability of the body to regulate blood sugar. Diabetics need to limit intake of saturated fats because of their increased risk of heart disease and fiber appears to aid in the processing of carbohydrates, making whole grains especially beneficial. Research has not concluded that carbohydrates from sugar raise blood glucose levels faster than carbohydrates from starch but they have found that the carbohydrates in cooked fruits and vegetables convert to glucose more rapidly than do those in raw, unpeeled fruits and vegetables. Preparation using unsaturated fats and broiling and baking instead of frying or breading also helps limit fat intake.

Since obesity is one of the causes of diabetes, meals should be planned using portions designed for weight loss---smaller portions with nutritious "snacks" between meals. Since sound nutrition requires five or more servings of fruits and vegetables each day, fresh fruit and vegetables become a mainstay of meal planning for diabetics. Substitute ground turkey for ground beef and limit the intake of fatty foods like bacon and cholesterol-heavy organ meats to further reduce fat consumption. Serve meals in regular intervals throughout the day, using fruit or vegetable snacks to keep the digestive system operating. Even ice cream and cookies can be worked into a menu, providing servings are moderate and carbohydrates are positioned properly in the daily pattern of consumption. This will burn calories and process carbohydrates steadily instead of surging with big meals (and midnight raids on the refrigerator) and stopping dead in the periods between meals which will correspond to spikes and "crashes" in blood glucose.