Understanding how the human body breaks down food is one step which will make formulating a diabetic diet plan easy and simple. People should know that the human body’s sugar level is always affected with every meal they consume. Food rich in sugar (sweets and some fruits) are those which have the greatest and most immediate effect on the body’s bloodstream.
On the other hand, food rich in starch take longer to break down (about one to two hours) before they get transformed into simple sugars. Whatever happens to the body’s blood sugar level is the result of the complexity of the food consumed. If the food eaten is rich in protein, it would take three to four hours for the fats to break down completely.
Most of the time, people think that formulating a diabetic diet plan is difficult and is even more difficult to follow. However, with the right self-discipline and commitment to regular exercise, controlling the blood sugar level will be much easier and the person inflicted with diabetes will be less dependent on medication.
Getting Started with your Diabetic Diet Plan
Formulating a diet plan differs from person to person. The nutritional needs and the type of diabetes a person is suffering from should be considered greatly. The following is a guide on the different types of diabetes and the suggested type of diet for each.
- For those with Type 1 diabetes, a diet should consist of carbohydrates, insulin, and glucose in every meal. A balanced diet plus a correctly planned meal for diabetics are a must.
- Those inflicted with Type 2 diabetes usually suffer from resistance to insulin intake. Because of this, the body cannot respond the way it should be to the insulin it is receiving. It is often accompanied with other symptoms like high cholesterol level and obesity.
- For those with gestational diabetes, what is important is the right distribution of the suggested calories and carbohydrates through the whole day.
Maintaining a healthy Diabetic Diet
The primary goal of this type of diet is to normalize the level of sugar in the body and protect the heart. In addition, it also aims to maintain a healthy cholesterol level and achieve the appropriate body weight. Below is a sample of a meal for diabetics.
A serving of:
- Bread (a cup of pasta or whole grain)
- Dairy (cheese or low fat milk)
- Fruit (should be tennis ball-sized)
- Protein (about 3 ounces of lean beef and fish
- Vegetables (a small bowl of salad or anything which is fist-sized in portion)
- Elimination of sweets (consider the fruit as dessert)
One should remember that the most important part of every diabetic diet plan is to maintain a healthy weight. This is because any gain in weight affects either one’s cholesterol or blood sugar level. The best way to avoid being overweight is to make sure that the diet plan is followed and that one should always have regular exercise to keep their body weight at normal level and also for the body’s immune system to be strengthened.
I hope you have found this article on Diabetic Diet useful, do browse this website for other related articles such as Diabetic Desserts.