Nutrition For Diabetes
If you have recently been diagnosed with diabetes, whether it be type 1, type 2, or gestational, the most important thing to do is consult with your doctor or a nutritionist about how to adjust your diet. Although altering your diet may seem like a daunting task, don’t forget that it doesn’t mean you have to completely eliminate all your favorite foods. It’s also your provider’s job to help you through the process and alleviate any hesitancy or anxiety that you may have. Remember that living a nutritious and active lifestyle is super important, in general, because it may even help reverse your type 2 diagnosis! To get a glimpse of what your provider may recommend for you, keep on reading.
Eating well and being physically active most days of the week can help:
keep blood glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels within normal range
lose weight or maintain a healthy weight
prevent or delay diabetes complications
What Foods Are Okay To Eat If I Have Diabetes?
Eating a good diabetes diet generally means consuming a large variety of healthy foods from all food groups.
Vegetables:
Non-starchy: broccoli, carrots, greens, carrots, tomatoes
Starchy: potatoes, corn, green peas
Fruits: oranges, melons, bananas, pineapple, grapes, berries
Grains: whole wheat, rice, quinoa, couscous, oats, farro
Protein: lean meat, chicken, tofu, fish, eggs, nuts, chickpeas
Fats: olive oil, avocado, nuts & seeds, tuna, salmon
Dairy: milk, yogurt, cheese - or non-dairy alternatives if you are dairy-free/vegan
Try your best to consume water the most throughout the day, and limit alcohol intake as much as possible.
Certain types of these foods, like starchy vegetables, grains, and fruits that are high in natural sugars, may cause blood sugar to spike. Although these foods are healthy for the heart and body, it is still important to consult with a provider in order to learn how to count carbohydrates and how much to consume for each meal at your current blood sugar state. For example, if your blood sugar is low, your body is in need of more glucose, and so, it would be okay to consume a larger amount of starchy veg and fruits. But if your blood sugar levels are high, that means there is too much sugar already in your blood, so a meal higher in protein may be more beneficial.
What Foods Should I Limit?
Foods to limit are the traditional foods that are considered “unhealthy.”
Foods high in saturated fat, which are typically processed and fried
Foods high in sodium, containing added salt
Baked goods, ice cream, candy, chocolate
Beverages with added sugars like soda, juice, sports & energy drinks
When Should I Be Eating?
Again, this is definitely something to consult with your provider because each individual will have a different schedule in regards to eating. Depending on the diabetes medications that you are given, you may need to eat at the same time each day and the same amount of carbs at the same time each day. Other individuals who take mealtime insulin, which is a rapid acting form of insulin, have a more flexible eating pattern, and can more or less eat whenever they feel like it. Your healthcare practitioner will work with you to figure out the best method for keeping your blood sugar levels from spiking throughout the day.
How Much Should I Be Eating?
Once again, this is very individualized to each patient. If you are overweight or obese and diagnosed with diabetes, your healthcare team will likely formulate a meal plan for weight loss. Getting rid of excess weight will be beneficial for your heart & arteries, and will in return decrease blood glucose, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels. Your healthcare team may recommend you to start exercising and counting calories, in order to help you lose weight. Another option is the plate method, in which you fill half your plate with non-starchy vegetables, a quarter of your plate with protein, and a quarter or your plate with healthy carbohydrates. This allows you to not count calories but still ensure a healthy portion of food is served at each meal.
If you are planning on becoming pregnant or are currently pregnant, it’s also a good idea to lose excess weight because having gestational diabetes increases the risk of induced labor, C-section, a heavier baby, and the baby being overweight or developing type 2 diabetes later in life. Other individuals who are diagnosed with diabetes may have a very easy and flexible meal plan, which is great because it doesn’t change your daily life too much.
So…
As you can see, a large part of nutrition for diabetes is individualized and requires a team of healthcare practitioners to provide you with the best meal plan for you. So much of nutrition depends on your lifestyle, family history, medications, the extent of your diagnosis, and so forth. Do your best at adjusting to this insane life change but you can do it! Remember that you have a team of health professionals to guide you through everything, and hopefully you have a good support system at home to keep your on track with your nutrition goals.
For more info about nutrition and diabetes, check out the following links:
https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/diet-eating-physical-activity
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/in-depth/diabetes-diet/art-20044295
https://www.nutrition.gov/topics/diet-and-health-conditions/diabetes