1/3 cup dry low-fat milk
Protein
Including meat and meat substitutes.
• 1 oz lean fish, meat, or poultry
• 1 oz low-fat cheese
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup egg substitute
• 1/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese
• 2 oz tofu
• 2 Tbsp natural peanut butter
Fat
• 1 tsp butter/margarine
• 1 Tbsp lite margarine
• 1 Tbsp salad dressing
• 1 tsp oil
• 1 tsp mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp light mayonnaise
• 6 almonds/cashews
• 1 Tbsp sunflower seeds
• 2 Tbsp light sour cream/cream cheese
Alcohol
• 1 1/2 oz liquor
• 12 oz lite beer
• 5 oz dry wine
Variables
Now that you have reviewed the appropriate serving sizes of some common foods, it is important to note that you may eat more than one serving. For example, a dinner portion of meat (protein) for a young, active male could be five to six servings (5–6 oz), whereas a dinner portion for a middle-aged, non-active woman may be two to three servings (2–3 oz). This is all determined by working together with a registered dietitian who can personalize a meal plan to meet your specific needs. If you have type 2 diabetes and control your diabetes by diet and exercise alone, or in combination with diabetes medications, you may be asked to eat consistent amounts of carbohydrate at meals as well as regulate the timing of your meals to coincide with the action of your diabetes medication(s). If you have type 1 or type 2 diabetes and are on insulin, you may be asked to eat a consistent amount of carbohydrate at meals or you may learn how to precisely match your insulin to the amount of carbohydrate you plan to eat for more flexibility. So, there are certain considerations that should be taken into account depending on the type of medication you are on for your diabetes as well as how your specific insulin dose is calculated at each meal.
HERE’S WHAT YOU CAN DO
1. You are a normal, healthy person who just happens to have diabetes. Don’t think of your diabetes as a disorder that takes all of the pleasure and taste out of eating. Remember, there are no foods that are off limits.
2. Get help. Sit down with a registered dietitian to find out where most of your calories are coming from. Are you eating too many fat-filled and animal foods and not enough whole grains, fruits, and vegetables? Have you eliminated carbohydrate foods from your diet? What do you need to eat more of? What do you need to eat less of?
3. Eat a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables every day.
4. Eat fewer animal products. Doing this will reduce your risk of heart disease.
5. Eat more fiber. Choose whole-grain breads and cereals. Eat the skins and peels of fresh fruits and vegetables. Add dried beans and lentils.
6. Eat less fat. Try to cut down on trans-fats and saturated fats, which are harmful to your arteries.
7. Cut down on your salt intake. Cut down on the salt you use when cooking and at the table.
8. Make a healthy grocery shopping list. Be sure to include more of the foods you have been missing and make an effort to include these foods on a regular basis.
9. Get help with weight loss. If you are trying to lose weight, let your registered dietitian help you tighten up your portion sizes and increase activity. Doing this will allow you to eat fewer calories and burn more calories.
10. Use teamwork. Work with your diabetes team and dietitian to coordinate your food intake with your activity level and diabetes medication(s).
11. Plan on eating meals that fill you up for longer periods. Such meals contain moderate amounts of protein and healthy fats and contain fiber-rich carbohydrate foods, such as whole-grain starches, fruits, and vegetables.
12. Educate your family and support system. Help your family members understand how to eat in a healthy way by bringing variety and balance from all of the food groups to your shared meals.
COMMONLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Will I still be able to keep good control of my blood glucose if I eat the same foods as the rest of the family?
If you work with your diabetes team and your registered dietitian to match your food intake with your diabetes medications and activity level, you won’t have to eat any differently than the rest of your family, assuming they are also eating a healthy, balanced diet.
How can I make wise food choices to lower my risk for heart disease and other problems caused by diabetes?
Keep your blood glucose in your target range and stick with your healthful eating plan, regular physical activity, and, if needed, diabetes medications.
Isn’t it more important for a person with diabetes to follow healthy eating guidelines than for the rest of the family?
Healthy eating guidelines are important for all Americans because we tend to eat too much fat, cholesterol, and sodium and not enough fiber and healthy carbohydrates. Because of excesses in our diets, all Americans are at a greater risk for heart disease, high blood pressure, stroke, diabetes, obesity or overweight, and some forms of cancer.
YOUR TURN
Now it’s your turn to recall some key points from this chapter. Let’s see how you do!
1. Instead of the term “diabetic diet,” we now call meal planning for those with diabetes ________________________ (3 words).
2. Achieving a “reasonable body weight” rather than “ideal body weight” is now one of the primary goals for diabetes self-management. True or false?
3. Please fill out what counts as one standardized serving size, for each of the following foods:
| Rice/pasta: | ________ |
| Cooked oatmeal: | ________ |
| Lentils/beans: | ________ |
| Berries: |
|
