foods like bacon, sausage, and eggs for special occasions. You can choose whole-grain cereal or an English muffin, low-fat milk or yogurt, and fruit, but there’s no rule that says breakfast can’t be whole-wheat pasta tossed with low-fat ricotta cheese or a leftover chicken breast with a piece of fruit.
Once you experience the dividends that breakfast pays in mood, performance, and diabetes management, you’ll never skip your morning meal again!
Hint: People who eat a smaller evening meal (and spread their calories out over the day) are more likely to wake up hungry for breakfast.
TYPE 1 & TYPE 2
I’ve heard I’m supposed to eat five fruits and vegetables a day. Why?
Increasing the fruit and vegetables in your diet may lead to better health, particularly in the prevention of cancer and heart disease. Fruits and vegetables are low in fat and are rich sources of vitamin A, vitamin C, and fiber. The average American eats only one serving of fruit and two servings of vegetables a day. You can find ways to put five or more servings in your salads, soups, sandwiches, main dishes, and snacks.
Fruits and vegetables affect diabetes in different ways. Fruit has 15 grams of carbohydrate per serving and affects your blood glucose within 2 hours. The amount your blood glucose rises depends on whether you eat the fruit on an empty stomach, the form of the fruit (cooked or raw, whole or juice), and your blood glucose level when you eat. Check your blood glucose level after eating fruit to see what it does to you. Nonstarchy vegetables contain only 5 grams of carbohydrate per serving, few calories, and lots of vitamins and minerals. Moderate portions of vegetables have little effect on blood glucose but major effects on your health. Eat up!
TYPE 1 & TYPE 2
Why does it seem that I need less food—and enjoy it less—now that I’m older?
If you are not as active as you were when you were younger, you probably don’t need to eat as many calories. However, it may be that your appetite and enjoyment are being affected by changes in one of the following:
Taste buds—affecting taste and interest in food
Smell—affecting interest in food and the amount you eat
Vision—making it difficult to read labels or recipes
Hearing—affecting your ability to enjoy the social events around eating
Touch—making it difficult to prepare food
Teeth or poorly fitting dentures—making it painful to eat anything but soft, easy-to-chew foods
For reasons such as these, you may skip meals or eat fewer calories than you need, which affects your diabetes management. Limitations on movement can keep you from exercising, leading to loss of energy and appetite. Poor nutrition itself can bring on fatigue and a general sense of not feeling well. Work with your RD to overcome any challenges to following your meal plan.
TYPE 1 & TYPE 2
Are plant sources of protein better for me than animal protein?
Maybe. Plant proteins have benefits for people with diabetes. Plant foods are low in fat, especially saturated fat, and high in fiber. Animal protein adds cholesterol and saturated fat to our diets. People with diabetes have a greater risk of heart disease earlier in life; therefore, it is important to decrease your intake of saturated fat and cholesterol. For people with diabetic kidney disease, changing the source of protein in the diet is being studied as a treatment. Whether plant protein (beans, nuts, vegetables, tofu) is preferred over animal protein (meat, poultry, fish, milk, eggs) has not been decided. Discuss the latest research with your diabetes care professionals. We do know that people in other countries who eat less meat and more soy protein and rice have lower rates of cancer and heart disease than Americans, who eat lots of animal protein.
Animal protein contains all eight essential amino acids that you need to build cells in the body. Because your body can’t make them, your food choices must supply them. However, eating a variety of plant proteins each day can also provide all the amino acids that you need (see Should I eat less protein to keep my kidneys healthy?).
TYPE 1 & TYPE 2
Is there a benefit to including more soy foods in my diet?
Yes. Soy foods are low in saturated fat, have no cholesterol, and contain high-quality protein. Scientists are learning about compounds in soybeans that may reduce your risk of certain chronic diseases, such as heart disease, osteoporosis, and cancer. Eating soy foods may lower blood cholesterol levels and decrease your risk for heart disease. Soy protein contains a group of phytochemicals called iso-flavones that may directly lower blood cholesterol levels. In certain stages of kidney disease, vegetable protein may be easier on the kidneys than animal protein.
Soybeans are included in a variety of foods, from ice cream to burgers, and they can be eaten whole or used in your recipes.
TYPE 1 & TYPE 2
Should I eat less protein to keep my kidneys healthy?
Not necessarily. The American Diabetes Association recommends that you eat the same amount of protein as the general public. The Recommended Daily Allowance suggests that healthy adults eat 15–20% of their daily calories as protein or about 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of weight. For a 132-pound person, this would be about 50 grams of protein per day. Some plant and animal protein choices are listed below. Individuals whose blood glucose levels are not on target may benefit from more protein than the RDA recommended amount. However, most Americans eat more than enough protein. If you already have kidney disease, you may want to eat less protein. Your doctor will consider the stage of kidney disease and your overall nutrition before prescribing a low-protein diet.
TYPE 1 & TYPE 2
How can I use the USDA’s My Pyramid system to eat healthfully for diabetes?
The United States Department of Agriculture has replaced the Food Guide Pyramid with MyPyramid, a system based on the 2005 Dietary Guidelines. This system emphasizes an individual approach to healthy food choices and physical activity and has a new pyramid-shaped graphic or symbol to illustrate its key concepts. The MyPyramid system recommends foods high in vitamins, minerals, dietary fiber, and other essential nutrients while limiting foods high in saturated fat, trans fat, and cholesterol. This system also promotes balancing calorie intake with energy needs to achieve a healthy weight. You can use the online MyPyramid system at
