Diabetic Recipes

Diabetes Food Guide

Diabetes is one of the most serious health conditions that affect people of every age, gender and race. Millions of people throughout the world have in fact been diagnosed of diabetes. According to certain statistics, 20.8 million of children and adults in the United States alone have the disease and it’s unfortunate to know that about 6.2 million of this population is unaware that they have the problem.

Diabetes comes in two types: Type 1 and Type 2. Each of these types occurs as a result of the improper use and functioning of insulin in the body which is deemed as a hormone that is needed to transform or convert the sugar, starches and other foods into energy that every person needs to start up his day. The Type 1 diabetes, in particular, is the result of the body’s failure to produce insulin, then opening a door for the glucose to enter and fuel them. On the other hand, the Type 2 diabetes results from the resistance of insulin and a relative insulin deficiency. Both of these types affect people in a number of ways.

If you are a victim of this disease, or you know someone who has been suffering from it, I bet you would like to find a way to at least prevent it from getting worse. Yes, although you’ve been diagnosed with it, there’s still a room for you to escape or at least reduce its chance to develop more rapidly. One of the most recognized ways to control diabetes is to eat foods that are healthy and glucose-free.

When dealing with foods, it is worth noting that just like anyone else, people who are suffering from diabetes need nutrition. This is a very vital part of the diabetic patient’s every day life, and this is more important than exercise and medications. As what many experts have said, by eating foods or meals that are well-balanced or in correct amounts, you can keep your level of blood glucose to normal.

What to Eat and What Not to Eat

Knowing what to and what not to eat when suffering from diabetes is by far one of the best moves you can take to control such disease. Obviously, this is pretty a simple process. All you need to know are the foods that are highly forbidden for the diabetic patients, as well as those that are allowed.

Well, the foods that can and can’t be eaten while having diabetes can be grouped into categories. One of the most important groups is that of grains of starches, which may include bread, cereal, rice and pasta. As you may know, these foods are rich in carbohydrates, and because of this, they are highly recommended for the diabetic patients. However, there is a limit to the intake of these resources and this is also true among the other food groups.

To make everything clear for you, I have stressed below the required amount of servings of each food group that every diabetic patient should consider on their diet.

Grains and Starches: There’s only one main thing to note here, that is, to choose 6 to 11 servings of these foods per day. Here are the serving sizes you can follow:

  • 1 slice of bread
  • 1⁄4 of a bagel (1 ounce)
  • 1⁄2 of an English muffin or pita bread
  • 1 6-inch tortilla
  • 3⁄4 cup of dry cereal
  • 1⁄2 cup of cooked cereal
  • 1⁄2 cup of potato, yam, peas, corn or cooked beans
  • 1 cup of winter squash
  • 1/3 cup of pasta or rice

Vegetables: This food group is no doubt rich in vitamins, mineral and fiber. They are even low in fat, making them good choices to include in your meal. However, it is important to note that for this food group, it is best for every diabetic patient to consider only at least 3 to 5 servings of veggies per day. In particular, this is what you should follow:

  • 1⁄2 cup of cooked veggies
  • 1 cup of raw veggies

Fruits: Fruits also contain carbohydrates, and just like vegetables, they are rich in vitamins, minerals and fibers. Well, for this food group, the servings you’ll need to control your diabetes are:

  • 1⁄2 cup of canned fruit
  • 1 small fresh fruit
  • 1 tablespoons of dried fruit
  • 1 cup of melon or raspberries
  • 1 and 1⁄4 cup of whole strawberries

You can choose 2 to 4 servings of fruits per day.

Milk: For milk, it is best to choose 2 to 3 servings per day. But it is wise to choose only the non-fat or low-fat dairy products for a great nutrition and taste. Here is what you’ll need to prepare:

  • 1 cup of non-fat or low-fat milk
  • 1 cup of yogurt

Meat and Other Proteins: For this food group, it is highly recommended that you choose sources only from the lean meats, poultry and fish. Then, keep the sizes of your portion small. Perhaps the best is to save only 3 ounces of these sources. Also choose 4 to 6 ounces to make your whole day complete.

Fats, Sweets and Alcohol: Obviously, these food sources are not nutritious as the grains and vegetables. For this, it is recommended that you keep your servings small and only eat them for a special treat. The serving size that can be considered for this may include:

  • 1⁄2 cup of ice cream
  • 1 small cupcake or muffin
  • 2 small cookies

The above mentioned food groups are just easy to prepare. However, it is still best to consult your doctor before you do your own meal plan. This is absolutely needed for better guidance.

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