General Guidelines Diabetic Diet

The main goal in a diabetic diet is to keep blood sugar levels as close to normal as possible. By doing this you protect your body from the life-threatening complications  of diabetes.  In order to do this successfully, the person with diabetes must take into account their medications, exercise program and diet.

It is very important that a person with diabetes lower their weight if they are overweight. This should be done in a manner that is safe, and with your medical practitioners approval. There is not really a single diabetic diet that is recommended for everyone. Instead, it is best to follow the United States dietary guidelines that promote healthy eating, learn to use the food pyramid to understand the food groups and portion sizes, and understand the diabetic food exchanges.

For people with diabetes is very important to limit the amount of fats that you consume. You should avoid the fat found in animal products which are saturated fats, as well as trans fatty acids, which are found in many commercial food products, fast foods, and hard margarines. When choosing  fats or oils,  it is better to use virgin olive oil or canola oil, which are
monounsaturated fats, as well as polyunsaturated fats such as sunflower oil or rapseed oil.

 It is also very important to limit the amount of foods that contain sodium and cholesterol. Also, avoiding meats that are very high in fat and replacing them with lean meat,  poultry, fish or soy protein will have a beneficial effect on your blood sugar levels.

Choose foods that are rich in fiber, including whole grains, vegetables and fruits.  The fruits that you choose should be fresh if possible. You should also include  daily servings of seeds and nuts are legumes.

According to the American Diabetes and Dietetic Association, a recommended balanced eating plan should consist of calories that include 10 to 20% of the calories from protein is, no more than 30% of your calories should come from fat, and up to 60% of your caloric intake should be supplied by carbohydrates.  

It is recommended that people with diabetes at and nutritional classes or meet with a professional dietitian in order to learn the proper way to eat and prepare their foods.  In this way, you will learn to specifically tailor your food plan to you or individual health needs.  For example, an overweight, insulin resistant  person that has type 2 diabetes, may need a different balance of proteins and carbohydrates then someone who has type 1 diabetes and is thin and has heart disease.

When you find a diet method that is healthy and works for you, there is no need to change it to a different, or newer, eating plan. Every person with diabetes is unique and different, and the regulation of their blood sugar levels will also be different and individual. Generally, following a diet that is balanced and heart healthy, that promotes weight loss if needed, is the  healthiest for people with diabetes.