Food For Thought

One of the crucial components to diabetes management is diet.  Diets are rarely a one-size-fits-all proposition so it’s important to find one that works for you.  The important thing is to follow a meal plan that suits your personal preferences and lifestyle and at the same time helps you achieve goals for blood glucose, blood pressure, and weight control.  While there is some debate over what diabetics should and should not eat, everyone seems to give their stamp of approval on the following foods:

• Low Glycemic Index foods with a GI rating of 55 or less
• Good low GI carbs such as whole grains, steel-cut or rolled oats, sweet potatoes, beans, and legumes
• Most fresh fruit
• Fresh vegetables
• Fish and seafood
• Low fat chicken, turkey, and pork
• Low fat red meat occasionally
• Tofu and eggs
• Low fat or non-fat milk

The Plate Trick

These foods can be the cornerstone of a diabetic diet.  The important thing is to make sure that your meals are balanced.  An easy way to do this is to mentally picture an imaginary line down the center of your plate.  One half of your plate should contain non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, zucchini, peppers, green beans, etc.  Now place another imaginary line through the center of the remaining half of the plate.  This leaves you with two equal sections.  In one section place your starchy carbs such as whole grain breads, potatoes, rice, and pasta.  In the remaining section place your protein such as fish, chicken, or turkey.  Add some non-fat milk and a small piece of fruit if you so desire.

There you have it; an easy way to keep your diet on track and keep yourself healthy.