Diet plans for type 2 diabetes

When you have type 2 diabetes, taking the time to plan your diet goes a long way in controlling your blood sugar and weight.

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The main goal is to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels within the expected range. To help control your blood sugar, follow a diet plan that includes:

• Meals for all parties
• Low calorie
• Almost the same amount of carbohydrates in every meal and snack
• Healthy fats

In addition to healthy eating, you can help keep your blood sugar in the expected range at a healthy weight. People with type 2 diabetes are often overweight or obese. Even losing 10 pounds (about 4.5 kilograms) can help you control your diabetes better. Eating healthy and staying active (for example, a full 60 minutes of walking or other activities every day) can help you reach and maintain your weight loss goals. Being active allows your muscles to use the sugar in your blood without the need for insulin to move the sugar to the muscle cells.

How Carbohydrates Affect Blood Sugar

Dietary carbohydrates provide energy to the body. You require taking carbohydrates to maintain your strength. However, carbohydrates raise your blood sugar higher and faster than other types of foods.

The main types of carbohydrates are starch, sugars and fiber. Find out which foods contain carbohydrates. This will help you plan meals so that you can keep your blood sugar in the expected range. The body cannot break down and absorb all the carbohydrates. Undigested carbohydrates or fiber-rich foods are less likely to raise your blood sugar to the level you want to maintain. These foods include beans and whole grains.

Meal plans for children with type 2 diabetes

The number of calories required to grow children should be considered in the meal plan. In general, three small meals a day and three snacks can help meet calorie needs. Many children with type 2 diabetes are overweight. The goal should be to eat a healthy diet and reach a healthy weight by being more active (150 minutes per day).

Work with a registered dietitian to create a meal plan for your child. A certified nutritionist is an expert in food and nutrition.

The following tips can help your child keep track:

• No food is forbidden. Knowing how different foods affect your child's blood sugar can help you and your child keep blood sugar in the expected range.
• Help your child know how much food is healthy. This is called part control.
• Help your family gradually switch from low-fat milk or water to soda and other sugary drinks, such as sports drinks and juices.

Meal planning

Everyone has personal needs. Work with your healthcare provider, registered dietitian, or diabetes educator to create a meal plan that works for you.

When shopping, read the food labels to make better choices.

A good way to ensure all the nutrients you need during meals is to use the plate method. This is a visual food guide that will help you choose the best type of food and the right amount. Eat large servings (half a plate) of starchy vegetables and a medium serving of protein (a quarter of a plate) and starch (a quarter of a plate).

Eat a variety of foods

Eating a variety of foods helps you stay healthy. Try to include foods from all food groups in each meal.

Vegetables (2½ to 3 cups or 450 to 550 gm per day)

Choose fresh or frozen vegetables without sauce, fat or salt. Non-starchy vegetables include dark green and dark yellow vegetables, such as cucumber, spinach, broccoli, romaine lettuce, cabbage, chard and bell peppers. Starchy vegetables include corn, peas, peas, carrots, yams and taro. Note that potatoes should not be seen as vegetables, but as pure starch like white bread and white rice.

Fruit (1½ to 2 cups or 240 to 320 gm per day)

Choose fresh, frozen, canned fruit (no added sugar or syrup), or nuts without sweeteners. Try apples, bananas, berries, cherries, fruit cocktails, grapes, cantaloupe, oranges, peaches, pears, papayas, pineapples and raisins. Drink juice that is 100% fruit without any added sweetener or syrup.

Cereals (3 to 4 ounces or 85 to 115 grams per day)

There are 2 types of grains:

• Whole grains that are unprocessed and contain whole grain seeds. Examples are full wheat flour, oats, full corn flour, amaranth, barley, brown rice and wild rice, black wheat and quinoa.
• Processed grains (in soil) have been processed to remove husks and germs. Examples are diced cornmeal, white flour, white bread and white rice.

Grains contain starch, a type of carbohydrate. Carbohydrates raise your blood sugar levels. For a healthy diet, make sure that half of the grains you eat each day are full grains, with plenty of fiber. The fiber in the diet prevents the blood sugar from rising too fast.

Protein foods (5 to 6½ ounces or 140 to 184 grams per day)

Protein foods include meat, poultry, seafood, eggs, beans and peas, nuts, seeds and processed soy foods. Eat more fish and poultry. Remove skin from chicken and turkey. Choose lean cuts from beef, veal, pork or wild animals. Trim all visible fat from the meat. Instead of frying, bake, braille, grill, boil. Use healthy oils like olive oil when frying protein.

Dairy products (3 cups or 245 grams per day)

Choose low-fat dairy products. Keep in mind that milk, yogurt and other dairy products contain natural sugars even if they do not contain excess sugar. Keep this in mind when planning a meal to keep your desired blood sugar level. Some fat-free dairy products contain a lot of sugar. Be sure to read the label.

Oil / Fat (no more than 7 teaspoons or 35 ml per day)

Oils are not considered a food group, but they contain nutrients that help keep the body healthy. Oils are different from fats because the former are liquid at room temperature. The fat stays firm at room temperature.

Reduce your intake of fatty foods, especially those high in saturated fat, such as hamburgers, fried foods, bacon and butter.

Instead, choose polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fatty foods. These include fish, nuts and vegetable oils.

Oil can raise blood sugar, but not as fast as starch. Oil is high in calories. Try not to use more than the recommended daily limit of 7 teaspoons (35 ml).

What about alcohol and sweets?

If you decide to drink alcohol, reduce the amount and do it with food. Contact your healthcare provider to determine how alcohol will affect your blood sugar and determine the safe amount for you.

Sweets are high in fat and sugar. Keep portion size small.

Here are some tips to help you avoid overeating candy:

• Ask for extra forks and spoons and share the dessert with others.
• Eat sweets without sugar.
• Always ask for the smallest serving size or a baby size.

Your diabetes care team is there to help you

Meal planning can be overwhelming at first. But, over time it will get easier and easier, and you will learn about foods and their effects on your blood sugar levels. Contact your diabetes care team if you have problems planning your meals. They have to help you.