Diabetes Diet Management

What is a diabetes diet?

Well, it certainly is not a rigid or restrictive lifestyle change. Management of nutrition for diabetes is a change which balances food choices which are healthy with moderation.

Most newly diagnosed diabetics will be referred to a diabetes educator for counseling on diabetes management and this is an important learning resource about choices of food that go well with diabetes.

Food is an issue in Type-1 as well as Type-2 diabetes but for different reasons. Type-1 diabetics base their insulin dosage on what they eat. Diabetics with Type-2 diabetes make their diet choices as one of the ways to control their blood glucose levels as well as their weight.

Diet and Diabetes Type 1

Being able to calculate the amount of carbohydrates and also make an accounting for other factors in food, such as intake of fiber, is important for managing blood glucose control for Type-1 diabetics.

If the diabetic is on insulin therapy that is standard (this means that the insulin doses stay the same daily), they need to eat approximately the identical number of grams of carbohydrates daily in order to avoid blood glucose lows and highs. These people usually use the counting of carbohydrates that sets a number of units of insulin for every 15 grams of carbohydrates consumed. Your dietitian will help you with determining the daily carbohydrates for the insulin therapy that you are following.

But those with weight problems and a need to lose weight this needs to be factored into account when developing the dietary plan. Your dietitian can help you determine the daily amount of carbohydrates and calories to consume. Exercise is also an essential part of any weight loss plan, so those with weight issues need to work with their healthcare team to create an effective as well as safe fitness plan.

For Type 1 diabetics who control their diabetes with insulin therapy which is flexible the amount of insulin to be injected before a meal needs to be adjusted to cover the grams of carbohydrates that are in the meal which is about to be eaten. This allows them to vary their intake of carbohydrates from day to day. Each insulin dose is based on an “insulin to carbohydrate” ratio which establishes a set number of units of insulin for a certain number of grams of carbohydrates. This insulin to carb ratio will vary per person. Your healthcare team will help you determine what ratio is best for each diabetic.

Diet and Diabetes Type 2

The approach for Type 2 diabetes is known as medical nutrition therapy (MNT). This is adjusting intake of foods to minimize extreme lows or highs in blood glucose levels and to also keep this level within target range that is safe. Carbohydrate counting is always a good tool for managing any control of diabetes.

As weight and body mass decreases in Type 2 diabetics, so does insulin resistance. Therefore any medication treatment needs to be constantly re-evaluated to make sure blood glucose levels stay within a safe range.

Diabetes and Carbohydrates

Those with diabetes need to pay attention to intake, portion size, and meal frequency. The carbohydrates in the diet are the body’s main source of glucose. Foods which are high in dietary carbohydrates are sugar, starchy foods such as pasta and potatoes and foods which are grain-based such as cereal and breads. Carbohydrates are also found in dairy products and vegetables and fruits as well as many beverages.

Diabetes in no way means that carbohydrate containing foods need to be completely cut out of the diet. In fact, many of these foods have nutrients which are essential to good health. But their intake must be carefully controlled and exercise and other blood glucose lowering methods are used to balance out their effects.

It is recommended that approximately 50-60 percent of the total daily intake of calories should be in the form of carbohydrates. But this is also something that a diabetic might need to work on with different foods and carb levels to see what is the best way to determine daily carb intake level for them.

Other Facts about Food

Complications of diabetes such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure as well as kidney disease may call for some additional adjustments to the diet.

Other nutrients in a meal, including fat, fiber and protein may also make a big difference in how the carbohydrates affect the blood glucose levels. Any foods with high fat content can slow the absorption of carbohydrates in the intestines. And fiber which is considered a carbohydrate normally causes less dramatic rise in blood glucose levels because of the fact that it is not absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract.

And as if things were not complicated enough, there are certain foods which can cause a more dramatic blood glucose rise than others even when they have an equivalent amount of carbohydrates on a gram for gram basis. This is due to the glycemic index (GI) or glycemic load of a food – those foods with a high GI normally causes blood glucose levels to rise higher and faster than foods with a lower GI.

But, it must be remembered that reactions to all foods are highly individualized and a meal which might send one person’s blood glucose level sky-high may barely do anything to another. This is why home blood glucose monitoring is so important. Each person has their own response patterns.

Weight Control

For those with Type 2 diabetes weight control is an issue. It is also a risk factor for developing diabetes. Being obese or overweight contributes to insulin resistance which is the main problem behind Type 2 diabetes. Carrying too much body fat makes it difficult for the body to use the insulin it makes.

The exact same things which are good for diabetes, regular exercise and healthy eating, are also key to weight control. Your diabetic dietitian can help you develop a meal plan which is customized to your individual needs. For those cases of obesity where diet and exercise have not helped reduce weight to a healthy level, there are medical treatment such as prescription weight loss drugs or bariatric surgery that can be an option. This is a discussion you and your doctor will need to have because of the benefits as well as the risks.