Diabetic Diet Plan – Reduce Diabetes Complications The blood glucose level should be in between 70 to 130 – before meals and after a meal the blood sugar level should not be more than 180. Keeping a check on these levels helps one to find out which food products are best suitable and which ones should be avoided. Patients suffering from diabetes try to maintain this blood sugar level and therefore, food of a diabetic patient is considered to be boring and dull.
Earlier it was considered that diabetic patient should not take sugar but some new theories approve sugar intake and a balanced diet is approved to prevent excesses. One can take a variety of different things in food to enjoy it. The patients mostly take the medicines just before a meal but in the initial stage one should try to avoid getting dependent on medicines by making wise food choices and by being physically active.
People who are suffering from diabetes can reduce many complications of everyday life by keeping a check on the diet. Most of the physicians suggest diabetic patients to follow specific diet plan to keep a check on blood sugar levels. The chart includes timings for each meal and snacks, and the number of calories allowed in each meal.
Tips To Make A Diabetic Diet Plan
To make a diet plan it is advised to take more starch and vegetables as compared to milk, fats and sweets. Starch is considered good for everybody and one can take starchy vegetables, grains, cereals, corns and potatoes to stay energetic. These products also fulfill the requirements for vitamins, fibers, minerals and carbohydrates.
Diabetic patients require diet based on weight, height, physical activities, job, sex and age. The dietician should consider the complications which are associated to the diabetic patients such as high blood pressure and cholesterol.
First the total number of allowed calories should be defined and then the various food products should be included depending on the total number of calorie count. The diet chart includes the food products, calorie counts and timings of meals.
Some of the necessities of a diabetic diet chart are given below.
1. It should include a good amount of fiber.
2. About a third of nutrition should come from cereals, potatoes and one-third of calories should come from dairy products, fish and meat. Food containing fats should be lowest in quantity.
3. The number of meals can be more than three but heavy meals at one time should be avoided. Generally five to six short meals in a day is suggested.
4. Bakery products should be replaced by whole grain cooked food and carbohydrates should not be taken just before going to bed. In the diet plan the amount of carbohydrates and the glucose amount are defined as it is needed for controlling the blood sugar.
5. A good amount of vegetables and fresh fruits should be taken along with the meals. One third of the total nutrition should come from fruits and vegetables. Fruits also help in digestion.
6. One should keep check on weight to prevent the risks of heart disease and high blood pressure.