Planning perfect diabetic meals is compulsory to managing and preventing type 2 diabetes. To plan a meal we have to know about the nutrients perfectly. Moreover, we have to know how the nutrients affect diabetes as well. From knowing those, we can manage the exact amounts of nutrients, which should include diabetic meals. Types of nutrients we need are also depending on the time we take the meal. In example, we have to take a low carb diet for the dinner.
So now, I know that, you arise some problems.
- You may arise the following problems.
- What are the nutrients?
- When do we get those nutrients?
- In what amounts we get those nutrients.
- Is it depends on our age?
Read this article carefully. I will discuss all of these questions one by one.
Nutrients should include in diabetic meals
We already know that nutrients are compulsory to our body. The question is, what nutrients and which amounts. Therefore, what are the main nutrients we need? We can identify six groups of nutrients. Those are, Carbohydrates, Proteins, Lipids, Vitamins, Minerals and Water. We have to include every kind of nutrient in a meal, when we plan diabetic meals. However, some nutrients are the risk factors of diabetes.
Example: Carbohydrate brakes into sugar. Then the sugar breaks into glucose. When carbohydrates break into glucose, it releases to blood. Blood is doing the job of transporting glucose into cells of the body tissues. There, the cells absorb blood glucose through cell membrane. Insulin is the helper of this engagement. Thus, a reduction of insulin results a blood sugar increment. It means diabetes. Therefore, if you have diabetes, you have to control sugar intake. If it is not, blood sugar will increase. Carbohydrate makes a large amount of glucose and release to blood faster. Therefore, you have to limit the Carbohydrate intake.
Conversely, you should thoroughly concern about the nutrients in a meal. On the other hand, everyone have to get a balanced diet. When we concern about diabetic meals, nutrients should balance. However, we have to control the amount of nutrients as well. So, what kind of nutrients we have to control in amount? Next section will discuss about this.
In what amounts diabetic meals include the nutrients
This part is the most important one. Now you knew that every nutrient should balance in diabetic meals. Moreover, you knew diabetic meals must include every nutrient. The problem is how much amounts should we include?
Diabetic patients have to reduce sugar. Therefore, they have to reduce carbohydrates. In other words, they have to reduce consuming starch and added sugar. When we are talking about the added sugar, additional consumption will be harmful. It does not means that, a diabetic patient should never eat added sugar. They must consume it with a limitation. Therefore, you should know what the limit of added sugar is.
American Heart Association (AHA) said that, adult men should not take more than 50 grams of sugar per day. In addition, adult woman should not intake more than 25 grams of added sugar per day. Their recommended limit for children is also 25 grams of added sugar per day. You can measure the sugar amount roughly by assuming that one tablespoon contains 4 grams of sugar.
Using Carbohydrates in diabetic meals
When you are choosing a diabetic meal, you have to concern about the Glycemic Index (GI) of the selecting items. Different food items have different GI values. This GI value gives you an idea of how much affect the food does to your blood sugar. Always use low GI foods. Replace added sugar from natural sugar sources. When you use carbs, always try to use carbs with dietary fibers. Dietary fibers slow down the digestion process. Therefore, rate of releasing glucose to blood becomes lower. This will let the time to the body to absorb glucose to cells. Therefore, it lowers the excess glucose retain in blood, and help to solve diabetes.
If you are a rice eater, take more brown rice instead of white. For instance, brown rice has more dietary fiber than white has. In addition to that, use whole grain, instead of refined flour in your diabetic meals.
Using fat in diabetic meals
Cooking for a diabetic patient is a special thing. Always use unsaturated fat while cooking. Do not use solid fats like butter and lard. You can use margarine instead of those solid fats because margarine does not contain trans-fat. Diabetic patients must avoid trans-fat. You can use corn oil, canola, olive oil or grape seed oil to cook or bake.
Dairy products also contain fat. Furthermore, most of them are high in fat. Therefore, you should include low fat dairy products in diabetic meals. You can try low fat or non-fat milk except to the full cream milk. Furthermore, you can use non-fat or low fat yogurt instead of full cream yogurt. Cottage cheese also low in fat. Other kind of milk, such as soymilk is also good for replace a dairy item in diabetic meals.