Eating to manage diabetes is not complicated. People with diabetes don't have to shun sugar completely. It's total kilojoules that count most, no matter where they come from. Carbs are good - the goal is to eat the right carbs in appropriate amounts. And small amounts of 'good' fats are actually good for you! Follow these 11 rules and you'll be well on your way to success.
1 Eat less, more often.
Eating small meals and healthy snacks throughout the day will help you avoid blood glucose swings and keep your metabolism up so you bum more kilojoules all day. Always eat breakfast, and never go more than four hours without a small meal or snack.
2 Be snack smart.
Eating less, more often throughout the day is smart, but keep snacks low in kilojoules by choosing fruits, raw vegetables and diet yogurt- not chips, biscuits and cakes.
3 Know your GI.
All carbs are digested to produce glucose but do so at different rates some slow, some fast. Identify foods with a lower GI and try to include at least one serve in every meal and snack.
4 Limit high GI foods.
High-GI foods such as most refined breads and breakfast cereals are digested quickly. In no time, they're broken down into glucose, which sends your blood glucose soaring. In turn, your body pumps out more insulin, and when all that insulin kicks in, your blood glucose
plummets, making it very difficult to manage your diabetes.
5 Eat outside the box.
Packaged foods are often high in fat, refined carbohydrates and kilojoules. Whenever you can, cook your own meals from fresh foods instead.
6 Say 'no' to empty kilojoules.
Foods and drinks with lots of added refined sugars are best avoided, particularly energydense varieties such as sweets, lollies and regular soft drinks. While many sugary foods have a low GI (such as chocolate,ice cream and toasted muesli) they are still not suitable for everyday eating.
7 Fill up on fibre.
Fibre helps to slow digestion and may keep blood glucose from rising quickly after a meal. It adds bulk to food, so it makes you feel full without adding kilojoules. Vegetables and legumes are great sources of fibre.
8 Eat protein.
Protein foods provide important nutrients for good health. Include one serve of lean meats and poultry, seafood, eggs, soy products or legumes daily.
9 Avoid saturated fat.
Foods that are high in saturated fat clog arteries and make your cells more resistant to insulin. Saturated fat is found in animal foods such as fatty meat, chicken skin, butter, cream, pastries, full-fat milk, yogurt and cheese, as well as palm oil and coconut products.
10 Favour good fats.
Unsaturated fats are actually good for you in small amounts. Eat a variety of poly- and monounsaturated fats in moderation. Try polyunsaturated and monounsaturated oils and margarines, avocados, olive and canola oils, and oily fish such as herring, sardines, salmon and tuna. Also seeds, nuts, nut spreads and peanut oil.
11 Fill half the plate with non-starchy vegetables
You'll eat less carbohydrate and less fat, and fewer kilojoules.