Diabetes: Making Healthy Choices
Just about every time you eat a meal, it's up to you to decide what you'll eat and how much. By eating a variety of nutritious foods, you can avoid getting bored and help keep your blood sugar better controlled.
You'll want to limit:
• Sugar. Added sugar has no nutritional value, and artificial sweeteners can taste just as good.
• Salt. This is especially important if you have high blood pressure.
• High-fat and high-cholesterol foods. These cause weight gain and can contribute to heart disease.
• Fast foods and processed foods. Generally speaking, they're tremendously high in fat, sugar, and salt.
Sweeteners and Sugar Substitutes
Having diabetes doesn't mean you can't eat sweets. But there are some great-tasting ways to reduce the amount of carbohydrates you take in from eating sugar.
Artificial sweeteners. Low-calorie sweeteners sweeten food without extra calories or raising your blood sugar. They can be added to your meal plan without affecting your carbohydrate count. The American Diabetes Association and the Food and Drug Administration feel that these sweeteners are safe for you to include as part of your healthy meal plan.
These include:
• saccharin (Sweet'N Low®, SugarTwin® )
• aspartame (NutraSweet®, Equal®)
• acesulfame potassium, or acesulfame K (Sweet One® , Sunett®)
• sucralose (Splenda®)
Sugar alcohols. You may have seen the names isomalt, maltitol, mannitol, sorbitol, and xylitol on candy, gum, and dessert labels, but what are they? They aren't sugar or alcohol—they're commercially created carbohydrates with a chemical structure that resembles sugar and alcohol.
(But, again, they're alcohol free.) They still contain about half the calories or sugars and other carbohydrates. So remember, foods with sugar alcohols aren't free foods.
Also keep in mind, foods that say "sugar free" or "no sugar added" may still be high in carbohydrates. And fat-free products may be even higher in carbs than the foods they replace. Always check the label.
Friendlier Meal-Plan Choices
When given options, try to take the healthier route:
Foods to eat in moderation: |
Foods to choose more often: |
Fried foods |
Broiled, grilled, or baked foods |
Higher-fat cuts of red meat |
Poultry, fish, loin, or sirloin cuts of red meat |
Cold cuts |
Lean turkey breast or ham |
High-fat casseroles |
Simply prepared potatoes and vegetables |
Croissants, biscuits, and sweet or stuffed breads |
Whole-grain breads |
Creamy salad dressings |
A splash of lemon or lime juice, flavored vinegar, and low-calorie salad dressing |
Sour cream, sauces, and gravy |
Sauces made from low-fat chicken broth, spices, and herbs |
Appetizer dips |
Salsa |
Cream-based soups |
Clear soup or consommé |
Sugary drinks, juices, and alcohol |
Diet drinks, unsweetened iced tea, sparkling water without added sugar, or water |
Cakes, candy, and sweets |
Fresh fruit or low-fat yogurt |
Added sugar |
Artificial sweeteners (that don't contain sugar alcohols, which can be high in carbohydrates) |
Dietitian
• Is my meal plan designed to meet goals such as weight loss or reducing fats, protein, and salt?
• Do I know how to use exchange lists for meal planning?
• Do I understand how to count carbohydrates or fat and make adjustments in my insulin dose?
• Do I need help learning how to read food labels?
• Is eating out in restaurants a problem for me?
• Do I know how to make healthy choices when grocery shopping?
• If I'm menopausal, do I need calcium supplements?
• What are my target levels for fat and protein and carbohydrate?
• Have I started an exercise program or dramatically changed my exercise program since the last visit?
• Has my insulin regimen changed?
• Is my diabetes or body weight more difficult to control than usual?
• Has my meal plan been reviewed in the past year?
• Have I been diagnosed with high blood pressure, high cholesterol levels, or kidney disease?
• Have I taken any vitamin and mineral supplements?
• Are any changes needed in my existing meal plan?
Managing Complications
You probably already know that controlling your blood sugar is important for avoiding hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia—blood sugar lows and highs.
But one of the most important reasons to manage diabetes is to help prevent the long-term complications caused by high blood sugar. From your eyes to your heart to the tips of your toes, high blood sugar can damage many of the body's systems.
The good news is, by working closely with your healthcare team, you may be able to prevent or lessen the impact of diabetes complications on your life.
