Diabetes Part 2: Diet

Weight control for diabetes

Weight control is very important irrespective of whether you have Type 1 or Type 2.

For those with Type 2 diabetes losing around 10% body weight can help control blood sugar levels/diabetes without any other treatment.

With Type 2 diabetes your nutritional needs are the same as everyone else. The key to eating well with diabetes is eating regularly, watching your serving size and following a healthy eating plan that is low in refined sugars and fat.

The diet recommended is not restrictive either - just a sensible balanced diet, low in fat with plenty of fruit and veg.

Combine regular exercise with a sensible diet and aim for 10% fat loss.

When planning a diet around diabetes, it is important to know the glycemic index and glycemic load of the food you include.

The glycemic index is a measure of how certain foods increase the levels of sugar in our blood. However, the index does not take into account the ‘amount’ of carbohydrate consumed - Glycemic Load.

For instance, watermelon has a high GI, but a typical serving of watermelon does not contain much carbohydrate, so the glycemic load of eating it is low.

Whereas pasta/spaghetti has a low glycemic index (GI) it has a high glycemic load because it is loaded with carbohydrates and we are more likely to eat a bigger serving of spaghetti than watermelon.

However, it must also be remembered that the glycemic index only measures the effect of carbohydrates on blood sugar, something like steak, which has no carbohydrate content can also trigger an insulin response due to high protein intake. When the two glycemic measurements cannot be used, the "insulin index" may be more useful.

Confused?

While GI and GL charts show the science behind what we choose to eat, no one is going to walk around a supermarket checking labels and calculating the GI’s and GL’s of every food item they place in their trolley.

If red meat and fish have a high impact on insulin are they to be avoided?

Do I avoid fruits such as apples and bananas because they affect insulin levels more than popcorn and crackers? So what do you do to ensure you are doing the right thing?

Whether you have Type 1, Type 2 or are pre diabetic you need to lower your intake of carbohydrates, increase lean protein intake and above all exercise good portion control.

A typical shopping list should include

(Abstract: full shopping list available @ http://theabsgym.com)

​Space your meals and snacks evenly throughout the day. Eating at regular intervals helps to prevent your blood sugar level from going either too high or too low.

Add lean protein to every snack and meal. Small amounts of lean protein may help slow down the rate at which carbohydrates are digested, and typically help you feel full longer. Typical sources of protein:

• meat such as beef, pork, chicken, fish and seafood and turkey

• or eggs, egg substitutes, peanut butter, nuts and tofu if meat isn’t your thing

As with any diet it should be balanced. The illustration below shows how a balanced meal should look like.

(Source: www.dlife.com)

Ronan Tutty CPT