A Diabetic Diet Plan By the Numbers

Blood sugar control is the primary concern with a diabetic diet plan. This type of diet should also be healthy and provide balance in the amount of carbohydrates, protein, and fat eaten at each meal and for snacks. This helps to avoid blood sugar spikes and provides an even release of glucose into the blood stream through out the day.

Adjustments will also need to be made based on each diabetic's individual needs. Physical activity, insulin injections, oral medications, and the timing and actions of these medications all need to be accounted for when making dietary plans.

The dietary guidelines put forth by the American Diabetes Association are based on exchange lists which were developed by a committee of the American Diabetes Association and the American Dietician Association. These lists provide a general guideline as outlined below to help diabetics maintain their blood glucose levels.

Type 1 diabetics should eat approximately 35 calories per kg of body weight per day. This translates into 16 calories for each pound of body weight. It is recommended that people with type 2 diabetes eat between 1500 to 1800 calories per day to help promote weight loss and then maintain their ideal body weight.

Finding a good dietician or nutritionist can be a big help for newly diagnosed diabetics. These dietary professionals can help build a diet plan that is highly individualized down to the best foods to eat and how many calories should be eaten through out the day. They can also teach diabetics how important controlling their blood sugar level with diet by controlling carbohydrates is.

The most important part of any diabetic diet plan is balancing the intake of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins.

1. Carbohydrates - These are your main source of caloric energy and consist are any food source that can be broken down into glucose (sugar). They are responsible for most of the glucose found in the blood stream and are the primary source of energy for the brain and cellular functions.

2. Fats - No more then 30% of the diabetics daily calorie count should come from fat sources. Fats are also important because of their impact on cholesterol levels. The more saturated and trans-fat ingested the higher ones levels of bad LDL cholesterol. Because of this it is important that people with diabetes avoid these types of fats as much as possible.

3. Protein - This vital nutrient is an important part of any dietary program. Protein itself does not raise blood sugar levels so you can add more of it to your diet then you may think. It should comprise 15-20% of the daily caloric requirement. It is recommended that you include a small amount of protein with every meal and snack because it helps to slow the absorption of fat during digestion which helps to prevent blood sugar spikes.

Any diabetic diet plan should be individualized to each persons needs and should take into account their current medical condition, lifestyle, and eating habits.

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