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When you are diagnosed with diabetes mellitus, it doesn't mean you can't eat well. What you need to remember is that you only need a diet plan for a diabetes mellitus diet so that the disease does not get worse.
A diabetes diet is a diet with moderate consumption of healthy foods at regular times. With a healthy diet that is rich in nutrients and low in fat and calories, it is very good for the body.
This diabetes diet plan will help you control your blood sugar levels, weight and heart disease risk factors such as high blood pressure and high cholesterol.
Of the many types of diabetes diets, all of them emphasize the same thing: healthy food, the right amount and regular timing.
Diabetes Diet Schedule
Eating meals at regular times will help optimize the function of insulin obtained from drugs so that it functions properly in the body.
Here is the meal schedule that most diabetics use, namely:
- Eat breakfast within an hour and a half after waking up.
- Eat a meal every 4 to 5 hours after that.
- Eat snacks between meals if you are hungry, just not before bedtime.
So it can be arranged as follows: Breakfast between 6:00 am to 9:00 am, lunch at 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm and dinner at 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Meanwhile, the morning snack can be at 10:00 to 11:00 and the afternoon snack at 16:00 to 17:00.
It is also important to note not to forget breakfast because this is to maintain blood glucose levels.
You can also get a diabetes diet schedule directly from a dietitian that has been customized according to your health condition, tastes and lifestyle. They will also help you to improve your eating habits and determine the portion size that suits your activity needs.
Amount of Food for Diabetes Diet
The amount of food can be divided into two: portion and size. The two are not always the same. Portion is the amount of food you choose to eat in one meal, while size is a specific amount of food for example 1 tablespoon, 1 ounce teaspoon, or 2 fruits.
You should pay attention to the size of the food in a single meal. This is to control your weight and blood sugar. Because sometimes the amount of one serving of food will have different sizes.
Here are recommendations on how to determine the amount of diabetes diet food that can be an easy choice.
1. Plate method
One of the most popular diabetic diet methods is the T-shaped dinner plate concept. The plate method is a simple way to ensure you get the nutrients of healthy non-starchy vegetables and lean proteins while limiting the amount of high-carbohydrate foods.
You can prepare a dinner plate measuring approximately 22 - 23 cm and then with the food details as below:
- Fill half with vegetables such as cucumber, broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, carrots, squash, tomatoes, lettuce and beans.
- Fill a quarter with lean proteins such as chicken, eggs, tofu, tempeh, beans.
- Fill another quarter with carbohydrates such as rice, corn, potatoes, peas, cassava, and sweet potatoes.
Make sure that the processing of vegetables, carbohydrates and protein does not use excessive sugar, salt and fat.
For drinks, choose water or low-calorie drinks such as plain tea.
2. Glycemic Index
The Glycemic Index is a value used to measure how much certain foods can increase blood sugar levels in the body. It is usually classified in three scales: low glycemic index (less than 55), medium glycemic index (56-69), and high glycemic index (more than 70).
The lower the glycemic index, the better for diabetics because the effect of raising blood sugar is low. Meanwhile, a high glycemic index contains carbohydrates that are digested quickly by the body, making it easy to raise blood sugar levels. Some types of foods with a high glycemic index that diabetics should avoid include white rice, white bread, potatoes, soft drinks and sugary drinks.
Types of diabetic diet foods
There are several things that need to be considered in choosing the type of food for diabetics, including:
1. Choose foods that are rich in nutrients
Choosing foods that have a lot of nutrients will help you meet the body's nutritional needs. Nutrient-rich foods include:
- Fruits and vegetables.
- Whole grains like oats and brown rice.
- Legumes such as chickpeas.
- Nuts and seeds like almonds and sunflower seeds.
- Lean proteins like chicken.
- Fish and eggs.
- Dairy products such as unsweetened yogurt.
2. Limit your intake of refined carbohydrates
Refined carbohydrates tend to be low in nutrients but high in calories. Eating too much of these foods can raise blood sugar levels and lead to weight gain. Foods that include refined carbohydrates include:
- Sugar-added foods and beverages, such as candies, cakes and sodas
- Refined grain products, including white rice, white bread and white pasta
- Fruit juices.
3. Choosing foods that contain healthy fats
The type of fat consumed is more important than the total amount of fat consumption. It is highly recommended to eat unsaturated fats. For example, avocados, nuts, seeds, fatty fish, soybean preparations, olive oil, canola oil, corn oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil, and soybean oil.
Avoid saturated fats such as high-fat meat, high-fat dairy products, chicken skin, butter, coconut oil, and palm oil.
Thank you for reading this article. Have a nice day.
