Diabetes diet: Create your healthy-eating plan
     Your diabetes diet is simply a healthy-eating plan that will help you control your blood sugar. Here's
     help getting started, from meal planning to counting carbohydrates.
     By Mayo Clinic Staff
     A diabetes diet simply means eating the healthiest foods in moderate amounts and sticking to regular
     mealtimes.
     A diabetes diet is a healthy-eating plan that's naturally rich in nutrients and low in fat and calories. Key
     elements are fruits, vegetables and whole grains. In fact, a diabetes diet is the best eating plan for most
     everyone.
     If you have diabetes or prediabetes, your doctor will likely recommend that you see a dietitian to help you
     develop a healthy-eating plan. The plan helps you control your blood sugar (glucose), manage your weight and
     control heart disease risk factors, such as high blood pressure and high blood fats.
     When you eat extra calories and fat, your body creates an undesirable rise in blood glucose. If blood glucose
     isn't kept in check, it can lead to serious problems, such as a high blood glucose level (hyperglycemia) that, if
     persistent, may lead to long-term complications, such as nerve, kidney and heart damage.
     You can help keep your blood glucose level in a safe range by making healthy food choices and tracking your
     eating habits.
     For most people with type 2 diabetes, weight loss also can make it easier to control blood glucose and offers a
     host of other health benefits. If you need to lose weight, a diabetes diet provides a well-organized, nutritious
     way to reach your goal safely.
     A diabetes diet is based on eating three meals a day at regular times. This helps you better use the insulin that
     your body produces or gets through a medication.
     A registered dietitian can help you put together a diet based on your health goals, tastes and lifestyle. He or
     she can also talk with you about how to improve your eating habits, such as choosing portion sizes that suit
     the needs for your size and activity level.
     Make your calories count with these nutritious foods. Choose healthy carbohydrates, fiber-rich foods, fish and
     "good" fats.
     Healthy carbohydrates
     During digestion, sugars (simple carbohydrates) and starches (complex carbohydrates) break down into blood
     glucose. Focus on healthy carbohydrates, such as:
       Fruits
      Vegetables
      Whole grains
      Legumes, such as beans and peas
      Low-fat dairy products, such as milk and cheese
    Avoid less healthy carbohydrates, such as foods or drinks with added fats, sugars and sodium.
    Fiber-rich foods
    Dietary fiber includes all parts of plant foods that your body can't digest or absorb. Fiber moderates how your
    body digests and helps control blood sugar levels. Foods high in fiber include:
      Vegetables
      Fruits
      Nuts
      Legumes, such as beans and peas
      Whole grains
    Heart-healthy fish
    Eat heart-healthy fish at least twice a week. Fish such as salmon, mackerel, tuna and sardines are rich in
    omega-3 fatty acids, which may prevent heart disease.
    Avoid fried fish and fish with high levels of mercury, such as king mackerel.
    'Good' fats
    Foods containing monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats can help lower your cholesterol levels. These
    include:
      Avocados
      Nuts
      Canola, olive and peanut oils
    But don't overdo it, as all fats are high in calories.
    Diabetes increases your risk of heart disease and stroke by accelerating the development of clogged and
    hardened arteries. Foods containing the following can work against your goal of a heart-healthy diet.
      Saturated fats. Avoid high-fat dairy products and animal proteins such as butter, beef, hot dogs, sausage
      and bacon. Also limit coconut and palm kernel oils.
      Trans fats. Avoid trans fats found in processed snacks, baked goods, shortening and stick margarines.
      Cholesterol. Cholesterol sources include high-fat dairy products and high-fat animal proteins, egg yolks,
      liver, and other organ meats. Aim for no more than 200 milligrams (mg) of cholesterol a day.
      Sodium. Aim for less than 2,300 mg of sodium a day. Your doctor may suggest you aim for even less if you
      have high blood pressure.
    You may use a few different approaches to create a diabetes diet to help you keep your blood glucose level
    within a normal range. With a dietitian's help, you may find that one or a combination of the following methods
    works for you:
    The plate method
    The American Diabetes Association offers a simple method of meal planning. In essence, it focuses on eating
    more vegetables. Follow these steps when preparing your plate:
      Fill half of your plate with nonstarchy vegetables, such as spinach, carrots and tomatoes.
      Fill a quarter of your plate with a protein, such as tuna, lean pork or chicken.
      Fill the last quarter with a whole-grain item, such as brown rice, or a starchy vegetable, such as green
      peas.
      Include "good" fats such as nuts or avocados in small amounts.
      Add a serving of fruit or dairy and a drink of water or unsweetened tea or coffee.
    Counting carbohydrates
    Because carbohydrates break down into glucose, they have the greatest impact on your blood glucose level.
    To help control your blood sugar, you may need to learn to calculate the amount of carbohydrates you are
    eating so that you can adjust the dose of insulin accordingly. It's important to keep track of the amount of
    carbohydrates in each meal or snack.
    A dietitian can teach you how to measure food portions and become an educated reader of food labels. He or
    she can also teach you how to pay special attention to serving size and carbohydrate content.
    If you're taking insulin, a dietitian can teach you how to count the amount of carbohydrates in each meal or
    snack and adjust your insulin dose accordingly.
    Choose your foods
    A dietitian may recommend you choose specific foods to help you plan meals and snacks. You can choose a
    number of foods from lists including categories such as carbohydrates, proteins and fats.
    One serving in a category is called a "choice." A food choice has about the same amount of carbohydrates,
    protein, fat and calories — and the same effect on your blood glucose — as a serving of every other food in
    that same category. For example, the starch, fruits and milk list includes choices that are 12 to 15 grams of
    carbohydrates.
    Glycemic index
    Some people who have diabetes use the glycemic index to select foods, especially carbohydrates. This
    method ranks carbohydrate-containing foods based on their effect on blood glucose levels. Talk with your
    dietitian about whether this method might work for you.
    When planning meals, take into account your size and activity level. The following menu is tailored for
    someone who needs 1,200 to 1,600 calories a day.
      Breakfast. Whole-wheat bread (1 medium slice) with 2 teaspoons jelly, 1/2 cup shredded wheat cereal with
      a cup of 1 percent low-fat milk, a piece of fruit, coffee
      Lunch. Roast beef sandwich on wheat bread with lettuce, low-fat American cheese, tomato and
      mayonnaise, medium apple, water
      Dinner. Salmon, 1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil, small baked potato, 1/2 cup carrots, 1/2 cup green beans,
      medium white dinner roll, unsweetened iced tea, milk
      Snack. 2 1/2 cups popcorn with 1 1/2 teaspoons margarine
    Embracing your healthy-eating plan is the best way to keep your blood glucose level under control and prevent
    diabetes complications. And if you need to lose weight, you can tailor it to your specific goals.
     Aside from managing your diabetes, a diabetes diet offers other benefits, too. Because a diabetes diet
     recommends generous amounts of fruits, vegetables and fiber, following it is likely to reduce your risk of
     cardiovascular diseases and certain types of cancer. And consuming low-fat dairy products can reduce your
     risk of low bone mass in the future.
     If you have diabetes, it's important that you partner with your doctor and dietitian to create an eating plan that
     works for you. Use healthy foods, portion control and scheduling to manage your blood glucose level. If you
     stray from your prescribed diet, you run the risk of fluctuating blood sugar levels and more-serious
     complications.
     1. Evert AB, et al. Nutrition therapy recommendations for the management of adults with diabetes. Diabetes Care. 2014;37:S120.
     2. Eating patterns and meal planning. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/planning-
      meals/diabetes-meal-plans-and-a-healthy-diet.html. Jan. 29, 2019.
     3. Create your plate. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/planning-meals/create-your-plate/.
      Accessed Jan. 28, 2019.
     4. Wheeler ML, et al. Choose Your Foods: Food Lists for Diabetes. Alexandria, Va.: American Diabetes Association/Academy of Nutrition
      and Dietetics; 2014.
     5. Traditional American cuisine: 1,200 calories. National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute.
      https://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/educational/lose_wt/eat/menus_tac_1200.htm. Accessed Jan. 29, 2019.
     6. Bone health for life: Health information basics for you and your family. NIH Osteoporosis and Related Bone Diseases National
      Resource Center. https://www.bones.nih.gov/health-info/bone/bone-health/bone-health-life-health-information-basics-you-and-your-
      family. Accessed Jan. 16, 2019.
     7. Preventing type 2 diabetes. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-
      information/diabetes/overview/preventing-type-2-diabetes. Accessed Jan. 15, 2019.
     8. 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and U.S. Department of Agriculture.
      https://health.gov/dietaryguidelines/2015/guidelines. Accessed Jan. 29, 2019.
     9. Diabetes diet, eating, and physical activity. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
      https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/overview/diet-eating-physical-activity. Accessed Jan. 29, 2019.
    10. American Diabetes Association. 5: Lifestyle management: Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2019. Diabetes Care.
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     Feb. 19, 2019
     Original article: https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/diabetes/in-depth/diabetes-diet/art-20044295
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