Low Calorie Low Glycemic Diabetic Diet

According to information from the Mayo Clinic, there are two general approaches to treating diabetes--carb counting (limiting the number of carbs you consume per day or per sitting) and carb control (limiting the types of carbs you are eating). A low-glycemic approach belongs to the latter category, restricting those fast-digesting foods that cause a disproportionate and dangerous rise in blood sugar levels. A low-glycemic diet can provide a healthy year-round approach to controlling the symptoms of diabetes.

Low-Glycemic Diet

Consume only carbohydrates that are relatively low on the glycemic index scale to follow a low-GI diet. The glycemic index is a listing which ranks carbs according to how quickly they are digested, with white bread being assigned a nominal score of 100, with carbs that are slower-digesting than that ranked lower, and vice versa.

While following a low-GI approach for diabetes, you should strive to consume carbs that are scored 60 or lower on the glycemic index. These items will affect your blood sugar levels only nominally, sharply reducing (if not wholly eliminating) your symptoms of diabetes. This means consuming foods from the following groups--fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.

Sample items which rank particularly low on the glycemic index include many vegetables such as broccoli (10), lettuce (10), spinach (10), mushrooms (10), peas (48) and carrots (49), along with other foods such as cherries (22), apples (38), pears (43), bananas (52), barley (25), buckwheat (54), and sourdough (54). In addition to low-GI carbs, strive to consume plenty of lean protein and unsaturated fats--foods such as meats, chicken, turkey, fish, oils, nuts, seeds, and certain fruits such as avocados and coconuts.

Low-Calorie Dieting

Understand that low-calorie is a relative term. Your caloric needs while following this diet will vary depending on your current body weight, your metabolism, your activity level and any number of other factors. Generally, however, you should be able to lose weight on a diet consisting of between 1,500 to 1,800 calories per day, so that is a good starting point if you are otherwise lost on where to begin.

Aim to lose weight at a slow and steady pace (one to two pounds per week) to give your body time to adjust to its new weight, reducing the chance of rebound when you increase calories at the conclusion of the diet.