Nutrition Guidelines for Diabetes

Diabetes is an endocrine disease characterized by varying degrees of alteration in the body's ability to use blood glucose for energy production. Nutritional management for diabetics aims to develop a carefully planned therapeutic meal that depends on several factors including carbohydrates, protein, fats and the diabetic's current nutritional status.
A nutrition guide prepared by health experts is tailored specifically to the individual's health condition, body weight, nutrient requirements and food preference.

Individualized Meal

The nutrition plan for diabetes is an "individualized" meal wherein the food intake for a 24-hour period is monitored and prepared according to the insulin supply needed. This meal aims to prepare a special diet that accommodates the lifestyle, age and overall health status of the patient. The common factors taken into account are carbohydrates, proteins and fats.

Carbohydrate

According to the American Diabetes Association, "Foods that contain carbohydrates raise blood glucose." (see References 3) However, a diabetic patient is not necessarily restricted from any type of carbohydrates as long as it conforms to the accepted daily intake level. Carbohydrate counting is a technique for estimating the required daily intake of glucose-containing foods such as rice, bread, cereal, pasta and starchy foods.
Carbohydrate management also includes diets with low glycemic index such as whole oats, whole grains and beans. The glycemic index depends on how much food processing took place; for instance, the glycemic index of milled and refined grains is higher than minimally processed whole grains.

Protein

Protein-rich foods help replenish the loss of nitrogen in the body. Diabetics experience frequent urination (polyuria), which causes the loss of nitrogen. Proteins do not directly affect the cause of diabetes but could trigger the release of insulin. A meal modification is necessary if there are associated diseases such as renal malfunction.

Fats

Fat intake for diabetics is regulated by preparing unsaturated-fat and fiber-rich foods with olive oil, canola oil and low-fat dressings. The aim is to maintain high-density lipoproteins, or the so-called "good cholesterol" that comes from unsaturated fatty acids in foods. Properly regulated fats help in maintaining a healthy body weight by increasing satiety and preventing the risk for heart diseases such as atherosclerosis.

Nutrition Guide

A nutrition guide is a complete list of foods and their corresponding carbohydrate, protein and fat values. This guide is provided by the physician or dietitian to ensure that the meal served meets the nutrient requirement of the patient. Alternatively, diabetics could check the nutrient fact labels to get the dietary value of foods.
The nutrition guide may be a combination of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA), healthy recipes food pyramid guide, and food exchange list to facilitate a wide array of food choices and food substitutes.