There are many things that a person with diabetes can eat, and it is the same foods that are good for everyone, including meals that are low-fat, with complex carbs (instead of simple carbs), and lots of non-starchy vegetables!
When I had gestational diabetes (which is different than Type 1 or Type 2, but the meal planning is very similar), the easiest thing for me to remember was the number "15". Fifteen (15) is the number of carbohydrate grams in one serving. The daily meal plan looked like this:
Breakfast: 30 grams (of carbs)
Snack: 15 grams
Lunch: 45 grams
Snack: 15 grams
Dinner: 45 grams
Snack: 15 grams
Once you get used to thinking by "15's", it gets easier. (And, still important to watch overall fat and calorie intake, as well as type of carb, but this is just to get started).
Here are some concrete meal plans to give you an idea, as well as this link to the Diabetic Food Pyramid.
Breakfast(approx. 30 grams carbs for each option)
Option 1:
2 slices of whole wheat bread (each slice=15 grams carbs)
low-fat breakfast meat
poached egg
Option 2:
1 cup oatmeal or cream of wheat (1/2 cup = 15 grams carbs)
Lunch(approx. 45 grams carbs each option)
Option 1:
1 cup vegetable, lentil or broth-based soup
1 serving whole wheat bread/roll
Option 2:
Turkey, cheese, lettuce and tomato sandwich
Option 3:
Burrito: black beans (1/2 c), corn tortilla, low-fat cheese and salsa
Snack Options(each approx. 15 grams)
3 cups air-popped popcorn
3 Graham crackers with natural peanut butter
1 c. carrot sticks with 2 tsp hummus
1/2 cup fruit with 1/2 cup non-fat cottage cheese
3 individual gingersnap cookies
5 individual vanilla wafers
4 oz bagel with 1 Tbsp fat free cream cheese
Dinner(each approx. 45 grams carbs each)
Option 1:
Open-face Hamburger (3 oz lean meat), 1 whole wheat bun
Cucumber salad
1/3 cup baked beans OR 5 oz corn on the cob OR 1/2 cup sweet potato
Option 2:
Lasagna! Here is a recipe for lasagna using low-fat ricotta cheese (little carbs) from the ADA: http://tracker.diabetes.org/myfoodadvisor.html
Serving size= 3" x 3" piece for 26 grams of carbs. (You can have a slightly larger slice or add 19 grams of another carb)
Option 3:
4-6 oz. of lean meat have little carbs: chicken, turkey, fish, pork, Combined with: steamed vegetables and (1/3 c) brown rice
As you can see, the diet for diabetics can be the same "diet" (or meal) that is served to everyone in your family or group of friends. I hope this information was helpful! Let us know if you have any additional questions; are you or someone you know diabetic?
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There are many things that a person with diabetes can eat, and it is the same foods that are good for everyone, including meals that are low-fat, with complex carbs (instead of simple carbs), and lots of non-starchy vegetables!
When I had gestational diabetes (which is different than Type 1 or Type 2, but the meal planning is very similar), the easiest thing for me to remember was the number "15". Fifteen (15) is the number of carbohydrate grams in one serving. The daily meal plan looked like this:
Breakfast: 30 grams (of carbs)
Snack: 15 grams
Lunch: 45 grams
Snack: 15 grams
Dinner: 45 grams
Snack: 15 grams
Once you get used to thinking by "15's", it gets easier. (And, still important to watch overall fat and calorie intake, as well as type of carb, but this is just to get started).
Here are some concrete meal plans to give you an idea, as well as this link to the Diabetic Food Pyramid.
Breakfast (approx. 30 grams carbs for each option)
Option 1:
2 slices of whole wheat bread (each slice=15 grams carbs)
low-fat breakfast meat
poached egg
Option 2:
1 cup oatmeal or cream of wheat (1/2 cup = 15 grams carbs)
Lunch (approx. 45 grams carbs each option)
Option 1:
1 cup vegetable, lentil or broth-based soup
1 serving whole wheat bread/roll
Option 2:
Turkey, cheese, lettuce and tomato sandwich
Option 3:
Burrito: black beans (1/2 c), corn tortilla, low-fat cheese and salsa
Snack Options (each approx. 15 grams)
3 cups air-popped popcorn
3 Graham crackers with natural peanut butter
1 c. carrot sticks with 2 tsp hummus
1/2 cup fruit with 1/2 cup non-fat cottage cheese
3 individual gingersnap cookies
5 individual vanilla wafers
4 oz bagel with 1 Tbsp fat free cream cheese
Dinner (each approx. 45 grams carbs each)
Option 1:
Open-face Hamburger (3 oz lean meat), 1 whole wheat bun
Cucumber salad
1/3 cup baked beans OR 5 oz corn on the cob OR 1/2 cup sweet potato
Option 2:
Lasagna! Here is a recipe for lasagna using low-fat ricotta cheese (little carbs) from the ADA: http://tracker.diabetes.org/myfoodadvisor.html
Serving size= 3" x 3" piece for 26 grams of carbs. (You can have a slightly larger slice or add 19 grams of another carb)
Option 3:
4-6 oz. of lean meat have little carbs: chicken, turkey, fish, pork, Combined with: steamed vegetables and (1/3 c) brown rice
As you can see, the diet for diabetics can be the same "diet" (or meal) that is served to everyone in your family or group of friends. I hope this information was helpful! Let us know if you have any additional questions; are you or someone you know diabetic?
December 16, 2008 - 2:28pmThis Comment
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