At the beginning of each session with a new client, I ask them what they want to get out of our visit together. I almost always hear, "I need to know what I can eat." Diet is always going to be a hot topic among people with diabetes.
And there's good news and bad news: There is no one specific diet for diabetes, and this means there is actually a lot of flexibility with diet and diabetes. I always tell my clients, "This is not a diet; it's simply eating healthy — the way we all should be doing." Let's go over the guidelines from the American Diabetes Association (ADA).
The ADA first recommends that people with diabetes get what is referred to as medical nutrition therapy (counseling from a registered dietitian). This will help you develop a meal plan that meets your individual needs. The ADA's guidelines about food consumption:
- Carbohydrates: A minimum of 130 grams per day is recommended. Low carbohydrate diets are not recommended.
- Protein: About 10 percent to 35 percent of your daily calories. High-protein diets are not recommended, since their long-term effects haven't been studied in people with diabetes.
- Fats: Saturated fats less than 7 percent of total calories. Keep trans fats to a bare minimum. Two servings of fish — not commercially fried fish fillets — are recommended each week, which will provide the polyunsaturated fatty acids (and also the omega-3 fatty acids) that can help lower triglycerides.
- Cholesterol: Less than 200 mg daily.
- Fiber: 14 grams for every 1,000 calories (for example, someone on a 2,000 calorie diet would need 28 grams of fiber daily).
- Sugar alcohols and nonnutritive sweeteners (sugar substitutes): Considered safe when consumed within levels set by the Food and Drug Administration.
So what should you take away from these recommendations? A diet for diabetes really means eating healthy. Make an appointment with a registered dietitian to help create a meal plan that suites your needs.
