Diabetes: What Is the TLC Diet for Diabetes?

People with diabetes who have abnormal cholesterol levels will likely be placed on a diet known as a "TLC" diet. The TLC diet will help reduce the intake of cholesterol- raising nutrients. As part of this diet you may be asked to lose weight and increase physical activity levels -- all of these are components that will help lower bad LDL cholesterol. Looking at food labels will help you become more knowledgeable about your intake of fats and cholesterol.

Specifically, the TLC diet calls for the following:

* Total fat consumption should be 25%-35% or less of total calories eaten per day.
* Saturated fats should be less than 7% of total calories eaten in a day.
* Polyunsaturated fats (from liquid vegetable oils and margarines low in trans fats) should be up to 10% of the total calories per day consumed.
* Monounsaturated fats (derived from vegetable sources like plant oils and nuts) should be up to 20% of total calories per day eaten.
* Carbohydrates should be 50%-60% of total calories per day eaten
* We should eat 20-30 grams of fiber per day. These can be derived from oats, barley, psyllium, and beans.
* The amounts of protein in the diet should equal about 15%-20% of total calories eaten per day.
* Cholesterol content of the diet should be less than 200 milligrams per day.