Use Meal Planning to Boost Your Enjoyment of a Variety of Foods

If you've recently been diagnosed with diabetes, you may wonder what food choices you should make. You will be happy to know that many foods can fit into a diabetes meal plan. This is especially important with the approaching holiday season. It is important to choose more healthful options like fruits, vegetables, whole grains, non-fat dairy products, beans, and lean meats when planning your meals and snacks each day. There is no one perfect food or particular food to avoid. Divide Portions and "Rate Your Plate"

When planning your meals, it may be helpful to "Rate Your Plate" as the American Diabetes Association states. A quick way to be sure you are consuming a variety of healthful foods is to draw an imaginary line through the center of your plate. Then draw a line to divide one of those sections into two. About one-fourth of your plate should be filled with grains or more starchy foods such as brown rice, pasta, or peas. One-fourth of your plate should also be filled with protein, such as lean meat, fish, poultry, or tofu. The last half of your plate should be filled with non-starchy vegetables like broccoli, carrots, salad or green beans. It is important for someone managing diabetes to consume regular meals along with snacks between those meals to help control blood glucose levels.

Counting Your "C"s
How many carbohydrates should these meals and snacks be comprised of? The recommended amount of carbohydrates at meals and snacks depends on your calorie and activity levels, and on any diabetes medications you might be taking. For example, a dinner might include 45 to 60 grams of carbohydrate, while a snack may contain 15 to 30 grams. To know how many carbohydrates you can have at each meal, visit Diabetes Control for Life (tm) where you will find helpful meal plans and recipes tailored to your needs. The tools on this site are a great way to get "In Control" as a beginner or to spice up things as a veteran! Eat right today with helpful meal plans and recipes tailored to your needs...read more