Sources of Advice on Diabetic Diet and Diabetic Meal Planning
Jan 10th, 2011 by sandalwood
Most people with diabetes are aware of the need to incorporate a suitable diabetic diet into their daily routines to manage their diabetes and to help control the typical diabetic condition of higher than normal blood sugar levels.
The main requirement of a diabetic meal plan is that it should be balanced to provide the major food categories, vitamins, and minerals. Such a diet plan should include familiar nutritious foods that meet the tastes and preferences of the individual diabetic and at the same time provide sufficient calories to maintain a healthy weight but not add to it. The amount of calories required differs depending on the individual and the amounts of energy they expend each day during all their activities, at work, at play, and even at rest.
Without exception, nutritionists recommend starting the day with a good nutritious breakfast. Many people like to start the day with a cooked meal while others prefer a cereal breakfast. According to cooking expert Diana Mirkin, the best and healthiest breakfast cereals are made with whole grains and not much else. Diana Mikin is the director of Dr. Gabe Mirkin’s Healthy Cooking School and is the wife of Dr. Gabe Mirkin, a well-known health care practitioner and media personality who reports on medicine and diseases.
For those with diabetes and/or trying to lose weight, Ms. Mirkin suggests a hot cooked cereal of whole grains, which could be oatmeal or barley, brown rice or wheat berries cooked and served like oatmeal with flavor added to taste by perhaps using fresh or dried fruits, a sprinkle of nuts or cinnamon.
A very good and informative article on “How to Pick a Breakfast Cereal” can be found at http://www.drmirkin.com/nutrition/N196.html. Also, listed in the article for reference, is a list of suitable grain-based commercial cereals with the manufacturer’s names. There are also comments and a list of cereals that are manufactured using hydrogenated oils — something we need to avoid if possible.
Alternate diabetic dietary information source
There are many sources of dietary information for people suffering from diabetes. One that I often consult for information regarding the diabetes diet, diabetic meal plans, and other diabetic diet matters, is the Mayo Clinic. For diabetes diet information, check out the Mayo Clinic website at: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/diabetes-diet/DA00027 .
The Mayo Clinic mentions that a daily meal plan must also allow for a person’s weight and level of physical activity. A suggested breakfast and other diabetic menu items, listed below, are based on a person who needs 1200 to 1600 calories per day.
Breakfast: A suitable breakfast, according to the Mayo Clinic, could be whole-wheat waffles or pancakes together with a serving of fruit and a cup of low-fat milk. A serving is usually an amount of a food item that contains about 15 grams of carbohydrate, such as half an apple or pear or half of a medium sized banana of 3/4 of a cup of blueberries, all approximate appropriate single serving amounts.
For other meals of the day for a person requiring 1200 to 1600 calories, the Mayo Clinic suggests the following:
Lunch: Chicken kabob, half of a cup of steamed broccoli, half of a cup of cooked rice, half of a cup of juice.
Dinner: Pasta primavera prepared with broccoli, carrots, zucchini, yellow squash and Parmesan cheese, one cup of low-fat milk.
Snacks: 6 homemade tortilla corn chips, or a half of a cup of fresh vegetables with a seasoned garlic sauce.
I also occasionally refer to the American Diabetes Association’s website for dietary information. There are many ways to provide suitable meals for the person with diabetes, the main general requirements are summarized at the beginning of this article.
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