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Whenever I discuss the diabetic diet meal plan to my patients, the first response from most of them is normally one of contempt and disgust. As a matter of fact, a diabetic meal plan isn’t some kind of unique diet but simply a wholesome well balanced diet imperative for good health. See this as a positive lifestyle choice you make for yourself and it will be a whole lot easier for you when it comes to meal times. The foundation of a diabetic diet plan is striking a right balance in the amounts of protein, carbohydrates and fats as well as making healthy dietary choices. A diabetic diet is not a rigorous diet program, it is all about how to plan your meal times to suit your lifestyle.

Carbohydrate Counting

The maintenance of blood sugar levels significantly depends on how much carbohydrates has been eaten. This may be a little difficult for most individuals that are first diagnosed with diabetes. With adequate practice, this will become very easy and intuitive.

You can use the tactic of carbohydrate counting to keep track of your carbohydrate consumption. This is a system that will demonstrate to be very valuable when it comes to meal planning. Foods rich in carbohydrates include:

1) Breads, cereals and biscuits

2) Grains, pasta and rice

3) Pulses and legumes

4) Starchy veggies eg. peas, potatoes, squash, corn

5) Dairy products

6) Fruits and fruit juices

7) Candy and desserts

To plan the number of servings of carbohydrates you can have, bear in mind:

1 serving of carbohydrates = 15g carbohydrates

Helpful resources that can furnish more information about the amount of carbohydrates in food include online food databases as well as the nutritional facts printed on your food packaging. Let me provide you a few examples.

There are about 15g of carbohydrates in:

1/2 cup of oatmeal
1 small potato or 1/2 medium potato
1 small banana or 1/2 medium banana
i cup of no added sugar fruit jello
6 pieces graham crackers
1/2 cup kidney beans
3 tsp of white/raw/brown sugar

In general, you should aim to have about 2-4 servings of carbohydrates (30-60g) per main meal and not more than 1-2 servings of carbohydrates (15-30g) as a snack. From your calorie requirements, you can estimate your daily carbohydrate allowance:

1200kcal: 9-10 servings of carbohydrates
1600kcal: 12-13 servings of carbohydrates
2000kcal: 15-16 servings of carbohydrates
2500kcal: 18-19 servings of carbohydrates

Do bear in mind that is not just the grains and cereals that contain carbohydrates, but also greens, fruits, sauces and beverages you consume.

Do keep in mind that you need to balance out your intake of carbohydrate rich foods between your meals. Your body is able to regulate its sugar balance much better with small amounts of carbohydrates a couple of times a day rather than a huge dose once a day. Just to illustrate, if one requires 13 serves of carbohydrates daily, my advice is to distribute it evenly between your meals and snacks. This example is a good reference for you:

Breakfast
1 multigrain english muffin (2 servings)
1/2 avocado
1 glass of skim milk (1 serving)

Morning snack
1/2 medium orange (1 serving)

Lunch
2 slices of thin crust pizza and a side salad (3 servings)

Afternoon snack
4 rice crackers with thin spread of cream cheese (1 serving)
Celery sticks dipped in hummus (1 serving)

Dinner
1 palm size steak
1 cup baked beans (2 servings)
1/2 cup kidney beans (1 serving)

Evening snack
10 grapes (1 serving)

Even though I have advised a daily carbohydrate allowance, you do not have to eat the precise same number of serves on days if you feel that you already had enough.The recommended carbohydrate allowance is just a guide, you can eat lesser than what is recommended if your body does not need that much food. The basics of a diabetic diet plan is still about ensuring your carbohydrate rich foods are well spread out through the day and to eat what is required, not excessively.

It needs to be emphasized that you can manage your carbohydrate servings but not forgo carbohydrates completely especially if you are on diabetic medications or insulin. This can cause the blood sugar levels to drop to a dangerously low level which is a life-threatening condition.

Carbohydrates Are Not Created Equally

When it comes to carbohydrates, the amount and the type of carbohydrates are equally important. There are 2 classes of carbohydrates: Complex and simple

Complex carbohydrates (Good carbs): They do not cause sharp surges in blood sugar levels. These are your starchy foods such as bread, cereals and grains.

Simple carbohydrates (Bad carbs): These foods are quickly digested into sugars. They are also minimal in nutritional value. So to speak of, they provide nothing but sugar. Simple carbohydrates are mainly foods such as sweets and desserts.

Why am I emphasizing on this? Comparing a piece of chocolate to a slice of toast, you are more likely to experience a spike in your sugar levels with the chocolate. This makes it more problematic for the body to regulate the sugar levels. Sugary foods also provide you with little nutrition.

It is essentially categorizing carbohydrates based on their Glycemic Index (GI). Low GI foods are always preferred over high GI foods for better blood sugar control.

When you have diabetes, it also increases your risk of developing heart disease and kidney issues by 2-5 times. Keeping a healthy balanced diet is a priority when it comes to reducing the potential health hazards.

Always remember:

Go for low salt varieties of food whenever possible and minimize salt added to your food
Restrict your saturated fat intake
Enhance your fiber intake
Incorporate a variety of foods in your diet
Minimize consumption of alcohol
Go for foods that are high in nutritive value

As a diabetic, you need to make certain that you always make good dietary decisions. You can still enjoy dinners with close family and friends if you master the skill of planning a proper diabetic diet meal plan. Even though there is no cure for diabetes, you can still lead a normal, active and healthy life once you keep your condition well under control.

As a registered dietitian and nutritionist, Kelly Kims converts the science of nutrition into helpful knowledge for her clients and patients. Her main interests includes therapeutic diets for morbid obesity, diet for diabetics cancer and cardiovascular conditions. She is also a qualified sports dietitian who has experience working with sports elites and gym fanatics. As co-owner of a <a href="http://”>health and fitness site, she regularly posts write-ups about diet programs and tips to help readers lose weight the healthy way.