Diabetes-Dietary Guidelines.

Diet control is an integral part of lifestyle modification for management of Diabetes leading to effective weight control.The key issue of weight control is learning to eat a range of foods in adequate amounts, thus meeting your energy requirements.

Body Weight

Acheivement of an ideal body weight is the goal as it will result in near normal blood sugar,blood pressure and lipid profiles.However, setting a goal often discourages patients to attempt any dietary modifications.Therefore they should be encouraged to lose any amount of weight.

Carbohydrates
carbohydrate foods should contribute up to 50 percent of the total energy intake.They need to evenly spread through the day and should be rich in fibre and have a low enrgy density.Quantity rather than quality will have a larger effect on blood sugar level.

Here comes the role of glycaemic index(GI) used as a referral for quality of cabohydrates.The GI classifies carbohydrates as slow acting(low),moderate(medium) and quickly absorbed(high).In practice diabetics should have one high fibre,loe GI carbohydrate food at each meal---wholegrain breads,oats,patsa,beans,lentils,temperate fruits.Rice,potato and tropical fruits can be included in lesser amounts.
Sugar doesnot need to eliminated raher used in small amounts as a part of mixed meal.

Dietary fat
It should contribute not more than 30 percent of total energy intake.Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated should replace saturated fats in people with diabetes.Fried foods need to be avoided.Low fat milk could be substituted for whole milk and
some light marggarines have a reduced fat cntent of 40 percent of standard margaraines.Altenative spreads are low fat cottage cheese or ricota cheese,margarines containing plant sterols.

Meats contain variable amount of fats.Lean meats or new cuts can be included in small amounts.

Dietary Protein
10-20 percent of total enrgy intake should come form dietary proteins.Beans,lentils,meat acheive it without difficulty.Selection of type of protein depends on patint preferences taking into consideratio the fat content of each source.

Additional points to remember--
Alcohol should be minimised-40g per day for men and 20g per day for women.
Added salt in cooking and in foods needs to be minimised.
Artificial sweeteners like aspartame,saccharine,sucralose,cyclamates are alternatives for sugar.
Regular physical activity should be encouraged.

Low GI carbohydrates--wholegrain bread,pasta,beans,temperate fruits,rolled oats.

High fibre diets---Oatmeal,oatbran,legumes,nuts,apples,pears,strawberries,blueber-ries,wholegrains,barley,brown rice,most vegetables.

Good fats and oils---
Olive oil,peanut and canola oils.
Soft margarines and spreads made with olive,canola,sunflower oils.
Avocados,olives.
Soy beans.
Almonds,hazelnuts,cashews,peanuts,walnuts,pistachio.
Untoasted Muesli.
Seeds of sesame,pumpkin,sunflower,linssed.

For more information on Low GI/Low GI recipes:
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