Diabetic Diet and Nutrition Guidelines

At the present time, there are no set dietary guidelines for diabetics, according to an article published on the University of Maryland's Medical Center website. However, most doctors and nutritionists recommend that a person at risk for developing diabetes or someone who already has the disease control their portion size and keep a close track of how many carbohydrates he or she eats in a day.

Carbohydrates

It's important for diabetics to keep track of the amount of carbohydrates their eating along with what type of food contains them. Foods with carbohydrates raise blood glucose levels, according to the American Diabetic Association. Paying attention to how many carbs are in the foods you eat helps you to stay in control of your blood glucose level. Three types of carbohydrates you'll find in the foods you eat include starches, sugar and fiber. Aim to eat foods that contain fiber such as whole grain bread and cereal as these are considered the most healthy form, according to nutritionists.

Portion Control

Practice portion control to help you lose weight and keep your insulin in check. Healthy options for diabetics includes loading your plate with colorful, non-starchy fruits and vegetables. Choose from vegetables such as spinach, carrots and green beans. Eat between 2 and 5 ounces of meat or protein at every meal. The amount of carbohydrates that you can eat per meal as a diabetic varies between men and women. Women should strive to include between 2 and 3.5 per meal while mean can handle from 3 to 4 servings.

 Protein

Select foods high in protein such as lentil beans and tuna fish. The American Diabetic Association recommends that diabetics eat two to three servings of fish each week. Other good sources of protein include lean meat, pork and chicken. You can go even further in your quest to eat healthy and lower insulin levels by removing the skin from chicken and turkey.