Diabetes Dietary Guidelines: Find out what you need to maintain good health and a balanced diet

• eat a variety of foods to get the energy (calories), protein, vitamins, minerals, and fiber,

• maintain a healthy weight for your height to reduce the chances of having a stroke or developing high blood pressure, heart disease, etc.,

• ensure that your BMI is within a safe range,

• eat a diet that is low in fat, low in saturated fat, and low in cholesterol. Fat contains more than twice the calories of an equal amount of carbohydrates or protein, so a diet low in fat can help you maintain a healthy weight,

• eat plenty of vegetables, fruits, and grain products that provide the required vitamins, minerals, fiber, and complex carbohydrates. These products are also generally lower in fat, which is also good,

• drink plenty of water,

• eat sugar in strict moderation. A diet containing lots of sugar will result in too many calories and too few nutrients for most people, and can also cause tooth decay and other health complications,

• eat salt and other forms of sodium in moderation to help reduce your risk of high blood pressure and other health complications,

• if you drink alcoholic beverages, then do so in moderation. Alcoholic beverages are high in calories and contain little or no nutrients,

• eat foods (and food supplements) that are rich in anti-oxidants, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene (found in carrots), omega 3 fats (from fish), magnesium, and chromium. These nutrients can help prevent or reduce the long-term complications caused by diabetes.

Additional Dietary Guidelines for Diabetics

Understanding what the term Glycaemic Index (GI) means is an important first step. Glycaemic Index (GI) is a ranking of foods that contain carbohydrates based on the ability of these foods to raise blood glucose levels. These foods are given a GI rating that ranges from 0 to 100.

Foods with a High GI contain carbohydrates that are digested very quickly and can quickly raise the blood glucose level. Foods with a Low GI contain carbohydrates that are digested very slowly and cause a slower rise in the blood glucose level.

Sugar has a moderate GI of 65. Potatoes, rice, and bread have a fairly high GI of around 70. Fruit and vegetables (and even fruit juices) have a low GI of 55 or less.

Diabetics need to pay particular attention to the GI of the foods that they eat. In addition, the following dietary tips are very important for diabetics:

• don't skip meals. Regular meals are important for insulin and other medications to work properly,

• constant meal routine. If you are on insulin, then it is important that you eat at the same time each day, and eat similar amounts of food at each meal. An even distribution of carbohydrate throughout the day can prevent large fluctuations in blood glucose levels and also aid insulin to operate effectively,

• eat foods (and food supplements) that are rich in anti-oxidants, such as vitamin C, vitamin E, beta-carotene (found in carrots), omega 3 fats (from fish), magnesium, and chromium. These nutrients can help prevent or reduce the long-term complications caused by diabetes,

• eat lots of fresh Fruit, Vegetables, legumes, and Wholegrain breads, cereals, and pasta. These foods contain more fiber and (because of their low GI), they release glucose into your blood stream at slow rates during digestion.