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DIABETES
What is Diabetes?
Why is diet important?
Tips and basic guidelines to healthy eating with Diabetes
Portion sizes
Foods to avoid
What Is Diabetes?
Diabetes is a serious disease. Our bodies make and need insulin
to survive. Insulin helps us use the food we eat for energy.
In diabetes, the body does not make insulin or it does not use the insulin
it makes effectively. That is what leads to high blood sugar levels.
Insulin helps keep blood sugar levels in a normal range or from getting
too high. Diabetes can easily be managed through diet, exercise and
medication.
Why Is Diet Important?
Our diet is important because the food we eat breaks down into sugar
in our bodies. We can control the amount of sugar in our bodies by
controlling what we eat and how much we eat. People who have diabetes
should follow a meal plan that helps them control how much they eat and
when. A good meal plan should be personalized. It should follow
your current schedule, eating habits and help you reach or maintain a healthy
weight. It is a good idea to talk to a Registered Dietitian about
a meal plan right for you.
Tips and Basic Guidelines to Healthy Eating with Diabetes:
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Eat three meal a day – Space meals about 4-5 hours apart
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Stay on a schedule for meals and medicines – Eat and take medicines about
the same time each day.
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Limit sugar and sweets
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Limit fried or fatty foods
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Eat a variety of foods – Do not avoid any food groups
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Use proper portion sizes – Eating too much of any food can raise blood
sugar levels
Portion Sizes:
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Milk = 1 cup or 8 oz
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Juice = ½ cup or 4 oz
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Canned fruit = ½ cup
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Cooked vegetables = ½ cup
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Raw vegetables = 1 cup
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Starches = ½ cup (rice, potatoes, grits, beans, dry cereal)
or 1 piece of bread, roll or biscuit
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Meat = 2-3 oz (the size of a deck of playing cards)
Foods to Avoid:
Jelly
Candy
Cakes
Honeybuns
Honey
Candy bars
Pies
Regular pudding
Table sugar
Cookies
Doughnuts
Regular jello
Sweet tea
Regular soda
Syrups
Sugary drinks
References: The American Dietetic Association – http://www.eatright.org
The American Diabetes Association – http://www.diabetes.org | 
