How many carbs per day for a diabetic? Factors to consider

Monitoring carbohydrate intake is one of the key ways people with diabetes can manage their blood sugar levels. People living with type 1 or type 2 diabetes should aim to get 45% of their daily calories from carbohydrates.

This advice comes from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Carbohydrates occur in many different foods, including whole grains, fruit, vegetables, and baked goods. By eating a safe amount of carbohydrates, a person with diabetes can:

• stay healthier for longer
• improve their quality of life
• reduce the risk of diabetes complications

In this article, we look at the number of carbohydrates a person with diabetes needs per day, the factors affecting this, and how to eat a suitable amount.

Share on PinterestA person living with diabetes may benefit from getting most of their carbohydrates from unprocessed carbohydrate sources.

According to the CDC, people living with diabetes should get about 45% of their total calories each day from carbohydrates.

For females, they recommend 3–4 servings of carbohydrates, at 15 grams (g) per serving. For males, they recommend a slightly higher amount of 4–5 servings. This is equivalent to 45–75 g each meal.

According to a 2019 article, a low carbohydrate diet may work well for people living with type 2 diabetes, as it can reduce their need for diabetes medication.

However, various other factors can influence how many carbohydrates a person with diabetes needs per day at an individual level.

Other lifestyle factors that influence how many carbohydrates a person with diabetes needs include:

• physical activity level
• age
• weight
• diabetes medications

The more active a person is, the more calories they need for energy. This can have an impact on their blood sugar levels, as well as how many carbohydrates they will need on a given day.

Weight and body fat also has an impact. According to the Obesity Action Coalition, excessive body fat can cause a person at risk of developing type 2 diabetes to have less effective insulin, which can raise blood sugar levels. As a result, people who have obesity may need fewer carbohydrates.

People with prediabetes may also benefit from lowering their carbohydrate intake. The National Institute on Aging (NIA) says that millions of older people in America live with prediabetes. Making dietary changes can help someone prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes.

According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), eating too many carbohydrates causes hyperglycemia (high blood sugar) in people with diabetes. Hyperglycemia causes symptoms such as:

• increased thirst
• frequent urination
• high blood sugar readings

If someone with diabetes continues to have high blood sugar levels, they may develop ketoacidosis. Ketoacidosis is a severe and life-threatening condition that requires immediate treatment. The symptoms include:

• shortness of breath
• breath that smells fruity
• nausea and vomiting
• a very dry mouth

A person should seek emergency help from a doctor if they notice signs of ketoacidosis.

People with diabetes can also develop complications if their blood sugar levels fall too low, which causes hypoglycemia. According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases Health Information Center (NIDDK), this can happen if someone:

• uses too much diabetes medication or insulin
• does not eat enough carbohydrates
• skips or delays meals
• increases their physical activity
• drinks alcohol without enough food
• vomits

Hypoglycemia can cause mild or no symptoms, so it is essential that people check their blood glucose levels regularly. The symptoms of hypoglycemia include:

• hunger
• feeling shaky or dizzy
• sweating
• headaches
• tiredness
• weakness
• fast or irregular heartbeat
• personality changes
• seizures or convulsions
• loss of consciousness

Hypoglycemia requires quick treatment. Severe hypoglycemia can be life-threatening. To avoid hypoglycemia, a person should make sure their medication and carbohydrate intake match each other, that they eat regularly, and that they take any exercise and illness into account.

Many foods contain carbohydrates. According to the CDC, some common sources of carbohydrates include:

• grains and foods that contain grains, such as bread, cereal, and pasta
• fruits and fruit juice
• dairy including yogurt, milk, and cheeses
• starchy vegetables, such as potatoes and corn
• beans, legumes, and peas
• soft drinks and sports drinks
• snack foods and desserts

However, some types of carbohydrates are more beneficial than others for people with diabetes. According to the ADA, there are three broad types of carbohydrate that deserve particular attention:

• Sugar: This includes sugar from sugar cane, honey, fruits, and dairy products. Sugars can occur naturally in food, or manufacturers may add sugar to foods.
• Starch: Foods high in starch include starchy vegetables, beans, and refined and whole grains.
• Fiber: Foods that are high in fiber include fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, beans, and legumes.

The ADA recommend that people get most of their carbohydrates from unprocessed carbohydrate sources, such as whole grains and vegetables, rather than white bread or baked goods.

By contrast, fiber can actively reduce blood sugar levels, aid digestion, and reduce the risk of heart disease. As such, people with diabetes should avoid foods containing added sugar and refined carbohydrates and focus on vegetables, fruits, and whole grain sources.

A person can find out the most suitable amount of carbohydrates for them by counting them. According to the NIDDK, counting carbohydrates can help someone understand how many carbohydrates they need to eat to reach their target blood sugar level.

To count carbohydrates, a person needs to:

1. learn which foods contain carbohydrates
2. take note of the carbohydrates on the food label, or look them up online
3. add the gram measurements together to calculate the total for each meal and each day

A dietitian can also help someone find the best balance of carbohydrates, exercise, and medication, and create a plan based on their needs and preferences.

A person with diabetes should see their doctor if they are struggling to control their blood sugar levels or frequently experience the symptoms of high or low blood sugar.

Someone with diabetes should also speak to their doctor before making lifestyle changes that could affect their blood sugar levels, such as a new diet or exercise program.

If a person has symptoms of severe hyperglycemia or hypoglycemia, they must seek emergency medical attention.

In general, people with diabetes should get about 45% of their daily calories from carbohydrates. However, this may change depending on factors, such as age, weight, exercise, and the severity of their condition. People with prediabetes may benefit from a low carbohydrate diet, for example.

It is important that people talk to a dietitian or doctor to find the best balance of carbohydrates for their lifestyle.

How Many Carbs Should a Person with Diabetes Have?

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An individualized approach is often best when it comes to carb intake for diabetes management. These guidelines can help you get started on the right path.

Figuring out how many carbs to eat when you have diabetes can seem confusing.

Dietary guidelines from around the globe traditionally recommend that you get around 45–65% of your daily calories from carbs if you have diabetes (1, 2, 3).

However, a growing number of experts believe that people with diabetes should eat far fewer carbs. In fact, many recommend less than half this amount.

Counting your carbs will help ensure that you stay within the range that’s best for you.

This article tells you how many carbs to consider eating if you have diabetes.

There are three main types of carbs: sugars, starches, and fiber (4).

Sugar belongs to a category known as simple carbohydrates. Simple carbs have one sugar molecule (monosaccharides) or two sugar molecules (disaccharides).

Sugar is found naturally in foods and beverages like whole fruit, juice, milk products, and honey. It’s also added to processed foods such as candy.

Starches and fiber are both complex carbohydrates. Complex carbs have at least three sugar molecules. The body takes more time to digest, or break down, starches than sugar, and it can’t digest fiber at all.

Starches are found in foods like potatoes, corn, legumes, and whole grain breads and pastas.

Fiber is found in foods like fruits, vegetables, legumes, nuts, and whole grains. Unlike sugars and starches, naturally occurring fiber doesn’t raise your blood sugar level and may even slow its rise (5, 6).

Many foods and beverages, such as rice, contain more than one type of carbohydrate.

SUMMARY

The three main types of carbohydrates are sugars, starches, and fiber.

Many factors, including exercise, stress, and illness, affect your blood sugar levels. That said, one of the largest factors is what you eat.

Of the three macronutrients — carbs, protein, and fat — carbs have the greatest effect on blood sugar. That’s because your body breaks down carbs into sugar, which enters your bloodstream.

This occurs with all digestible carbs, including refined sources like chips and cookies as well as whole, unprocessed sources like fruits and vegetables.

When people with diabetes eat foods high in carbs, their blood sugar levels can surge. High carb intake typically requires high doses of insulin or diabetes medication to manage blood sugar.

Given that people with type 1 diabetes are unable to produce insulin, they need to inject insulin several times a day, regardless of what they eat. However, eating fewer carbs can significantly reduce their mealtime insulin dosage.

SUMMARY

Your body breaks down certain carbs into sugar, which enters your bloodstream. People with diabetes who eat a lot of carbs require insulin or diabetes medication to keep their blood sugar from rising too much.

Studies have shown that many different levels of carb intake may help manage blood sugar, and the optimal amount of carbs varies by individual.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) used to recommend that people with diabetes get around 45% of their calories from carbs.

However, the ADA now promotes an individualized approach in which your ideal carb intake should take into account your dietary preferences and metabolic goals (7).

It’s important to eat the number of carbs at which you feel best and that you can realistically maintain in the long term.

The typical American diet provides around 2,200 calories per day, with 50% of them coming from carbs. This is equivalent to 275 grams of carbs per day (8).

A severely restricted intake of less than 50 grams of carbs per day appears to produce the most dramatic results and may reduce or even eliminate the need for insulin or diabetes medication. This represents 9–10% of daily calories on a 2,000–2,200-calorie diet (9, 10, 11).

When tracking carb intake, experts sometimes recommend focusing on your net carbs instead of the total amount of carbs you eat. Net carbs is total grams of carbs minus grams of fiber (11).

People with diabetes can also benefit from diets that allow up to 26% of their daily calories to come from carbs. For people who eat 2,000–2,200 calories a day, this is equivalent to 130–143 grams of carbs (12).

Since carbs raise blood sugar, reducing them to any extent can help you manage your blood sugar levels. Therefore, figuring out how many carbs to eat requires some testing and evaluating to find out what works best for you.

For instance, if you’re currently consuming about 250 grams of carbs per day, reducing your intake to 150 grams should result in significantly lower blood sugar after meals.

SUMMARY

There’s no one-size-fits-all recommendation for how many carbs people with diabetes should eat. However, having carbs account for no more than 26% of your daily calories may help you manage your condition.

To determine your ideal carb intake, measure your blood sugar with a blood glucose meter before a meal and again 1–2 hours after eating.

To prevent damage to your blood vessels and nerves, the maximum level your blood sugar should reach is 180 milligrams per deciliter (mg/dL), or 10 millimoles per liter (mmol/L), 2 hours after eating. However, you may want to aim for an even lower ceiling (13).

To achieve your blood sugar goals, you may need to restrict your carb intake to less than 10, 15, or 25 grams per meal. Also, you may find that your blood sugar rises more at certain times of the day, so your upper carb limit may be lower for dinner than for breakfast or lunch.

In general, the fewer carbs you consume, the less your blood sugar will rise and the less insulin or diabetes medication you’ll require to stay within a healthy range.

If you take insulin or diabetes medication, it’s very important to speak with a healthcare professional to ensure the appropriate dosage before reducing your carb intake.

SUMMARY

Determining the optimal carb intake for diabetes management requires testing your blood sugar and making adjustments as needed based on your response, including how you feel.

Many studies support the use of carb restriction in people with diabetes. Research has confirmed that many levels of carb restriction can effectively lower blood sugar levels.

Very low carb ketogenic diets

Very low carb diets typically induce mild to moderate ketosis, a state in which your body uses ketones and fat, rather than sugar, as its main energy sources.

Ketosis usually occurs at a daily intake of fewer than 50 grams of total carbs (9).

Very low carb ketogenic diets were prescribed for people with diabetes even before insulin was discovered in 1921 (8).

Several studies indicate that restricting carb intake to 20–50 grams per day can significantly reduce blood sugar levels, promote weight loss, and improve cardiovascular health for people with diabetes (9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16).

In addition, these improvements often occur very quickly.

For instance, in a small 3-month study, people consumed either a low carb diet containing up to 50 grams of carbs per day or a calorie-restricted low fat diet.

The low carb group averaged a 0.6% decrease in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and lost more than twice as much weight as the low fat group. What’s more, 44% of them discontinued at least one diabetes medication compared with 11% of the low fat group (16).

In fact, in several studies, participants have reduced or discontinued use of insulin and other diabetes medications due to improvements in blood sugar control (9, 10, 11, 14, 15).

Diets containing 20–50 grams of carbs per day have also been shown to lower blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of disease in people with prediabetes (17).

Although concerns have been raised that higher protein intake on low carb diets may lead to kidney problems, a 12-month study found that a very low carb intake didn’t increase the risk of kidney disease (18).

Another study found that the diet might actually improve kidney function in people with type 2 diabetes and normal renal function or mild kidney disease (19).

Low carb diets

Many low carb diets restrict carbs to 50–100 grams, or about 10–20% of calories, per day.

Although there are very few studies on carb restriction in people with type 1 diabetes, those that exist have reported impressive results (20, 21, 22, 23).

One of the biggest concerns for people with type 1 diabetes is hypoglycemia, or blood sugar that drops to dangerously low levels.

In a small 12-month study from 2005, adults with type 1 diabetes who restricted their daily carb intake to fewer than 90 grams had 82% fewer episodes of low blood sugar than before they started the diet (20).

In a 2012 study in people with type 1 diabetes who restricted carbs to 70 grams per day, participants saw their HbA1c drop from 7.7% to 6.4%, on average. What’s more, their HbA1c levels remained the same 4 years later (21).

A 1.3% reduction in HbA1c is a significant change to maintain over several years, particularly in those with type 1 diabetes.

People with type 2 diabetes may also benefit from limiting their daily carb intake.

According to a research review, people who consumed no more than 26% of calories from carbs were 32% more likely to experience diabetes remission than people who mostly followed a low fat diet. A person was considered in remission if their HbA1c was under 6.5% (12).

Moderate carb diets

A more moderate carb diet may provide 130–220 grams of carbs per day, or 26–44% of calories in a 2,000-calorie diet (24).

A few studies examining such diets have reported good results in people with diabetes (25, 26).

In a 2010 study of 259 people with type 2 diabetes, those who followed a Mediterranean diet providing 35% or fewer calories from carbs experienced a significant reduction in HbA1c. Over the course of 12 months, HbA1c dropped 2.0% on average (27).

SUMMARY

Studies demonstrate that restricting carbs may benefit people with diabetes. The lower your carb intake, the greater the effect on your blood sugar levels and other health markers.

Many tasty, nutritious, low carb foods raise blood sugar levels only minimally. You can enjoy these foods in moderate to liberal amounts on low carb diets.

However, you should avoid or limit the following high carb items:

• breads, muffins, rolls, and bagels
• pasta, rice, corn, and other grains
• potatoes, sweet potatoes, yams, and taro
• milk and sweetened yogurt
• most fruit, except berries
• cakes, cookies, pies, ice cream, and other sweets
• snack foods like pretzels, chips, and popcorn
• juice, soda, sweetened iced tea, and other sugar-sweetened drinks
• beer, wine, and spirits

Keep in mind that not all of these foods are unhealthy. For example, fruits are highly nutritious, but eating large amounts isn’t optimal for anyone trying to manage their blood sugar levels by eating fewer carbs.

SUMMARY

On a low carb diet, you should avoid or limit foods and beverages like beer, bread, potatoes, fruit, and sweets.

Low carb diets have consistently been shown to lower blood sugar and improve other health markers in people with diabetes.

At the same time, certain higher carb diets have been credited with similar effects.

For example, some studies suggest that low fat vegan or vegetarian diets may lead to better blood sugar control and overall health (28, 29, 30, 31).

In a 12-week Korean study, a brown-rice-based vegan diet containing 268.4 grams of carbs per day (about 72% of calories) lowered participants’ HbA1c levels more than a standard diabetes diet with 249.1 grams of total daily carbs (about 67% of calories) (30).

An analysis of four studies found that people with type 2 diabetes who followed a low fat macrobiotic diet consisting of 70% carbs achieved significant reductions in blood sugar and other health markers (32).

The Mediterranean diet likewise improves blood sugar control and provides other health benefits in individuals with diabetes (33).

However, it’s important to note that most of these diets weren’t directly compared with low carb diets, but rather with standard low fat diets often used for diabetes management. More research on these diets is needed.

SUMMARY

Studies suggest that certain higher carb diets may aid diabetes management. Still, additional research is needed.

If you have diabetes, reducing your carb intake may be beneficial.

Multiple studies have shown that a daily carb intake of up to 44% of calories not only leads to better blood sugar control but also may promote weight loss and other health improvements.

Here’s a sample menu, which would provide about 113 grams of total carbs for the day (34):

• Breakfast: 1 slice of whole wheat toast (about 14 grams of carbs) plus an omelet made with 2 large eggs (about 1 gram) and 1 cup of nonstarchy vegetables like broccoli and greens (about 10 grams)
• Lunch: 12 ounces of lentil soup (about 33 grams) and 1 apple (about 15 grams)
• Dinner: 4 ounces of grilled chicken breast (0 grams), 1. 5 cups of nonstarchy vegetables like zucchini and okra (about 15 grams), and 4 ounces of brown rice (about 25 grams)

However, some individuals can tolerate more carbs than others.

Testing your blood sugar and paying attention to how you feel at different carb intakes can help you find your ideal range for optimal diabetes management, energy levels, and quality of life.

It might also be helpful to reach out to others for support. Our free app, T2D Healthline, connects you with real people living with type 2 diabetes. Ask diet-related questions and seek advice from others who get it. Download the app for iPhone or Android.

Features of nutrition in diabetes mellitus – Weight loss with the calculation

It can be congenital or develop gradually. In the early stages, the symptoms are not so pronounced, which makes it difficult to diagnose the disease. Very overweight people are at risk for developing type II diabetes, so for them diet therapy will become one of the main methods of treatment, and for the majority of relatively healthy overweight people – a key method of prevention.

Dietary Principles for Diabetes Patients

The American Diabetes Association has compiled a set of nutritional principles aimed at improving metabolic disorders in patients, which in turn will improve well-being and slow down the progression of the disease. Treatment of diabetes requires monitoring the level of sugar in the blood throughout the day – it must correspond to the norm (calorificator). This can be done by normalizing nutrition, but if a person has hyperglycemia, then insulin therapy is indicated for him. All issues of therapy should be resolved exclusively with the attending physician and remember that drug treatment does not reduce the importance of a healthy diet.

Calorie intake should be calculated based on physiological needs (weight, height, age) and lifestyle. Here, as with healthy people, the more active you are, the more calories you need. Particular attention should be paid to the ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates.

The number of meals, including snacks, should be 5-6 times. Nutritionists recommend eating smaller meals to avoid glycemic load and blood sugar spikes.

Carbohydrates

The proportion of carbohydrates in the diet of diabetic patients should be in the range of 40-60%. Since these people have impaired carbohydrate metabolism, it is necessary to build a menu based on carbohydrates. It is believed that diabetics should avoid sugary foods and foods with a high GI, but scientists have found that even a large portion of the most correct carbohydrates leads to a spike in sugar levels, so their consumption must be controlled.

Also, nutritionists recommend that patients with diabetes of any type focus on the glycemic index when choosing products. It is imperative that the total amount of carbohydrates per day is always constant without any food disruptions.

To do this, nutritionists began to use the concept of “bread unit” (XE) – a measure equal to 12-15 grams of digestible carbohydrates. That is, not 12-15 g of the product, but carbohydrates in it. It can be 25 g of bread, 5-6 biscuits, 18 g of oatmeal, 65 g of potatoes or 1 medium apple. It has been established that 12-15 g of carbohydrates increase the sugar level by 2.8 mmol / l, which requires 2 units. insulin. The number of “bread units” in one meal should be in the range of 3 to 5. XE tables will help diversify the diet and not go beyond the required amount of carbohydrates.

Fats

The total daily amount of fat should be within 50 g. In diabetes, saturated fats from meat (lamb, pork, duck) should be limited. To prevent atherosclerosis, you should also limit foods high in cholesterol (liver, brain, heart). In total, the share of fat in the diet of patients with diabetes should account for no more than 30% of all calories. Of these, 10% should be saturated fats from animal products, 10% polyunsaturated and 10% monounsaturated fats.

Proteins

The total daily amount of proteins in the diet of diabetics is 15-20% of calories. In kidney disease, the amount of protein should be limited. Some categories of people need more protein foods. These are children and adolescents with diabetes, pregnant and lactating women, people with complications and physically exhausted. For them, the needs are calculated based on 1.5-2 g per kilogram of body weight.

Other power supplies

Needs for other nutritional components are as follows:

• Fiber regulates blood sugar, improves digestion, reduces cholesterol absorption. The needs of people with diabetes in dietary fiber are higher and amount to about 40 g / day;
• Sweeteners are an excellent substitute for sugar and will help prevent spikes in blood glucose. Modern research has proven that most low-calorie sweeteners are harmless if used within the dosage set by the manufacturer;
• Salt should be between 10-12 g/day;
• Water requirements are 1.5 liters per day;
• Vitamins and minerals can be partly compensated by complex multivitamin preparations, but when compiling a diet, it is necessary to ensure that the key ones are supplied with food. In the diet of a diabetic, it is mainly zinc, copper and manganese, which are involved in the regulation of sugar levels.

People who are still poorly versed in proteins, fats and carbohydrates, bread units and other nutritional components can start with a medical diet No. 9. It takes into account the basic needs of patients with diabetes. Before this, you should consult with your doctor and adapt the diet to your physiological needs (calorizator). Over time, you will understand the products and be able to safely expand your diet.

Author: Ekaterina G., nutritionist, fitness blogger (specially for Calorizator.ru)
Copying this article in whole or in part is prohibited.

Nutrition guidelines for type 2 diabetes mellitus

The question of how to eat properly in diabetes worries most patients. What is a balanced diet?

Rational nutrition (from lat. Rationalis – reasonable) is a physiologically complete nutrition, taking into account the nature of work, physical activity, age, contributing to maintaining health, high physical and mental performance, as well as active longevity. Rational nutrition is one of the factors that strengthen the immune system.

At the same time, it is important to understand not following the “diet” for some time, but changing the diet and principles of nutrition on an ongoing basis, i.e. the patient must understand that the recommended principle of nutrition, in the presence of a number of restrictions, will allow him to lead an active life. For this, it is necessary to observe the principles of balance – the ratio of proteins, fats and carbohydrates. Approximately 55-60% of daily calories should be carbohydrates, 15-20% proteins and up to 20-5% fats.

The vast majority of overweight people with type 2 diabetes. Excess weight prevents its own insulin from acting effectively, which is why blood glucose levels remain high. Therefore, weight loss is an indispensable condition for rational treatment! Even moderate weight loss (by 5-10%) improves carbohydrate metabolism, especially in the early period of the disease. How to achieve weight loss?

It should be noted right away that there are no specific products or medicinal plants for weight loss. Currently, there are no medications that by themselves, without dieting, could provide highly effective and completely safe weight loss.
The only reliable way is to limit the intake of energy , i. compliance with the rules low-calorie nutrition . The resulting energy deficit leads to the fact that the energy reserves “conserved” in adipose tissue will be spent on various needs of the body, and the weight will definitely decrease.

Nutrition principles for type 2 diabetes:

1) Reducing the amount of carbohydrates in the diet

Carbohydrates increase blood sugar, but they must be consumed because the body needs them (they are the main source of energy).

Carbohydrates are divided into simple and complex.

It is clear that with type 2 diabetes, it is necessary to exclude or limit as much as possible the use of simple or easily digestible carbohydrates (sugar, honey, preserves and jams, sweets, muffins, sweet fruits and berries: grapes, bananas, raisins, dates). The diet should contain mainly products containing complex carbohydrates (cereals, bread, vegetables)

Carbohydrates are found in the following products:

• Bread and all flour products (dryers, crackers, pasta, etc.)
• Potato. Less than potatoes, but still quite a lot of carbohydrates contain corn, beans, ripe (yellow) peas, lentils.
• Cereals, including buckwheat.
• Fruit, even sour. However, the more ripe the fruit, the more sugar it contains. Dried fruits have a very high concentration of sugar in a small volume, because. they are deprived of water.
• Liquid dairy products (milk, kefir, yoghurt, fermented baked milk). There are no carbohydrates in cottage cheese and cheese, they consist of protein and fat.
• Sugar, honey and any confectionery made with sugar (not recommended!).

How can the sugar-increasing effect of carbohydrates be reduced?

To achieve this, the products should be processed as little as possible both mechanically and thermally.

Sweeteners:

Caloric: fructose, xylitol, sorbitol.

These substitutes have a similar calorie content to regular sugar and are therefore not suitable for overweight individuals.

Non-caloric : aspartame, saccharin, acesulfame K.

Suitable for all persons with diabetes.

2) Limitation of fat intake0063 . Therefore, limiting the intake of fatty foods in diabetes is no less important than limiting carbohydrates.

It is also necessary to significantly limit, and it is better not to use fried, spicy, salty, spicy and smoked dishes, canned food, hot peppers, mustard, alcoholic beverages at all. Foods that contain a lot of fats and carbohydrates at the same time are completely unacceptable for people with diabetes: chocolate, ice cream, cream cakes and cakes.

Foods that can be consumed without restriction:

• cabbage (all kinds)
• cucumbers
• leaf lettuce
• greenery
• tomatoes
• bell pepper
• zucchini
• eggplant
• beets
• carrots
• green beans
• radish, radish, turnip
• green peas (young)
• spinach, sorrel
• mushrooms
• tea, coffee without sugar and cream
• mineral water
• drinks with sweeteners

Note:

• Vegetables can be consumed raw, boiled, baked.
• The use of fats (butter, mayonnaise, sour cream) in the preparation of vegetable dishes should be minimal.

Foods to eat in moderation

• lean meats
• lean fish
• milk and dairy products (nonfat)
• cheeses (less than 30% fat)
• cottage cheese (less than 5% fat)
• potatoes
• corn
• mature legumes (peas, beans, lentils)
• cereals
• pasta
• bread and bakery products (not rich)
• fruit
• eggs

Note:

• Moderate means half your usual serving.

Foods to be avoided or limited as much as possible

• butter
• vegetable oil*
• fat
• sour cream, cream
• cheeses (more than 30% fat)
• cottage cheese (more than 5% fat)
• mayonnaise
• fatty meat, smoked products
• sausages
• fatty fish
• bird skin
• meat, fish and vegetable preserves in oil
• nuts, seeds
• sugar, honey
• jams, jams
• candy, chocolate
• pastries, cakes and other confectionery
• biscuits, pastry products
• ice cream
• sweet drinks (Coca-Cola, Fanta)
• alcoholic beverages

* vegetable oil is a necessary part of the daily diet, but not more than 1-2 tbsp. spoons per day

Note:

• Frying should be avoided if possible.
• Try to use cookware that allows you to cook food without adding fat.

3) Proper diet:

Eating up to 5-6 times a day – eating less often can lead to the inclusion of the so-called. a “saving mode” in which the body is deficient in essential nutrients and tries to reserve free calories, so all the free (excess) calories received from a plentiful meal inevitably turn into fat. And also rare food, as a rule, leads to night overeating, which negatively affects body weight.

4) Eat slowly, chewing food thoroughly

5) Most of the food should be consumed before dinner.

Do not overeat at night.

The last meal should be taken no later than 1.5-2 hours before bedtime. Moreover, it should be 5-10% of the daily calorie intake.

4) Eat enough fiber (20-30 g/day).

It is necessary to include foods containing a large amount of it in the diet. The first place is occupied by bran and powdered fiber, which can be added to cereals, soups, salads. It is also important to use whole grain bread, vegetables, nuts, berries, a large amount of fiber is found in the peel and seeds of plant foods.

5) At least 1.5 liters of fluid per day (unless contraindicated)

6) Salt restriction (The World Health Organization recommends reducing your salt intake to 5 grams per day (one teaspoon)!

7) Reducing alcohol consumption .

Due to its high calorie content (7 kcal per 1 g), alcohol can contribute to weight gain. In addition, it directly worsens the indicators of fat metabolism and blood pressure. So limit your alcohol intake as much as possible.
Alcohol is known to have adverse effects on the liver. It can cause hypoglycemia if a person with diabetes is on glucose-lowering drugs and insulin.