Diabetes Nutrition: Healthy Food Selection

Diabetes Nutrition: Healthy Food Selection by Leon Lioe

Healthy food choices are very important for all of us in order to live and maintain a good health and being protected from some serious diseases. However, if you have been diagnosed with diabetes, your food selections become even more crucial.

Diabetes nutrition will become your main diet. In fact, diabetes nutrition is really not that different from the healthy food choices that the rest of us should make.

It simply becomes more important to make the healthy choices carefully and consistently if you have diabetes.Watch your Percentages:As a general rule, diabetes nutrition should include a diet that consists of 40-60% of carbohydrates, 20% from protein, and 30% or less from fat.

This should be measured by the amount of calories consumed and is good guideline for everyone who is interested in eating healthier, not just those who have diabetes. In addition to monitoring the correct percentages of the types of food you eat, it is also important to make good choices within those percentages. For example, choose fat-free milk over the whole variety, and opt for a skinless chicken breast rather than a piece of red meat.

Do this healthy selection as often as possible so that it becomes your second nature. By consistently acting in a healthy manner when planning your menus and making your food selections, you will go far in making your diabetes nutrition effective.

What to Include in your diabetes nutrition?Diabetes nutrition is not that different from any other healthy diet, so stick with the standard guidelines of nutrition and you will have your diabetes under control. If you are overweight, you will also want to opt for low-calorie and low-fat foods that will help you drop some excess pounds and maintain a healthier weight.

Fresh produce should be the first type of food in your menu for diabetes nutrition, followed by plenty of whole grains that will offer the necessary fiber and nutrients. Your protein selections should be of the lean and low-fat varieties, and try to add fish and beans instead of red meat whenever possible to meet your requirements in this area.Like any healthy diet program, diabetes nutrition should keep foods that are high in fat and sugar to a minimum.

Of course a little sugar is not necessarily a bad thing. It is important to limit your intake of refined sugar items as well as those that are fried or high in fat from other sources. Keep in mind that even healthy foods contain calories, so it is also important to monitor the portion or size in your diabetes nutrition diets