Making of choices what to eat for both Type I and II diabetics always depended on the Diabetic Exchange List (sometimes called Diabetic diet sheet). The sheet sorts products groups into categories:
Grains, including breads and cereals; beans; and starchy vegetables such as potatoes
- Vegetables such as green leafy ones, carrots and fresh broccoli
- Fruits
- Milk and “white” dairy products
- Meats, fish, poultry and cheeses - proteins
- Fats, sweets (including sugar) and alcohol
This kind of list is used even today. Exchanges in this sheet allow the patient change a half a bagel on a half-cup of pasta or 3 tablespoons of Grape Nuts cereal. This helps people make their diet more pleasant.
As we know white bread usually becomes a reason causes an immediate spike in glucose, thus it’s listed as a high-glycemic product. Such products as figs, kidney beans and bran cereal release their carbohydrates slowly, so are considered to have a low-glycemic index.
Proper choice of food is the basis of diabetes treatment. Diabetes experts suggest meal plans that are flexible and take your lifestyle and other health needs into account. A registered dietitian can help you design a meal plan.
Healthy diabetic eating includes
- Limiting sweets
- Eating often
- Being careful about when and how many carbohydrates you eat
- Eating lots of whole-grain foods, fruits and vegetables
- Eating less fat
- Limiting your use of alcohol