The cells of the human body require sugar, in the form of glucose, to use as fuel to enable them to perform their various and constant metabolic activities that sustain life. But when diabetes develops, the body system that aids the usual entry of sugar into the cells from the bloodstream become impaired. The result being that the glucose continues to circulate in the blood where it may damage other organs. An explanation of the process can be found at About Diabetes, a Simple Explanation.

The Diabetic Food List
The objective of a personalized diabetic diet plan and food list is to compile a list of appropriate food items that aid in the control over the higher than normal blood sugar levels that have caused diabetes. The diabetic food list will also incorporate the food preferences and tastes of the individual diabetic person to enable the choice of favored items for any particular diabetic menu.

Dietary fiber has also been shown to lower the risks of heart disease
Long-lasting studies in which tens of thousands of health-care workers participated over several years, were able to show that a high dietary fiber diet was involved in a 40 percent lower risk of coronary heart disease in comparison to a diet lower in dietary fiber. Heart disease is the primary cause of death in people with diabetes.

How much dietary fiber is needed for the diabetic food list?
At this time, scientists are not in full agreement regarding the amount of fiber necessary for optimum health

In publications of the American Diabetes Association, 20 to 35 grams of dietary fiber daily is recommended for all adults. For type-2 diabetes, clinical studies suggest that 50 grams of fiber daily leads to an improvement in blood sugar levels. Dietary fiber also helps lower cholesterol levels

In the United States, the Institute of Medicine recommends dietary fiber intakes based on age and gender as follows:

♦ 25 grams daily for women and 38 grams daily for men up to age 50.

♦ 21 grams daily for women and 30 grams for men who are over 51 years of age and older,

Recommendations from other nutritional sources state that dietary fiber intake should be referenced to the body weight of the individual with the following weights in pounds and amounts in grams specified:

♦ 125 pounds 25 to 30 grams
♦ 150 pounds 30 to 35 grams
♦ 175 pounds 35 to 40 grams
♦ 200 pounds 40 to 45 grams

But do not add too much fiber to the diabetic diet because excessive amounts can result in other problems. When adding fiber to the diabetic diet, water intake should be increased.

To convert grams to ounces and pounds to kilos use the following:
A gram is equal to about 28.4 grams.
A pound is a slightly less than half a kilogram, approximately 0.45 of a kilogram.

The source of dietary fiber
Dietary fiber has always been readily available and part of the American diet. But the problem in current times is that the amount of dietary fiber consumed by most people is not sufficient to provide optimum health benefits.

Fruits, vegetables, beans, grains, cereals, nuts and seeds, and whole-wheat breads, are ideal sources from which to obtain fiber and those foods have much more to recommend them than just fiber. Plant foods contain a lot of essential vitamins, minerals, and phytonutrients that are thought to provide additional health benefits. That is one of the reasons that vitamin pills, as effective as they may be in supplying certain vitamins, do not provide as many of the nutritional and health-giving substances that are found in plant foods.

There are also manufactured fiber supplements available in pharmacies and health food stores, psyllium for example.

In conclusion
There is no single diabetic diet or diabetic meal plan that suits every person with diabetes but quality nutritious natural foods that can help control blood sugar levels are always to be favored.

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To name a few at random that could be added to the diabetic food list: Almonds, walnuts and other nuts, oatmeal, oatbran, fish and omega-3 fatty acids, olive oil, fruits and berries and the many other plant foods that provide vitamins, minerals, fiber and phytonutrients.

But here we will deal with almonds, for which there is plenty of reliable published information — and almonds, and other nuts, are a frequently recommended food supplement for several reasons, including their apparent affect on blood cholesterol.

People with diabetes are being urged to watch their cholesterol and blood pressure levels as well as their blood glucose levels

Results of a study from Denmark’s called the “Steno – 2” clinical trials, were published in 2008 and showed that, in addition to maintaining good blood-glucose control, it is also beneficial for diabetes sufferers to aggressively combat high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and high triglyceride levels. A report of this study from the Steno Diabetes Center can be found at:

Almonds and Walnuts significantly reduce blood cholesterol levels
That’s according to a 2008 Mayo Clinic news release that listed the top 5 foods that help to lower cholesterol numbers. When included in a cholesterol lowering diet, almonds and walnuts were found to have a “marked improvement within just four weeks, and they may reduce LDL cholesterol (the “bad” one) by as much as 12 percent”.

The Mayo Clinic comments do not specify the amount of almonds eaten daily but frequently suggested in other references is about one ounce, roughly 20 to 25 almonds and these I believe should be in the unsalted, raw uncooked, or dry roasted, state. For myself, I found that 20 or 25 is too many to eat at one time, a few at each of several times was better, and the motivation being the potential cholesterol lowering effects. Elsewhere I have seen a suggested amount of 2-1/2 ounces – that sounds a lot to me but the point is to have them available and to make a conscious effort to include them for snacks or whatever to gain the benefits they provide.

Soaking almonds for maximum beneficial nutrition
Something that I suspect most people do not know. Shelled almonds have a substance in their brown skins called phytate, an anti-enzyme that can sometimes be difficult to digest. There are recommendations that, to help digestion and to gain the most nutrition from almonds by allowing their nutrients to be released, they should be soaked in water for about 12 hours and then dried out completely, possibly with heat not to exceed much above 100 degrees Fahrenheit, after which they can be stored as required.

It should also be noted that all nuts are high in calories, for almonds about 170 calories per ounce (28 grams) and this is because they are rich in monounsaturated fats. But these are the healthier fats. At the same time, almonds are low in the unhealthy saturated fat and they do contain many other essential minerals and other nutrients, including calcium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, and vitamin E — in the form of alpha-tocopherol. All of those and compounds called phytochemicals, which, their advocates claim, may help protect against cardiovascular disease and possibly other disease conditions.

There have been many reliably conducted studies done that have reported convincingly that when almonds are included in a person’s diet they help lower cholesterol levels and also provide many other health benefits that should not be ignored. A reference to a few of these reports is added at the end of this piece. After reading some of the articles relating to almonds I have to conclude that these nuts are just too good not to be part of a daily diet even if you are not diabetic. The right course of action might be, as I have seen suggested “To lower your risk of cardiovascular and coronary disease, enjoy a handful of almonds at least four times a week”.

Brazil Nuts, Walnuts, and other nuts
Probably the benefits of other nuts, such as Brazil nuts and walnuts, should also be reviewed. I believe a few Brazil nuts provide a daily requirement of selenium, another mineral that apparently can be deficient in diabetics. Joseph Guliano, M.D., a diabetic himself, in his book The Diabetic Male’s Essential Guide to Living Well, has much to say about minerals and states his opinion that diabetics should supplement all the essential minerals such as selenium, zinc, copper, manganese.

Another comment of interest on nuts in general is posted on the WebMD website, for which the web address is given at the end of this piece, in which Frank Hu, MD, PhD, associate professor of nutrition and epidemiology at the Harvard School of Public Health, tells WebMD that “Our epidemiological studies have shown eating about one ounce of nuts every day will reduce the risk of heart disease in the long run by 30%.”

Caution regarding nut allergies
I do realize that some people are allergic to nuts, especially children and for that reason I raise a caution flag here. Some nut allergies can be life threatening and fatalities have occurred. I personally recall an incident of a child who had unknowingly eaten nut-containing substances when away from normal home-supervision when at a summer-camp, the situation ending in the tragic death of the unsuspecting child. Two of my own children are allergic to nuts and my wife and I were always watchful. Neither my wife or myself have nut allergies and neither does a younger child of ours.

Almonds, Magnesium and Manganese
Almonds are a very good source of magnesium and manganese, minerals in which diabetics tend to be deficient, according to many reports. That is the opinion expressed in a 2001 website article “How Diabetes Works” by Craig Freudenrich, PH.D.

Similarly those views are shared by Michael T. Murray, N.D., as mentioned in his book  Diabetes and Hypoglycemia. Dr. Murray suggests that, in addition to eating foods rich in magnesium, such as almonds, an additional magnesium supplement of 300 to 500 mg daily should be taken by diabetics, preferably in a highly absorbable form such as magnesium aspartate or citrate, together with 50 milligrams of vitamin B6. For manganese he recommends that a good daily dose for a diabetic is 30 milligrams.

[Another B vitamin that I have found helps with my feet problems is B-12, described in this article: Diabetic Neuropathy and B-12.]

Caution: Please note, anyone reading this article should obtain their own confirmations and opinions for themselves from healthcare professionals regarding the appropriateness of amounts and individual minerals and supplements mentioned here.

The United States DRI’s (Dietary Reference Intakes, published by the Food and Nutrition Board) recommends a magnesium intake of 420 mg per day for males aged 31 and older and 320 mg per day for females aged 31 and older. A quarter of a cup of almonds provides nearly 100 mg of magnesium, that’s almost a quarter of the recommended daily intake of magnesium for males and a little less than one third for females, but for me, I think that would be too many almonds in one day.

Magnesium is one of several important electrolytes, minerals in the human body that carry an electric charge and that have an essential role in maintaining balance in much of the body’s chemistry relating to muscles, nerves, heart function, fluid retention and other activities. Many doctors, often those who, as well as being medical practitioners, are also advocates of nutrition and complementary methods of treatment, claim that most adults, even non diabetics, do not obtain sufficient dietary magnesium for good health. Food sources of magnesium are leafy green vegetables, nuts, seeds, whole grains, beans, lentils, and peanuts.

Values courtesy  Dr. R.D. Decuypere

I suspect that most doctors who treat diabetic patients are unlikely to be recommending food supplements such as almonds and minerals or vitamins and would probably not requisition blood tests that could indicate whether there are any deficiencies in some of those vitamin and mineral substances.

Regarding minerals, my own doctor usually tests only for potassium, and sometimes for sodium and chloride levels, all three of which are also electrolytes. Those tests are monitored together with the many standard diabetic tests for other things such as creatinine, eGFR, ALT, TSH, cholesterols, triglycerides.

Beyond those usual essential tests, I sometimes wonder whether it would make sense, at least perhaps annually, to test for a much wider range of vitamins, minerals and other nutrients in addition to the above standards that follow the conventional diabetic protocols.

NOTE: In July 2003, the FDA approved qualified heart health claim for almonds, hazelnuts, peanuts, pecans, some pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts, these nuts contain less than 4g of saturated fats per 50g. Packages of nut products that meet the FDA’s requirements will now be able to carry the following claim: “Scientific evidence suggests but does not prove that eating 1.5 ounces per day of most nuts, as part of a diet low in saturated fat and cholesterol, may reduce the risk of heart disease.”

For your further reference, many other individual food items, suitable for the diabetic menu, are discussed at out companion site Diabetic Food List. And more general diabetes topics can be found at Normal Blood Sugars and Diabetes.

By: HR January 31, 2010

Hemp Seeds

This article is one of a series describing particular supplementary food items that are thought to be effective in lowering blood glucose as well as providing other health and nutrition related benefits.

Diabetes is a deadly disease. Diabetes claims more lives yearly than AIDS and breast cancer combined. People diagnosed with diabetes should eat a balanced diet, with decreased sugar and salt consumption, and low in saturated and trans fat. If you are currently following a diabetes-friendly diet but still need an extra boost when it comes to controlling your blood sugar, then you should look into incorporating hemp seed into your meals.

What is Hemp Seed?

Hemp seed is a little-known power food that can benefit everyone, especially people who are diagnosed with diabetes. Studies show that the consumption of Omega 3, and Omega 6 essential fatty acids can be helpful in treating diabetes. Hemp seeds are a great way to incorporate Omega 3 and Omega 6 into your diet. Hemp seeds are a great source of pure digestible protein (33%) without the worry of consuming unnecessary fats.

The nature of diabetes is such that the symptoms can cause an essential fatty acid deficiency in the body. A person may even experience numbness or tingling in the lower extremities because of this deficiency. Studies show that consuming the equivalent of three tablespoons of hemp seed oil can help alleviate those symptoms.

How to Add Hemp Seeds to Your Diet

Many foods on grocery store shelves already contain hemp seed. Salad dressings, nutrition bars, breads, cookies, granola, and even some frozen desserts can contain this super-food. Natural food stores sell hemp oil and flour and seeds that you can incorporate into many of the foods you already eat. It is recommended that you consume three to four teaspoons per day to reap the full benefit of hemp seeds.

You can blend hemp seeds with fruit and ice for a natural smoothie or bake it in homemade breads. Hemp seeds are a great alternative to pine nuts in stir-fry’s and have a similar flavor. You can use hemp seed flour as a substitute in baking or use the natural oil to toss a salad.

All foods that are currently on your diabetic food list can be improved nutritionally by the addition of hemp seeds. You can make your own diabetes foods from healthful recipes. There is no need to buy overpriced products or packaged foods labeled “dietetic.” These foods may still raise blood sugar levels and in many cases can have a laxative effect.

When you hear the word hemp it is understandable that it might bring to mind thoughts of pot smokers and such but the hemp seeds used as a food item are from a related plant to cannabis but definitely not the same plant. So there is no reason to worry about psychotropic effects from consuming hemp seeds. Hemp seeds, or products made from them, do not contain THC, which is the substance in the cannabis plant itself. Hemp seed is considered safe but be sure to check with your doctor before adding them to your treatment plan.

Hemp seeds are rich in an easily digestible form of all of the amino acids and fatty acids essential to the human body and are considered to be an excellent substitute for meat protein in the meat free meals of vegetarians or for those on a diet.

Because evidence suggests that an insufficient intake of Omega 3 can contribute to the development of diabetes, everyone should be mindful of what they eat and make sure to incorporate plenty of Omega 3 fatty acids. Adding hemp seeds to your diet is a good way to add Omega 3s to your diet.

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By: HR January 31, 2010

Fenugreek

Diabetes, a disease requiring constant monitoring and careful management involving diet and exercise to control glucose levels. Diabetes is a progressive disease, meaning it tends to worsen over time, and that is difficult to control but you can control what you eat. The inclusion of the right food item in your diabetic food list can help in your efforts to maintain low blood glucose and that can help you better manage your diabetes.

This article is one of a series describing particular supplementary food items that are thought to be effective in lowering blood glucose as well as providing other health and nutrition related benefits.

Fenugreek

Long known as a remedy, fenugreek was used by ancient Greek and Roman, Indian and other south Asian herbalists to treat diabetes. Modern research has shown that fenugreek seeds lower blood glucose, and reduce cholesterol and triglycerides. Flax seeds are one of the diabetes foods that can help heal the body and lower blood glucose.

Fenugreek is a spice and herbal preparation that comes from the seeds of a plant found in North Africa and India. As part of the legume family, this seed has long been known as a substance that is helpful for skin irritations and as a laxative. Recently, fenugreek has been used as a diabetes food with some success.

Fenugreek and Diabetes

Fenugreek seeds contain alkaloids, fiber, and several other things that may help slow down the absorption of carbohydrates. This is good news for those with diabetes. It is believed that fenugreek may also improve the body’s ability to utilize glucose by increasing the sensitivity of cell receptors to the insulin that works to conduct the glucose into the cells.

There haven’t been many studies done on the effects of fenugreek on diabetes, but the ones that have been done show potential. In one study, those who took fenugreek had a lowered fasting glucose level. Although studies are few, the results have been promising. If you plan a weekly diabetes food menu, you may want to add fenugreek to the food list.

Other Benefits of Fenugreek
Although you may wish you use fenugreek primarily as a way to improve your glucose levels, fenugreek offers other benefits as well. Several studies have linked fenugreek to lower cholesterol, better liver health, and cardiovascular health. Because diabetes sometimes comes with other diseases such as heart disease, it may be beneficial to use fenugreek to help combat those problems as well.

How to Use Fenugreek

Fenugreek can be used in several ways. One of the simplest ways to add fenugreek to your diet is to take it as a supplement in capsule form. This way you don’t have to worry about adding it to food or changing your diet. However, be aware that in capsule form, fenugreek has a higher possibility of causing unwanted side effects.

Fenugreek can also be found in special teas. It can also be used as a spice in meals. You can try sprinkling ground fenugreek on grilled vegetables, in beef stew, or you can find a Mediterranean or Indian recipe that specifically calls for fenugreek. Be careful not to overdo it, though, as too much fenugreek can create a bitter taste.

Fenugreek Side Effects

Fenugreek can be a great tool to add to your diabetes management routine, but you do need to be aware that it can have a few side effects. Some people have noted some gastrointestinal issues when using fenugreek, including gas and diarrhea. These symptoms usually go away after a few days, however. Using fenugreek as a spice in foods can also alleviate the side effects as well.

Caution

If you are pregnant, fenugreek should not be taken as it can cause premature contractions. Pregnant women who wish to take fenugreek should consult a doctor first. Staying away from fenugreek during pregnancy is the safest option.

Fenugreek shows a lot of promise as one of the foods for a diabetic that can help improve the symptoms of diabetes. Those who have diabetes probably already eat well, exercise, and follow their healthcare provider’s orders. Fenugreek is just one way to improve blood glucose levels and manage diabetes just a little better. Another possible candidate for addition to your diabetic food list.

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By: HR January 31, 2010

Chia Seeds

For many diabetics, the choice of the right foods can be a challenge, there are many different things to be conscious of. Those with diabetes must know how certain foods will affect them and their bodies. The selection of the correct food for the diabetic food list helps the diabetic to maintain their health and enjoy life to the fullest.

This article is one of a series describing particular supplementary food items that are thought to be effective in lowering blood glucose as well as providing other health and nutrition related benefits.

The Chia seed – worth special consideration for the food list
Fairly recent research has led to new discoveries about a seed called the chia seed that was a staple consumed by the ancient Aztecs of what is now Mexico. The chia appears to have added benefits for diabetics according to a study carried out by scientists at the University of Toronto whose report was published in Diabetes Care in November of 2007. The journal Diabetes Care is a publication of the American Diabetes Association.

There is also the book “Chia: Rediscovering a Forgotten Crop of the Aztecs”, by Ricardo Ayerza, an agronomist, and Wayne Coates, an agricultural engineer, published in 2005 by the University of Arizona press. The authors provide a complete and detailed history of the chia seed with the full scientific descriptions of its many potential benefits as a healthful food.

To a large degree the chia seed has become known as Salba, after the brand name of one of the major manufacturers and distributors of the white seed form of chia. There are also black chia seeds. The Salba company has, or is, patenting their version of the chia plant grown specifically and solely as the source of their packaged chia seeds.

This article following, deals with the Salba white seed product that the University of Toronto researchers found as having more nutritional impact than that of other varieties of chia seed. I’m not sure whether that is brand marketing or scientific fact, it might be worthwhile looking into the black chia also, but here we continue with the Salba form.

What Are the Benefits of Eating Salba Seeds?
The Salba seed is a good diabetic food as there are many health benefits in this seed – high fiber, calcium, magnesium, anti-oxidants and omega-3 fatty acids. In comparison to other food, a daily serving of Salba is equivalent to the following: the omega-3’s in 28 ounces of salmon, 3 cups of milk for the calcium content or the iron in 5 cups of raw spinach. If you are looking for something high in fiber, 12 grams of Salba is equivalent to 1-¼ cups of All Bran Cereal.

Some have questioned whether the extra Omega-3’s from plants should be equally compared with those of fish oils from salmon, however, both are beneficial regardless.

By ingesting a good dose of fiber, a diabetic can control blood sugar better and as a result, it can help prevent them from snacking on non-healthy foods. The soluble fiber helps to lower cholesterol as it binds to the cholesterol and prevents the body from reabsorbing it into the blood stream. The omega-3 fatty acids help to lower triglycerides and increase HDL that diabetics can have issues with getting these regulated properly.

Salba is a good food for diabetics for several reasons. One is that it helps to thin the blood which assists in preventing clots, which then helps to lower the risk of heart attack or stroke. Another benefit is that it helps to lower internal inflammation and has been shown to reduce blood pressure by up to six points mmHg.

How Do You Eat Salba?
Salba seeds can be added to any food. The seeds are small and do not have overpowering taste so can be easily added to cereal or put into baking without making much of a difference. Try sprinkling some into a salad or into yogurt for a bit of texture and the fiber should help to keep you fuller between meals. You can try adding it into other foods you eat and see if it makes a difference in how you feel.

You can buy Salba at your local health food store, and you may be able to find products already made with Salba in them, such as bars and shakes.  If you prefer not to add Salba to your food, you may want to ask if they have a pill that you can take instead. For those that follow a certain diet due to health or religious reasons, Salba has been certified Non-GMO, Vegan, Kosher and Gluten-free.

Salba has many benefits for someone with diabetes. If you are looking for something to supplement what you already do to manage your diabetes, Salba could be be an answer. Check with your doctor to make sure Salba can work with your current diabetes regimen.

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By: HR January 31, 2010

Flax Seeds

Diabetes is a debilitating disease for many people and although you can’t control everything about the disease, you can control what you eat. Adding the right food item to your diabetic food list can help in your efforts to maintain low blood glucose and that can help you better manage your diabetes.

This article is one of a series describing particular supplementary food items that are thought to be effective in lowering blood glucose as well as providing other health and nutritionally related benefits.

Flax seeds, what are the benefits?
Flax seeds are tiny seeds that provide an extreme nutrition payload. A small amount of flax seed provides many benefits. Flax seeds are high in several key nutrients, including magnesium, manganese, and most B vitamins. That alone makes them healthy, but there is much more to flax seeds than that.

Flax seeds are very high in fiber. Fiber in the diet helps to regulate blood sugar, and it also helps to lower cholesterol. Fiber also helps to regulate intestinal functioning. The high fiber in flax seeds is part of what makes it such a great food for diabetics. Because of the high amount of fiber in flax, it’s best to slowly increase the amount of flax seeds in your diet.

Flax seeds are a great source of Omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-3 fatty acids are vital to any diet, and this important fatty acid has been shown to help with such chronic diseases as cancer, diabetes, depression, and heart disease. Omega-3 fatty acids can be found in fish, walnuts, and flax seeds, and it is recommended to utilize all three sources.

Another benefit to flax seeds is that they are high in phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are chemicals found in plants that are beneficial to the body. Because of the phytochemicals, flax seeds are full of antioxidants, they boost the immune system, and there are many other health benefits. The phytochemicals in flax seeds may also help prevent diabetes and help control it. This is yet another reason why flax seeds are one of the best foods for diabetics.

How do you eat Flax seeds?
Flax seeds don’t provide the health benefits if they are not ground up. The whole seeds just pass through the body without releasing the nutrients. A regular coffee grinder will serve the purpose of grinding up the flax seed, the best way to use it. Flax seed oil also doesn’t provide the full nutritional benefit.

The ground-up flax can be used in many ways. You can sprinkle it on salads, breakfast cereals, yogurt, and shakes. It can also be cooked into foods such as casseroles, meatloaf, and pasta. A few tablespoons of flax can also be added to baked goods such as muffins, bread, and pizza crust. The possibilities are endless for adding flax seeds into your diet.

Make sure to store flax seeds properly, as they can go rancid quickly. When whole, flax seeds should be stored in a dry, dark, cool place. Flax meal stored in the refrigerator or freezer will keep for several weeks.

Flax seeds are one of the diabetes foods that provide tremendous benefits to your health. Not only does it help with controlling diabetes and lowering blood sugar, but it can also help with a myriad of other health concerns. Begin adding flax to your diet slowly and enjoy the health benefits of this super food.

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About Flax, Salba, Hemp, Fenugreek, other seeds and more

People like me who have diabetes, and there are more being diagnosed daily at an increasing rate, quickly learn the major actions we must take to get our blood glucose levels under control, usually involving dietary changes and exercise, possibly including medications or insulin. It’s a full time process needing frequent monitoring, especially if glucose levels in the bloodstream are difficult to control.

Long time eating habits often require adjustment to a more appropriate diet by eliminating foods from our diabetic food list that are harmful and adding those that are beneficial.

Beyond the regular everyday dietary food list that provides our daily nutrition, there are a number of foods and vitamin supplements that might be considered as worth adding to the foods list because they are thought to have properties that can help in the efforts to control elevated glucose levels.

Most of those foods are almost without fat or salt, they are often plant based, unprocessed, fresh, and preferably grown without pesticides, although that is a different topic. Many plant foods are a good source of fiber. The American Diabetes Association recommends 20 to 35 grams of fiber daily for all adults and it’s unlikely that most of us are getting the maximum. Although fiber is a carbohydrate, it does not raise our blood glucose level and it is reported that up to 50 grams of fiber daily can improve glucose control for those people with type-2 diabetes.

So the comments on the individual foods listed on this site are to bring them to your attention, it cannot harm to learn of them and the properties claimed for them. Perhaps there are some, not currently part of your diet, you may wish to add to your diabetic food list. For myself, I do regularly include some of them, certainly flaxseed at two tablespoonfuls most days and cinnamon in the amount of half a teaspoon, both  merged into my breakfast cereal. I have no way of being certain that it helps, but I usually adopt the attitude that they may be worth a try if they don’t taste unpleasant.

Chosen at random, the list of food items following, contributed as stand alone items by my correspondent HR., will introduce you to many that are cited in the diabetes literature as being beneficial in the control of blood glucose levels. You may wish to discuss them with your doctor or dietitian.

Whatever your methods to keep track of appropriate foods to meet your own tastes, an occasionally updated list of suitable diabetes food items can serve as a reminder once in a while.

You can find more general information on this link regarding Food Lists and related topics.

Some of the most frequently cited items that might help are:
Flax Seeds, Salba, Hemp Seeds, Fenugreek, Chia, Mulberry leaf etc., and there are several others.

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. . . as devised by my health care team

Factors to consider in determining a diabetic food list

The dietitians at the Diabetes Education Center of my local hospital devised a meal plan for me that is based on and built around the amount of carbohydrates they believe should be in my daily diabetic food list. And that, together with the necessary background, is what I would like to share with you, knowing that we are all different but the methods and factors leading to establishing the diet should be similar for most individuals. But first, some general information about foods and nutrient categories.

Carbohydrates, Proteins, and Fats

The nutrients in the foods we eat, and need to eat to keep us alive, are proteins, carbohydrates and fats. We also need water, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. But it is the major nutrient categories that we are concerned with here and the ratios of those nutrients that go to make up our daily food list.

Carbohydrates are the major source of energy needed by all the cells of the body to function and perform their myriad and constant chemical activities. Sources of carbohydrates are breads, pastas, grains, puddings, sweets and deserts – and those are not always the best sources to include in the diabetic food list. For breads choose the whole grain versions. Other carbohydrate sources include vegetables, fruits, beans, nuts, and low-fat dairy products

Proteins are needed for growth and maintenance of muscles, organs, and body tissues among other things and the main sources of proteins in our foods are from beef, fish, poultry, eggs, dairy products, seeds, and nuts.

Fats, also a source of energy, are needed to assist in the functioning of the body. Dietary fat provides essential fatty acids that our bodies do not manufacture. Fats are an important component of a healthy diet.

Although we are all different in body shape and size, most of us maintain our weight within a narrow range of a few pounds through eating similar amounts and types of meals each day. The foods we consume provide the energy needed to sustain life and the amounts of energy provided by the various foods are measured in units called calories.

About food and calories

Any of the calories of energy obtained from our food intake that is not immediately needed by the cells of our body is stored for later use in the body’s fat cells. It is the continued accumulation of that excess energy obtained from the foods we eat that results in us becoming fatter. So to avoid gaining weight, don’t eat more calories than you need each day, but that leads to another topic for discussion elsewhere.

Different categories of food provide different amounts of calories. Food amounts can be measured in grams or ounces, in North America the gram weights are more usual. For each one gram of weight, carbohydrates and proteins provide 4 calories and fats provide 9 calories.

To maintain current weight

The body needs a supply of energy all the time, whether we are active or not. The total number of calories required by an individual each day in order to supply their energy needs, and maintain their current weight, depends on several factors and can easily be calculated. Those are, mainly, current weight, height, gender, and level of physical activity, where the more active and strenuous work and life-style demands will require more calories for their support.

As a general guideline, the American Heart Association answers the question; “How many calories should you eat each day?” by offering a chart showing gender, age, activity levels (sedentary, moderate, active) but does not take into account height and weight. From this chart it can be seen that a moderately active female between 30 and 50 years of age requires 2000 calories per day compared with a male of the same age and activity level who would require 2400 to 2600 calories per day. Those amounts will be too high for people of generally smaller stature.

But there are Calorie Calculators available on the internet that can be a little more precise. I favor the one at Freedieting.com that requires the following input and provides an estimate of calories needed to support them. You will note the appropriate activity level must be enetered.

Maintenance:    XXXX Calories/day

Fat Loss:         XXXX Calories/day

Extreme Fat Loss:     XXXX Calories/day

Using the above calculator, I have determined that my own calorie intake should be about 2000 calories per day, a lot lower than the 2400 to 2600 given by the American Heart Association chart but I am older, perhaps less active too.

Looking further, I see that for a moderate diet it is suggested that the daily food list it should be comprised of 45% carbohydrates – 900 calories, 30% protein – 600 calories, and 25% fat – 500 calories.

That is a lower percentage of carbohydrates than is suggested by the American Diabetes Association, and a higher percentage than is suggested by the doctors who advocate the Low Carbohydrate approach to treating diabetes.

Caution:
Please keep in mind, that the above charts and tables are meant for the healthy non-diabetic person and we diabetics should consider them only for comparison while we continue to seek advise from the medical professionals who are treating us for diabetes.

But now, let us see the percentages of carbohydrates in the diabetic food plan devised for me by my local Diabetes Education Center. To do this go to: My Own Diabetic Food Plan Part 2.

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My Diabetic Food Plan is based on the inclusion of specified amounts of carbohydrates in each meal and snack throughout the day, as listed below.

There are no specified amounts for the other nutrients, the proteins and fats, that, although essential to maintain the body in good health, play only a minor role as a source of glucose –  except in the absence of carbohydrates.

The diabetic food plan has been devised for me by the dietitons at the Diabetes Education Center of my local hospital. It is simple and easy to follow and is printed conveniently on one side of a sheet of paper. It merely lists the suggested number of grams of carbohydrate for three main meals eaten about four hours apart and interspersed with a snack about two hours after each meal. And I have added an extra snack at or before bedtime.

The rest of the Food Plan page is taken up with lists of half a dozen foods in 15 gram quantities under the headings Vegetables, Fruits, Dairy, Breads etc., and Snacks. The 15 gram quantities make it easy to calculate how many portions of any category need be selected to make up the required meal amount for carbohydrates, providing a sort of mini diabetic food list.

The details, the amounts of carbohydrates recommended
Breakfast, at 8 0’clock, is 60 grams, Lunch about mid-day is 45 grams, and Supper (called dinner by some) at about 6 pm is also 45 grams. The snacks are each 15 grams, that’s a total of 60+15+45+15+45+15+15 = 210 grams. Those are carbohydrate grams @ 4 calories per gram which equals 840 calories of carbohydrate each day. That is a little less than the amount suggested by the Calorie Calculator referred to in Part 1 of this article, which was 900 calories, but close enough.

There is no limit to the amounts of protein or fat on this dietary plan but common sense tells me that if I eat too much I will gain weight and that is something I don’t wish to do.  The Calorie Calculator suggested that my total calorie intake should be about 2000 calories, with 840 taken up by the carbohydrates, it means 1160 calories for the proteins and fats allowance for the day.

Referring to the Calorie Calculator again, it suggests 25% fats in a 2000 calorie daily food intake, that’s 500 calories @ 9grams of fat per calorie = 56 grams of fat approximately, leaving about 660 grams of protein to provide the 2000 calories.

My plan provide 210 grams of carbohydrates daily
To summarize the rather lengthy description above, my diabetic food plan provides 2000 daily calories from 840 g, carbohydrates, 660 g, of protein, and 56 g. of fat. s

COUNTING CARBOHYDRATES IN A DIABETIC FOOD PLAN

Carbohydrates are the main nutrient source of glucose and will have the biggest effect on  blood sugars. The foods supplying the protein and fat, while providing a minor amount of glucose, will not affect blood sugar levels. Those foods include meat, fish, poultry, eggs, cheese, margarine, and oils — but they can, of course, increase weight and cholesterol if eaten in too large a quantity.

For the carbohydrate portion of a meal, I can choose from the following food list, each item  contains 15 grams of carbohydrate. For more choices, I can add 15 gram amounts of whatever carbohydrate foods I wish to the lists.

As a guide in helping choose appropriate foods for the diabetic food list for a dietary plan, it helps to know where you fit into the general weight range of human beings, whether underweight or overweight or just right.

An index has been devised called the Body Mass Index (BMI for short) that is used by doctors to measure the amount of a person’s body fat based on their height and weight and is considered a reliable indicator of fatness for most grown Caucasian adult people. The BMI value is a useful tool used to assess the risk of developing heart disease, diabetes, or other health problems that result from excess abdominal fat.

It is simple to determine your BMI value by consulting this BMI Chart. Your target is to be between 18.5 and 24.9 that is considered to be in the healthy range. A BMI of 25 to 29.9 is classified as overweight, and a BMI of 30 or more is classified as obese.

Measurement of Waist Circumference (WC)

At the same time it is also usual to measure waist circumference, because additional health risks can exist if excess fat is located mainly around the waist rather than, say, on hips and thighs, although any excess weight is not good. In general, higher health risks exist for people of average height if their waist circumference is more than 40 inches for men or 35 inches for women.

To measure your waist circumference, use a tape measure placed around your bare abdomen just above the top of your hip-bone, roughly in line with or just above your navel (also called the belly-button), pull it tight but not too tight, don’t compress the skin. Keep it level to the floor, breath out and relax, now measure your waist.

There are other body measurement systems that can also be  used to help determine possible health risks, these include Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR), Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), Body Fat & Surface Area, Willoughby Ideal Weight & Waist, and Waist to Hip Ratio (WHR). The latter system, involving waist and hip measurement ratios, is claimed to be more accurate in predicting high risk instances when used for older people, perhaps more so than either the BMI values or the WC values.

Whatever system used that enables your health care adviser to assess your physical condition and identify potential risk factors is of benefit to you. And by using the simple formulas for the systems mentioned above, any individual can determine for themselves their status. A good start would be to go now to the BMI chart and find your values and whether it puts you into the healthy weight category, you can do so here:  BMI Chart.

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