Diabetic Exchange Diet Plan

Admin | December 13, 2011 | Comments Off

Diabetic Exchange Diet Plan

Diabetic Exchange Diet Plan

Weight plays an important role in diabetes, with heavier people having a greater chance of becoming diabetic than those within normal weight ranges. Eating healthy is an important component to managing diabetes, not only by keeping weight under control, but also by keeping blood sugar levels under control. Most people will experience some weight loss when they eliminate sugar from their diet, but often find their weight plateauing after a few weeks. Even better, people that have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes will find that their medication can be reduced or eliminated after losing a significant amount of weight. For people with diabetes, weight loss diets can mean the difference between having to take a pill or having to shoot insulin, or they can completely stop taking any form of medication.

The Right Diet

When looking for diabetes weight loss diets it is important to pick a plan that is healthy. According to the American Diabetes Association, women should consume 1,000 – 1,200 calories a day and men should consume 1,200 – 1,600 calories a day. A healthy weight loss is about one pound per week. There is no one true diabetic diet to lose weight, but there are several diets that can be followed, or customized, that have the reduced carbohydrate and sugar aspects that are needed by a person with diabetes. A person with diabetes cannot consume as much carbohydrates or fruit as other people because it turns into glucose and will raise blood sugar levels. A diabetic does not produce enough insulin to process this blood sugar on their own, and thus medication or insulin shots are needed.

Low Carbohydrate Diets

Many diabetics are successfully following low carb diets like the Atkins Diet or the South Beach Diet. These diets focus on reducing or eliminating the intake of bad carbohydrates and replacing them with more healthy proteins and fats. Instead of eating cereal for breakfast, a person following a low carbohydrate diet will eat a veggie omelet. Lunch usually consists of a salad with chicken and light dressing. A dinner on a low carb diet is typically a piece of fish or lean meat, steamed vegetables and a small salad. Fruits are limited and beverages are primarily water, tea and coffee. Snacks usually include cheese, raw veggies or a hard-boiled egg.