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Living well with Diabetes (Series 4/6) – Diabetes and Nutrition

Meal times can be a struggle for people with diabetes. Unsure of how to go about choosing their food, it is not uncommon to witness family members or friends with diabetes who are unable to resist their bout of "sweet-tooth" – only to beat themselves up with guilt later on.

Indeed, people with diabetes need to be careful with their choice of food. With a little knowledge and planning, a healthy food choice is possible. Since eating is a favourite past-time of ours, it pays to equip ourselves on how to plan our meals.

As a rule of thumb, people with diabetes should spread their food intake evenly throughout the day. So, instead of skipping breakfast and having an extremely heavy lunch due to hunger pangs, choose to have 3 mid-size meals and 2 snacks in between. At night, avoid having supper. Instead, choose a sugar-free oat beverage or chew on some biscuit-crackers.

For those with diabetes who are still in the dark, there is such a thing known as the Diabetes Food Pyramid that is recognised by the Malaysian Diabetes Association as a useful dietetic guide. The Pyramid groups all foods into 6 categories. Below is a list of them in ascending order of amounts consumable – starting from the bottom up.

Grains & Starches – Eat most

Grains and starches occupy the bottom rung of the pyramid. This means that you should eat more servings of wholemeal grains, beans and starchy vegetables than any other foods. Choose wheat bread instead of processed, white bread. Starchy vegetables would refer to potatoes, peas and corns.

Vegetables – Eat more

All vegetables are naturally low in fat and should be included often during mealtimes. Celery or carrot makes a healthy, low calorie snack during tea-breaks. In addition, vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals and fibre. This group includes spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, cauliflower, kale and carrots. (Starchy vegetables are already covered under Grains & Starches)

Fruits – Eat more

It is not true that a person with diabetes should abstain from fruits such as watermelon and orange. Fruits contain lots of vitamins, minerals and fibre. The key here is to take a single count of fruit as one serving of carbohydrate. One banana is considered as one serving. Likewise, one piece of watermelon is considered as one serving. Put simply, you can have half an orange and half a watermelon in order to make one serving of fruit per day.

Milk & Dairy products – Eat moderately

This group contains a lot of protein, calcium and other vitamins. Opt for non-fat or low-fat dairy products to cut down on saturated fat.

Meat & Meat Substitutes – Eat moderately

This group is an excellent source of protein and it includes beef, chicken, turkey, fish and tofu. Opt for lean meats, poultry and fish. Take away all visible fat off meat, and keep your portion small always.

Fats, Sweets & Alcoholic Drinks – Take least

All sweet and fried foods are high in fat and sugar. Take them in small servings or perhaps as a treat once in a while. Potato chips, cookies, candy, cakes, desserts, puddings and fried foods would fall under this group.

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This article is intended for reference and information purposes only. Please consult your doctor for more information on diabetes mellitus and interpretation of blood glucose results.

This article is the fourth in a series of six.

Missed out on LIVING WELL WITH DIABETES series? Visit our Diabetes Care's section. More »

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