Diabetes - important points in diet

• People with diabetes do not need a special diet.
• Include a wide variety of healthy foods in your diet.
• You may need to limit serving sizes to maintain or achieve a healthy weight.
• Meals should be based on high fibre carbohydrates and be low in total and saturated fats, added sugar and salt.

Diabetes and Sample meal plan

Choose foods that you like and that satisfy you. Include carbohydrate foods in each meal or snack to help manage blood glucose levels. You can eat your main meal at lunch or dinner.

Breakfast

Choose from:

• One cup of high fibre breakfast cereal with low fat milk and one piece of fruit;
• or Two slices of bread or toast – preferably wholegrain, wholemeal or high fibre white – with thinly spread margarine, peanut butter, jam, Vegemite, baked beans, grilled tomato or sardines
• Water, tea, coffee or 100ml of fruit juice.

Light meal

• Soup (preferably one with vegetables and legumes, not one that is cream-based)
• One sandwich made with bread, one roll or six dry biscuits – preferably wholegrain or wholemeal – with thinly spread margarine or avocado
• Lots of salad vegetables
• 90g to 120g of lean meat, skinless poultry or seafood; or two eggs; or 40g of fat reduced cheese; or a half a cup of legumes (such as beans or lentils)
• One piece of fruit
• Water, tea or coffee.

Main meal

• One cup of cooked rice or pasta or one medium potato
• Lots of other vegetables
• 90g to 120g of lean meat, skinless poultry or seafood;
• or half a cup of legumes (such as beans or lentils)
• One fruit or one small tub of yoghurt
• Water, tea or coffee.

Between meal snacks

Not everyone needs to include snacks between meals. Talk to your diabetes educator or dietitian if you are unsure. If you do include snacks, select healthy choices such as fruit (fresh or canned in natural juice), low fat yoghurt, a glass of low fat milk, wholegrain bread, fruit bread or high fibre crackers.

Basic eating guidelines for Diabetes patients

Follow this simple healthy eating plan if you have diabetes:

• Eat regular meals throughout the day.
• You may need to limit the serving size of your meals and snacks, as too much food will lead to an increase in body weight.
• Choose a food containing some carbohydrate at each meal. Examples of carbohydrate foods are bread, cereals, pasta, rice, fruit and starchy vegetables.
• Do not restrict your carbohydrate intake. Aim for at least 130g per day.
• Choose high fibre carbohydrate foods.
• Select a variety of healthy foods from the different food groups. Include breads and cereals, fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy products and lean meat.
• Limit saturated fats that are found in foods such as full fat dairy products (including cream, milk, icecream, yoghurt, butter and cheese), meat fat (trim the fat from meat and limit your intake of processed meats), fried foods, cakes, pastries and foods containing palm oil and coconut oil.
• Consume small amounts of unsaturated fats like olive, canola or sunflower oil, mono- or polyunsaturated margarines, oily fish, avocado, seeds and nuts.
• Baked items like cakes and biscuits should be eaten only occasionally and in small serves, even when they are low in fat.
• Avoid lollies and sweet soft drinks.
• Don’t add salt when you cook or at the table, and reduce the use of high salt foods.
• Limit alcohol to two standard drinks per day for men and one standard drink per day for women. Have at least two alcohol-free days per week.