The Proper Diet For Diabetics Or TLC

Posted by admin in Prescription Diabetes Drugs on September 09th, 2010

A healthy diabetic diet is a quest many diabetics seek. They know they need to eat the right type of aliments so they search for the proper diet to fit their needs. That diet includes a nutritional balance of the major food groups along with cutting back on saturated fats.

Proper diet for diabetics, sometimes called the “TLC” diet consists of

? Total fat consumption between 25-35%

? Saturated fats less than 7% of total daily calories

? Polyunsaturated fats from margarines and vegetable oils up to 10% of total daily calories

? Monounsaturated fats from plant oils and nuts up to 20% of total daily calories

? Carbohydrates between 50-60% of total daily calories

? Protein should equal 15-20% of total daily calories

? Cholesterol less than 200 milligrams per day

Diabetics have a higher risk for heart disease, stroke, and other diseases relating to small blood vessels. Controlling the blood pressure and limiting fats in the diet help to reduce the risk of complications. Limiting the amounts of saturated fats and at same time increasing the amount of exercise lowers the bad LDL cholesterol. Medical studies show that diabetics following this method have reduced risks of death when a heart attack occurs.

The use of artificial sweeteners added to foods and liquids do not add more carbohydrates to the diabetic diet. They also reduce the calories in the foods. It is still suggested the diabetic read all the labels on the food to verify that the food does not contain other sweeteners that raise the Glycemic Index for the diabetic. Artificial sweeteners can affect the levels of sugar in the blood.

As long as the diabetic is aware of the contents of carbohydrates, they can adjust their medication to maintain the proper levels of glucose in the blood. Some artificial sweeteners have calories and do slightly increase the sugar in the blood. Their consummation in large scale tends to cause diarrhea and gas.

Diabetics need to eat a wide variety of food groups. They should include fruits, vegetables, proteins, and meats to have a balanced diet. They need to eat the right amount of calories to maintain a healthy body weight. If you are diabetic try to eat high fiber foods such as whole grains, fruit, and cereal. It is crucial to only eat the amount of calories you can burn each day to avoid excessive weight gain that leads to other health complications. Studies have shown that increasing the amount of fiber in the daily diet reduces the blood sugar and cholesterol levels allowing for proper weight for the diabetic.

It is extremely important for the diabetic to eat a healthy diet and exercise to reduce the complications related to their disease.

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