Living with Diabetes | 9
NUTRITION
THERE IS NO “ONE-SIZE-FITS-ALL” APPROACH TO WHAT YOU SHOULD EAT AND DRINK IF YOU HAVE DIABETES.
THE MAIN OBJECTIVE IS TO FIND AN APPROACH THAT WORKS FOR YOUR LIFESTYLE. THIS WILL HELP YOU
FOLLOW IT AND MEET YOUR GOALS TO CONTROL BLOOD SUGAR, LOSE OR MAINTAIN WEIGHT, AND ACHIEVE
TARGET CHOLESTEROL AND BLOOD SUGAR LEVELS.
DID YOU KNOW?
The glycemic index (GI) of a food
is a measure of how fast a food
that contains carbohydrates affects
blood sugar. Keep in mind that
other food items that you eat at the
same time affect the “real” GI of a
food. Ripeness, processing and the
cooking method also affect the GI
of a food. Overripe, processed or
overcooked foods can have a higher
GI. For example, processing corn to
make corn fl akes raises its GI a lot.
As a general rule, the closer to nature
the food is, the better it is for you.
PREVENTION IS BETTER
Losing pounds can lower blood
sugar levels. Many studies have
shown that losing as little as fi ve to
seven pounds of body weight can
help with blood sugar control.
EATING OUT
You don’t have to stop eating out
to manage your diabetes. Many
restaurants now offer healthier
options. And if you need to change
a dish a little to make it work with
your diet, don’t be afraid to ask.
Common changes include using less
butter, or broiling or grilling meat
instead of frying it.
WARNING!
Read food labels. “Fat-free” or “low-
fat” foods often contain high sugar
levels to make up for the fl avor.
Foods with “no sugar added” are not
necessarily sugar free, but simply
have had no extra sugar added
during processing.
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