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01 February 2011

Diet for Diabetics


Diet works wonder for controlling diabetes effectively. Physicians advise diabetics to take proper diet in order to maintain their ideal body weight. There is large number of diabetics in India. Recent statistics show that the Indians constitute 20 percent of the total cases of diabetes studied throughout the world. Thirty percent of the total diabetics found in India belong to urban areas. According to an estimation done by WHO, the number of diabetes patients in India would top in the world by 2025 if the present trend continues.

Right Type of Food for Diabetics

Several factors are taken into consideration while advising a diabetic right type of food. The diet chart prepared for a diabetic depends much on height, weight, age, sex, physical activity and nature inclination of a diabetes patient. The main objective behind advising specific food to a patient is to provide him adequate nutrition along with normal blood sugar levels in blood. While planning diet for diabetics we should always keep in mind certain factors which include:
  1. Small meals to be taken at regular intervals
  2. Fiber intake not to exceed 1.4 oz in a day
  3. Bakery products to be replaced by whole cooked cereals
  4. Carbohydrates to be taken only 2 hours before sleep
  5. High consumption of vegetables and fruits

Exchange Meal Plan

The diabetes patients are generally advised to follow exchange meal plan. It is a diet plan which aims at maintaining the amount of carbohydrates that are consumed in a day. Glucose which is an advanced form of carbohydrates is primarily formed of sugar. So, a diabetes patient is advised to lower the intake of simple carbohydrates. Carbohydrate foods are recommended for a diabetic as value per portion. It is known as exchange and it assists in deciding on the type of food to be included in diet for diabetics. It also helps to decide the quantity of the food to be taken and the right time to eat.

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