If you are looking for diabetes nutrition information, you don’t need to look far. There are diabetes cookbooks, recipe websites, meal planning software, and spreadsheets to be found everywhere. But the main diabetes information you need to know is this – diabetics have the same nutritional needs as everyone else. The single, most important thing you can do for yourself nutritionally is to watch your calorie and fat intake. It’s not so much the food that you eat that can cause diabetic complications as it is how closely you monitor your weight and your blood sugar levels.

Let’s face it – eating is one of life’s simple pleasures that everyone enjoys. And although it is important that you understand as much as you can about diabetes nutrition information, there is no need to make it complicated. Just learn to eat well-balanced meals that will keep you at a healthy weight and for the most part you’ll be just fine. Keep the portion size reasonable, and stay away from nutritionally empty high calorie food, monitor your blood glucose, be sure to eat after taking insulin if you are on it, and you can enjoy eating just like the rest of healthy Americans.

 

What Kind of Foods Can You Eat?

 

Being diabetic doesn’t mean you have to deprive yourself of the foods you like, and most diabetes nutrition information will show that to be true. There are some food combinations, and some foods that are sort of “diabetes super foods” that can help you better manage your condition, but that is not the purpose of this article. The main thing being emphasized here is that if you learn to eat more starches, fruits, vegetables, and less of the fats and sweets, you should be fine. A regular monitoring and testing schedule will let you know if you are on track. And there is no substitute for stepping on the bathroom or doctor’s scale to let you know if you are eating too much.

You can still enjoy almost any food you like in the correct portion size, and most diabetes nutrition information guides will let you know how much of each type of food a healthy amount is. Once you get in the right eating habits, it will become second nature.

 

What about Calorie Counting

 

In general, keeping a watch over total calorie intake daily is important. This doesn’t mean you need to count calories if you are already at a healthy weight. But you should get a general idea of the calorie content of the foods you enjoy the most and prepare your meals accordingly. And the types of food that affect your blood sugar negatively are the ones you need to eat very little of. Again, your testing will let you know if you are on the right track or not. General diabetes nutrition information regarding daily calorie intake is listed below. This isn’t to be used as a replacement for anything your doctor tells you, but will provide you with an idea of how many calories you should target daily to maintain a healthy weight.

  • 1200-01600 calories for a small woman who exercises or a medium sized woman who wants to lose weight or doesn’t exercise much.
  • 1600 – 2000 calories daily for a large woman who wants to lose weight or a small man at a healthy weight. This is also a good range for a medium sized man who wants to lose weight or doesn’t exercise much.
  • 2000-02400 calories a day for a medium to large man who exercises or is at a healthy rate and is active physically. A large woman who exercises a lot can also stay healthy in this calorie range.

 

No diabetes nutrition information replaces your own monitoring of your weight and glucose levels. Ask your doctor if you have questions. But in general, enjoy your life and learn how to eat smart.