Healthy Eating for Type 2 Diabetes

• Description
• Table of Contents
• An excerpt from this report

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One of the most frequent questions people with diabetes ask is “What can I eat?” After all, diabetes is at root a metabolic disorder, affecting the way your body derives energy from food. Myths abound when it comes to diabetes and food—one of the most common being that there is a “diabetes diet” that prohibits sugar and lists other items to avoid.

In fact, the advice for people with diabetes is similar to that for the general population, but with extra emphasis on weight control and control of blood sugar and risk factors for heart disease. The basics: Eat a well-balanced diet with a variety of healthy foods, while watching total calories and engaging in physical activity.

In this report, you will read much more about how to develop a healthy eating strategy to prevent or treat the most common form of diabetes—type 2 diabetes. You’ll read about how to eat well while achieving a healthy weight. You’ll learn about the components of a healthy diet, how to work with a dietitian, how to develop a meal plan, and how to fit physical activity into your schedule. You will learn how to recognize portion distortion, make wise choices while dining out, and stay on track with your weight-loss plan. Best of all, we’ve included 40 original recipes so you can put this advice into practice—starting today. (updated: 2007)

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Table of Contents:

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Here's an Excerpt from this Type 2 Diabetes Diet Plan Special Health Report

For years, fat has been persona non grata in the dietary world. After large epidemiological studies following World War II established the link between saturated fat and heart disease, some dietary experts advised people to reduce their fat intake. Unfortunately, many people ate large amounts of carbohydrates instead, the calories added up, and—no surprise here—they gained weight. With the increase in overweight and obesity, diabetes has become more prevalent, and the incidences of heart disease and cancer have still not diminished.

What went wrong? As it turns out, the “all fat is bad” message was wrong. First, foods that contain fat help fill you up so you’re not tempted to eat greater quantities of other types of food. Second, not all fats are alike. While saturated fat, derived primarily from animal products, does indeed clog your arteries and raise your risk of cardiovascular disease, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats actually protect your health by improving your cholesterol profile. Fat is also a major energy source for your body, and it helps you absorb certain vitamins and nutrients.

The Institute of Medicine recommends that people obtain about 20%–35% of daily calories from fat, although the American Diabetes Association has backed away from giving this type of specific guideline. What all experts agree on is that people with type 2 diabetes should eat some fat every day, but when doing so, should choose healthy fats over unhealthy fats whenever possible. In particular, limit consumption of unhealthy trans fats and saturated fats. (For people with type 2 diabetes, less than 7% of total calories should come from saturated fats.)

Omega-3 fats are particularly heart-healthy. Although these fats are required for a variety of vital physiological functions, your body can’t make them on its own. Research has found that omega-3s may help prevent and even treat heart disease and stroke. Good sources include fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, and mackerel. Also rich in omega-3s are flaxseeds, walnuts, wheat germ, canola oil, unhydrogenated soybean oil, and flaxseed oil.

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