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Here is the American Diabetes
Association Diet

Healthy foods that are recommended as part of the American Diabetic Association diet are discussed in this article.

The American Diabetes Association recommends that people who suffer from diabetes symptoms eat foods daily from each of the 4 major food groups, which are:

  1. Vegetables and fruits including berries, apples, spinach, green beans, etc (see glycemic index list for lots more ideas).

  2. Whole grains, breads and cereals like barley, bran, oats, wheat, and brown rice.

  3. Dairy products like skim or low-fat milk, yogurt, and low-fat cottage cheese.

  4. Proteins including fish, poultry, meats, eggs, nuts, and dried beans.

According to the American Diabetes Association, your diet should include foods from each of these 4 groups every day in order to be sure you receive all the nutrients you need.

The main nutrients found in foods we eat are carbohydrates, proteins, fats, vitamins, and minerals.

Carbohydrates offer energy for your body.  Good healthy carbohydrate food options recommended in the diet are peas, beans, lentils, fruits, whole grain breads, whole grain cereals and vegetables.

The American Diabetic Association diet includes proteins which are very important to help in your body’s growth and can help with the body’s energy supplies. The diet includes proteins such as low-fat dairy products, fish, and poultry.

High-fiber foods like beans, peas, whole grains, bran cereals, vegetables, and low glycemic index fruits are very healthy for diabetics and definitely recommended as part of the American Diabetic Association diet. This is chiefly because foods high in fiber may help lower blood glucose and blood-fat levels.

The American Diabetes Association
Does Not Recommend the Following Unhealthy Foods

Although this diet includes some fat, excessive fat is not a good idea.  There are several healthy fats that should be included in your diet including flax seed oil,  olive oil and fish oil (found in wild caught salmon, sardines, herring, anchovies). 

Most other fats, especially animal fats should be limited because increased fat and cholesterol in the diet can result in a higher likelihood of heart disease or hardening of the arteries or both.  Suggestions for cutting down on fat include:

  • Pick lean meats rather than fatty meats and be sure to cut away extra fat.  Eat less meat and more fish and poultry.
     

  • With poultry be sure to remove the skin before eating and focus on the lower fat breast rather than legs and thighs.
     

  • The ADA diet suggests margarine instead of butter (note, newer margarines do not have hydrogenated fat in them (check for this on the label), so are OK, butter in small amounts is probably OK as well).
     

  • The American Diabetes Association diet proposes skim or low-fat milk rather than whole milk.
     

  • Eat only up to 3 or 4 eggs per week and occasionally have some liver.  Note:  It is possible today to get eggs with omega-3 fat in them (chickens are fed flax seed), these are probably the best choice for diabetics.

Salt can be a problem as it can make a high blood pressure condition worse.  Besides the obvious sources of salt, there are hidden sources of salt in foods such as canned soups, salad dressings, and cheeses.

As part of the American Diabetic Association diet, sugar intake should be reduced (again we disagree, we believe you should cut out all sugar from your diet in any of its forms including honey and maple syrup).  Pies, frosted cakes, table sugar, honey, and breakfast cereals with sugar coating have a high amount of sugar in them.  Did you know that a 12-ounce can of Coke has about 9 teaspoons of sugar?

Stay away from alcohol and ask your dietician for advice if you decide on a drink or two.  Alcohol acts like sugar in your blood stream so it’s not a good idea for people with diabetes to drink it.

The American Diabetes Association recommends that you create a personalized diet by working with your dietician to design a meal plan that’s effective for you and includes enjoyable foods.  Your regular eating habits and schedule should be a fit with this diet while you retain a steady weight. 
 

 


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