Diabetic Diet Food Pyramid
If you have
diabetes, base your diet on the following Food Pyramid guidelines.
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1.
Fats, Oils, Sweets
(Eat sparingly)
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2.
Milk, Yogurt, Cheese Group
(Eat 2-3 Servings/day)
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3.
Meat, Poultry, Fish, Beans, Eggs & Nuts Group
(Eat 2-3 Servings/day)
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4.
Vegetable Group
(Eat 3-5 Servings/day)
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5.
Fruit Group
(Eat 2-4 Servings/day)
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6.
Bread, Cereal, Rice & Pasta Group
(Eat 6-11 Servings/day)
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Eat a variety
of food to get the vitamins and minerals you need. Eat more from the groups
at the bottom of the pyramid, and less from the groups at the top.
See also:
How Many Calories Should I Eat
Each Day?
FOOD PYRAMID
INFORMATION and GUIDELINES
Starches
Starches
are bread, grains, cereal, pasta, or starchy vegetables like corn and
potatoes. They give your body energy, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Whole
grain starches are healthier because they have more vitamins, minerals,
and fiber.
Eat some
starches at each meal. People might tell you not to eat starches, but
that is not correct. Eating starches is healthy for everyone, including
people with diabetes.
Examples
of starches include:
- bread
- pasta
- corn
- potatoes
- rice
- crackers
- tortillas
- beans
- yams
How Much
is a Serving of Starches?
Examples
of 1 Serving of Starches
1 slice of bread or 1 small potato or a half cup cooked cereal or 3 quarter
cup dry cereal or 1 small tortilla.
Examples
of 2 Servings of Starches
1 small potato plus 1 small ear of corn or 2 slices of bread.
Examples
of 3 Servings of Starches
1 small roll plus half cup of peas plus 1 small potato or 1 cup of rice.
What are
Healthy Ways to Eat Starches?
Buy whole
grain breads and cereals.
Eat fewer
fried and high-fat starches such as regular tortilla chips and potato
chips, french fries, pastries, or biscuits. Try pretzels, fat-free popcorn,
baked tortilla or potato chips, baked potatoes, or low-fat muffins.
Use low-fat
or fat-free yogurt or fat-free sour cream instead of regular sour cream
on a baked potato.
Use mustard
instead of mayonnaise on a sandwich.
Use the low-fat
or fat-free substitutes such as low-fat mayonnaise or light margarine
on bread, rolls, or toast.
Eat cereal
with fat-free (skim) or low-fat (1%) milk.
Vegetables
Vegetables
give you vitamins, minerals, and fiber, with very few calories.
Examples
of vegetables include
- lettuce
- broccoli
- vegetable juice
- peppers
- carrots
- green beans
- salsa
- chilies
- greens
How Much
is a Serving of Vegetables?
Examples
of 1 Serving of Vegetables
Half cup cooked carrots or half cup cooked green beans or 1 cup salad.
Examples
of 2 Servings of Vegetables
Half cup cooked carrots plus 1 cup salad or half cup vegetable juice plus
half cup cooked green beans.
Examples
of 3 Servings of Vegetables
Hhalf cup cooked greens plus half cup cooked green beans and 1 small tomato
or half cup broccoli plus 1 cup tomato sauce.
If you have
more than one serving at a meal, you can choose a few different types
of vegetables or have two or three servings of one vegetable.
What are
Healthy Ways to Eat Vegetables?
Eat raw and
cooked vegetables with little or no fat, sauces, or dressings.
Try low-fat
or fat-free salad dressing on raw vegetables or salads.
Steam vegetables
using a small amount of water or low-fat broth.
Mix in some
chopped onion or garlic.
Use a little
vinegar or some lemon or lime juice.
Add a small
piece of lean ham or smoked turkey instead of fat to vegetables when cooking.
Sprinkle
with herbs and spices. These flavorings add almost no fat or calories.
If you do
use a small amount of fat, use canola oil, olive oil, or soft margarines
(liquid or tub types) instead of fat from meat, butter, or shortening.
Fruit
Fruit gives
you energy, vitamins, minerals, and fiber.
Examples
of fruit include:
apples
fruit juice
strawberries
bananas
raisins
oranges
mango
guava
papaya
How Much
is a Serving of Fruit?
Examples
of 1 Serving of Fruit
1 small apple or half cup juice or half grapefruit.
Examples
of 2 Servings of Fruit
Half cup orange juice plus 1 and a quarter cups whole strawberries.
If you have
more than one serving at a meal, you can choose different types of fruit
or have two servings of one fruit.
What are
Healthy Ways to Eat Fruit?
Eat fruits
raw or cooked, as juice with no sugar added, canned in their own juice,
or dried.
Buy smaller
pieces of fruit.
Eat pieces
of fruit rather than drinking fruit juice. Pieces of fruit are more filling.
Drink fruit
juice in small amounts.
Save high-sugar
and high-fat fruit desserts such as peach cobbler or cherry pie for special
occasions.
Milk and
Yogurt
Milk and
yogurt give you energy, protein, fat, calcium, vitamin A, and other vitamins
and minerals.
How Much
is a Serving of Milk and Yogurt?
Example
of 1 Serving of Milk
1 cup fat-free or low-fat yogurt or 1 cup skim or 1 percent milk.
Note:
If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have four to five servings of milk
and yogurt each day.
What are
Healthy Ways to Have Milk and Yogurt?
Drink fat-free
(skim or nonfat) or low-fat (1%) milk.
Eat low-fat
or fat-free fruit yogurt sweetened with a low-calorie sweetener.
Use low-fat
plain yogurt as a substitute for sour cream.
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Meat and Meat Substitutes
The meat
and meat substitutes group includes meat, poultry, eggs, cheese, fish,
and tofu. Eat small amounts of some of these foods each day.
Meat and
meat substitutes help your body build tissue and muscles. They also give
your body energy and vitamins and minerals.
Examples
of meat and meat substitutes include:
- chicken
- fish
- beef
- eggs
- peanut butter
- tofu
- cheese
- ham
- pork
How Much
is a Serving of Meat or Meat Substitute?
Examples
of 1 Serving of Meat or Meat Substitute
2 to 3 ounces* of cooked lean meat, chicken, or fish or 1 egg or 4 ounces
of tofu or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter.
*Two to three
ounces of meat (after cooking) is about the size of a deck of cards.
What are
Healthy Ways to Eat Meat or Meat Substitutes?
Buy cuts
of beef, pork, ham, and lamb that have only a little fat on them. Trim
off extra fat.
Eat chicken
or turkey without the skin.
Cook meat
or meat substitutes in low-fat ways:
- broil
- grill
- stir-fry
- roast
- steam
- stew
To add more
flavor, use vinegars, lemon juice, soy or teriyaki sauce, salsa, ketchup,
barbecue sauce, and herbs and spices.
Cook eggs
with a small amount of fat or use cooking spray.
Limit the
amounts of nuts, peanut butter, and fried chicken that you eat. They are
high in fat.
Choose low-fat
or fat-free cheese.
Fats and
Sweets
Limit the
amounts of fats and sweets you eat. They have calories, but not much nutrition.
Some contain saturated fats and cholesterol that increase your risk of
heart disease. Limiting these foods will help you lose weight and keep
your blood glucose and blood fats under control.
Examples
of fats include:
salad dressing
oil
butter
margarine
avocado
olives
How Much
is a Serving of Fat?
Example
of 1 Serving of Fat
1 strip of bacon or 1 teaspoon of oil.
Example
of 2 Servings of Fat
1 tablespoon regular sald dressing or 2 tablespoons light salad dressing
plus 1 tablespoon light mayonnaise.
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Examples
of sweets include:
regular soda
ice cream
cake
cookies
pie
candy
How Much
is a Serving of Sweets?
Example
of 1 Serving of Sweets
One 3-inch cookie or one plain cake doughnut or 4 chocolate kisses or
one tablespoon maple syrup.
How Can
I Satisfy My Sweet IFSh?
It's okay
to have sweets once in a while. Try having sugar-free popsicles, diet
soda, fat-free ice cream or frozen yogurt, or sugar-free hot cocoa mix.
Other Sweet-IFSh
Tips:
Share desserts
in restaurants.
Order small
or child-size servings of ice cream or frozen yogurt.
Divide homemade
desserts into small servings and wrap each individually. Freeze extra
servings.
Don't keep
dishes of candy in the house or at work.
Remember,
fat-free and low-sugar foods still have calories. Talk with your diabetes
teacher about how to fit sweets into your meal plan.
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Alcohol
Alcohol has
calories but no nutrients. If you drink alcohol on an empty stomach, it
can make your blood glucose level too low. Alcohol also can raise your
blood fats. If you want to drink alcohol, talk with your doctor or diabetes
teacher about how it fits into your meal plan.
See also:
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SOURCE:
National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. U.S.
Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health,
2002. Website: www.niddk.nih.gov/
Health
Disclaimer
The diabetic diet information and advice offered above is intended as
a general guide ONLY. If you have diabetes, please consult your doctor
about the best way to handle your condition. Diabetes is a serious condition
which requires personal, professional advice.
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