To help me remember what to do, I made up an easy rule. I call it The Plate Rule. Imagine a plate. One fourth of is should be a lean protein source, one fourth should be a whole grain starch and one half should be vegetables.
Easy, huh?
Why lean proteins, whole grains, and lots of veggies? These types of foods optimize good glucose control by they way the body metabolizes them. However, no food is off limits. You may have to eat smaller portions of some foods, but you can still eat them.
What is important to remember for good glucose control is this:
It's not so much what you eat as how much you eat.
Huge portions of food flood your bloodstream with sugar. When you eat foods, the food is converted to sugar which is further converted to energy for your body. In a Type 2 Diabetic, the pancreas does not function properly, it either has an erratic production of insulin or the body does not utilize insulin correctly. The function of insulin is to clear the bloodstream of excess sugar. So when you eat huge portions, you exacerbate the problem.
Where does things like chocolate and birthday cake fit in? Well, they do fit in. What is best to do is have an occasional small piece with a meal. Eating it with a meal is crucial because if you do not it will make your sugar spike. The other carbohydrates, protein and fats in the meal will stabilize the sugary treat. Also to fit a treat in like that for that meal, you should cut back on some of your other carbohydrates in the meal. For example, reduce the starchy part of them meal by 1/2 to 1/4 to fit in the treat.
Huge portions of food flood your bloodstream with sugar. When you eat foods, the food is converted to sugar which is further converted to energy for your body. In a Type 2 Diabetic, the pancreas does not function properly, it either has an erratic production of insulin or the body does not utilize insulin correctly. The function of insulin is to clear the bloodstream of excess sugar. So when you eat huge portions, you exacerbate the problem.
Where does things like chocolate and birthday cake fit in? Well, they do fit in. What is best to do is have an occasional small piece with a meal. Eating it with a meal is crucial because if you do not it will make your sugar spike. The other carbohydrates, protein and fats in the meal will stabilize the sugary treat. Also to fit a treat in like that for that meal, you should cut back on some of your other carbohydrates in the meal. For example, reduce the starchy part of them meal by 1/2 to 1/4 to fit in the treat.
