Diabetes Diet: A Week's Menu, What You Can and Can't

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic endocrine disorder in which the metabolism is disturbed due to the lack or inadequate action of the hormone insulin.

A distinction is made between insulin-dependent (type 1) and non-insulin-dependent (type 2) diabetes.

In the first case, patients must inject insulin preparations in injections, as the hormone in their body is either insufficiently produced or absent entirely.

In the second type, insulin's interaction with cells is disrupted.

Despite the different mechanisms of development of the pathology, the main role in its therapy is attributed to dietary nutrition.

Diet Features for Diabetics

In the past, a food inhibition system was the only way to contain hyperglycemia or high glucose levels. Now, the patients' diet has expanded significantly. Diabetics are advised to follow several important rules for effective blood glucose control.

Patients should not starve or overeat. These conditions are dangerous to your health. You need to eat so that the amount of carbs consumed is evenly distributed throughout the day.

General Diet Requirements:

• fractional nutrition (at least 6 times a day);
• calculation of consumed carbohydrates;
• limitation of animal fats;
• the introduction of plant foods in the diet;
• preference for steamed, oven-baked, cooked foods;
• avoiding foods that increase the carbohydrate load, or limiting them;
• Balanced diet;
• replace sugar with substitutes;
• consumption of foods with coarse fiber;
• compliance with the drinking regime;
• reducing salt intake;
• elimination of alcohol.

You can diversify your diet by purchasing utensils that allow you to cook food without oil.

In order for carbohydrates to be absorbed more slowly and not cause jumps in the increase in blood glucose, it is worth following the following recommendations:

1. Eat coarse or grainy foods such as crumbly cereal rather than crushed or cooked.
2. Meals should not be hot as temperature affects glucose absorption.
3. Fiber in food inhibits the absorption of simple carbohydrates and helps remove cholesterol.
4. Simple carbohydrates are best consumed after the main meal.

The menu can include foods that contain simple carbohydrates with fiber, such as fruits and berries. Glucose absorption is delayed if consumed with proteins (protein cream) or fats. However, don't forget that "slow" carbohydrates are also absorbed into the bloodstream, increasing sugar.

Differences in nutrition in type 1 and type 2 diabetes mellitus

As the reasons for the increase in blood sugar in the first and second types of the disease are different, there are several approaches to the patients' diet. For insulin dependent patients, nutrition is more varied. Since they suffer from this condition more often at an early age, foods with a high calorie content are included in the diet. When compiling a diet, the units of grain consumed are taken into account.

In type 2 diabetes, the main task of nutrition is weight loss. In this case, the menu is calculated according to the caloric content of the products. The patient's diet is stricter. Sugar, fatty foods and foods that increase cholesterol are not allowed.

bread unit

The concept of "bread unit" (XE) was introduced to account for the quantitative composition of carbohydrates. For 1 XE, consider 25 g of bread or 12 g of sugar (carbohydrates). A bread unit diagram is needed for diabetics to calculate the short dose of insulin administered.

1 XE requires 2-4 units. insulin. The individual need for additional insulin administration according to XE is determined through a self-control diary, which must be kept by the patient.

At one meal, a diabetic should not eat more than 7XE. The main carbohydrate load occurs in the first half of the day.

In order not to constantly calculate the bread units by the weight of the products, we create product tables taking into account their energy value.

What is the Glycemic Index of Food

The glycemic index (GI) is an indicator that indicates how much sugar in the blood can increase with the use of a certain product compared to the intake of glucose.

High GI foods (70 or more):

• honey,
• glucose;
• sugar;
• mashed potatoes;
• sweet soda;
• sweets - corn sticks, puffed rice.

Average GI (56-69):

• Melon;
• banana;
• oat;
• black bread.

The lowest GI has:

• dairy products;
• milk;
• fruits;
• peas, beans, lentils and other legumes.

The absorption rate is influenced by cooking, food integrity and temperature.

In diabetes mellitus, only medium and low GI foods are allowed.

List of allowed and prohibited products

The principles of a diet for diabetics with different types of illnesses are different. However, there are dishes that endocrinologists do not recommend eating.

The list of prohibited foods includes:

• French fries, French fries, French fries;
• sweet fruits - grapes;
• fatty meats;
• smoked meats;
• canned food in oil;
• pâtés;
• sweet curd, curd mass;
• sweet yogurts;
• Margarine;
• white bread and white flour pastries;
• juices from the store;
• soda;
• alcohol;
• Chocolate candies;
• jam;
• Condensed milk;
• fast food.

Patients will have to fall in love with these foods and drinks:

• mineral water;
• rosehip compote;
• vegetable juices;
• freshly squeezed sweet and sour fruit and berry juices;
• unsweetened citrus fruits;
• frozen and fresh berries;
• low-fat dairy products without sugar;
• dietary meat - chicken, turkey, veal, rabbit meat;
• cabbage;
• pulses;
• mushrooms;
• tomatoes;
• eggplant;
• greens;
• asparagus;
• broccoli;
• milk;
• wholemeal baked goods;
• Seafood;
• fish.

To reduce the starch content of vegetables and cereals, it is recommended to soak them before cooking.

Menu Build Rules

When preparing a menu, it is worth considering not only the carbohydrate and calorie load of food, but also the diabetic's activity. Exercise lowers blood sugar levels. In type 1 diabetes, it is recommended to eat 1 XE for every hour of physical activity. This will prevent you from changing your bolus insulin dose.

In obesity, the nutritionist helps in the composition of the diet, taking into account the energy content (caloric value) of foods and the daily energy expenditure during physical activity. The calculation takes into account the patient's sex, age and degree of obesity. It is allowed to schedule fasting days (with type 2 diabetes). However, fasting is contraindicated in such patients.

During the preparation of the menu, the general state of the diabetic is taken into account. Pregnant and lactating women, teenagers and debilitated patients need protein intake. If the patient has kidney or liver failure, ketoacidosis, protein intake is reduced.

Don't forget about other nutrients that are involved in metabolism: vitamins, zinc, copper, manganese. Due to the tendency of patients to pathologies of the cardiovascular system, the salt content in the dishes is reduced.

Sample menu for a week

Monday

• breakfast: buckwheat porridge, buttered protein bran bread, tea;
• snack: coleslaw with egg;
• lunch: chicken soup, vegetable salad with herbs, green beans with white meat cutlet, jam, diabetic rye bread;
• afternoon snack: bread with yogurt;
• dinner: steamed zrazy with fish, rye bread, vegetable salad;
• snack: fermented milk drink.

third

• breakfast: oatmeal, peas bread with butter, tea;
• snack: parsley, onion and mushroom salad;
• lunch: pea soup, roast chicken with vegetables, vegetable salad, wholegrain bread, drink;
• afternoon snack: fermented boiled milk with biscuits;
• dinner: fish cooked with vegetables, wholemeal bread, juice;
• snack: yogurt.

Wednesday

• breakfast: "Artek" porridge, protein bran bread with butter, coffee;
• snack: celery, apple and carrot salad;
• lunch: borscht, steamed buckwheat porridge, sauerkraut salad, protein bran bread, jam;
• afternoon snack: cottage cheese with fruit;
• dinner: bigos with sauerkraut and meat, protein bran bread, juice;
• snack: baked apple.

Thursday

• breakfast: eggs, rye bread with butter, tea;
• snack: cottage cheese with yogurt;
• lunch: green borscht, roasted eggplant with meat, tomato salad with low-fat cream, rye bread, jam;
• afternoon snack: curd pudding with tea;
• dinner: beef stew with vegetables, rye bread, drink;
• snack: bread with kefir.

Friday

• breakfast: barley porridge, brown bread with butter, tea (chicory, coffee);
• snack: fruit salad with yogurt;
• lunch: fish soup, fish cutlet with vegetable garnish, pepper and cucumber salad, wholemeal bread, citrus drink;
• afternoon snack: bread and milk;
• dinner: steam cutlet with milk sauce, porridge, wholemeal bread, lemonade;
• snack: fruit.

Saturday

• breakfast: omelet with veal, protein bran bread with cheese, tea;
• snack: cottage cheese with berries;
• lunch: mushroom soup, porridge with cooked (roasted) meat, canned peas with onion and herbs, protein bran bread, jam;
• afternoon snack: oat biscuits with fermented milk in the oven;
• dinner: zucchini stuffed with meat, porridge, protein bran bread, a drink;
• snack: fermented boiled milk.

Sunday

• breakfast: brown rice with minced meat and cabbage (cabbage rolls), rye bread with butter, tea;
• snack: bread with yogurt;
• lunch: soup with meatballs, chicken omelet, red cabbage salad, rye bread, drink;
• afternoon snack: kefir with cookies;
• dinner: fish cakes, baked potatoes, rye bread, drinks;
• snack: biscuit with milk.

The experimental menu is created by a nutritionist. In the future, the diabetic person supplements the diet, following the doctor's recommendations.

Ready Meals for Diabetics

To eat properly with diabetes mellitus, you need to expend a lot of time and effort. Most diabetics simply don't have time to compose the menu and prepare food properly, so now I'd like to talk about the company Cryodieta, which helps make life easier for people with diabetes.

Cryodieta is a ready-made and tasty food delivery service not only for diabetics, but also for people who want to lose weight. The menu was prepared by competent experts - nutritionists and doctors.

Thanks to the use of a special "shock freezing" technology, all you need to do is heat food in the microwave or in the multi-purpose oven and make a tasty meal. At the same time, freezing retains all the nutrients.

The main advantages of "Cryodiet":

• production of products in an ecologically clean area of the Novgorod region;
• delivery without delay in person;
• variety of food;
• shock freezing (keeps food free of preservatives);
• more affordable prices compared to competitors.

Examples of dishes

A diabetic takeaway service operates in major cities, so if you want to eat a healthy diet and not spend a lot of time on it, order a weekly menu on the official website.

Sugar substitutes

So that patients do not suffer from a lack of sweets, sweeteners can be added to dishes. They are divided into three groups:

1. Carbohydrates - fructose, sorbose, xylitol, sorbitol, molasses.
2. Protein sweeteners - miraculin, monelin.
3. Synthetic - aspartame, sodium cyclamate.

Endocrinologists recommend using the natural sweetener stevia. Its leaves contain a complex of glycosides, which is 200 times sweeter than sugar. The sweetener is beneficial for obesity, high cholesterol and high blood sugar. Due to its ability to normalize metabolism, stevia helps restore the liver's anti-toxic function.

Plant glycosides boost immunity, reduce sugar levels and have a beneficial effect on the digestive and endocrine systems. Drinks containing stevia extract correct cravings for sugary and fatty foods and help shed those extra pounds.

High blood sugar is not a death sentence for patients if you learn to diet and use healthy sweets instead of sugar. Also, don't forget about the mandatory consultation with an endocrinologist.