{Modifying|Changing|Altering} your Diabetic Diet for Special Occasions

{Modifying|Changing|Altering} your Diabetic Diet for Special Occasions

Birthday {celebrations|functions|get-togethers}, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and more are holidays and special

occasions that are centered on food. {Intended for|To get|Pertaining to} most people these are times to anticipate the

celebration and the eating. For a diabetic it can be {a stress filled|a nerve-racking|a demanding} time, you want to partake in

{all the|each of the} good food too but most times it is not made with a diabetic in mind. If the

frequency of these {occasions is|situations is|incidents is} not too often, you can {modify|adapt} your diet for special {events|situations}

{which means you|therefore you|so that you} too can have some of the {goodies|snacks|doggie snacks} available.

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The hardest part about preparing for a special occasion as if you do not {really know what is}

going to be {offered|dished up}. If this is {the situation|the truth}, a quick call to your host or {person hosting|host or hostess} can be made.

Virtually all people will not actually asking {particularly if} you have dietary needs that need to be

{taken into account|considered}. When you do {really know what is} being served, plan your {foods|dishes} for

that day {appropriately|consequently}. {You might want to|You might like to|You really should} have fewer {carbs|sugars|glucose} with your breakfast

and snack to make up for the extra ones you will have at {a birthday celebration|a party} where pizza is

being served.

Another option for {activities is|events is|holidays is} to offer to bring a dish for everyone to {speak|discuss} about.

Make it something that you enjoy as a treat {but nonetheless|but nevertheless|however} {comes after|employs|uses} the guidelines for your

diabetic diet.

For family favorites and traditions, be creative and look for ways to make the same dishes

with less fat or sugar. You can do this by substituting regular sugar for sugar substitutes

or choose whole wheat flour {rather than} white for the extra fiber content.

During the holidays and other {events|situations}, closely monitor your {bloodstream|blood vessels} sugars. Even with

extra care, the change in {your diet plan|your daily diet} can still {bring about|cause} a blood glucose that is too high or low.

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The Glycemic Index and Diabetic Diets

The Glycemic Index and Diabetic Diets

The glycemic index diet is one that many diabetics find useful.  The diet is based on 

assigning foods a ranking that indicates that food’s effect on blood sugar levels.  This can 

be a valuable tool for diabetics, especially ones that have been newly diagnosed as it can 

take some of the guess work out of meal planning and what foods to eat.

The glycemic index (GI) diet indicates foods that have a low GI value meaning they will 

take a longer time to have an affect on blood sugars and ones that have a higher value – 

they will act quicker to raise blood sugars.  A diabetic is still going to have to use another 

means to decide what foods to eat though – such as the food pyramid or an exchange list 

as not all items on the GI diet are as healthy as they could be.  Meaning a food that has a 

low index does not mean it is a better choice for you than some foods that are on the 

higher end of the scale.

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Using the GI diet as your sole source of meal planning is not recommended not only 

because the values are not indicative of the healthiest choice but also because not all 

foods are listed.  If you are basing your diet on this method and want to add other foods 

that do not have GI rating you are not going to be able to properly plan.  Until more 

information is researched on the diet or it is made more comprehensive it should be used 

with an approved diet for diabetics such as the exchange diet or the carbohydrate 

counting diet.

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If you want more information on how to incorporate the GI diet with your current meal 

plan, consult with your dietician or a diabetes educator.

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The Exchange Diet

The Exchange Diet

The exchange diet is a method of eating that provide diabetic with a set of guidelines 

necessary to eat healthy.  A dietician will help prepare and educate you on the exchange 

diet – the food groups and what substitutions you can make.

On the exchange diet all foods are divided into six food groups:

* Breads and other Starches

* Fruit

* Vegetables

* Dairy Foods

* Meat and Meat Substitutes

* Fats

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Your dietician will provide you with the number of servings you should have from each 

group daily and at individual meal or snack times.  Within each of the categories there are 

many food options.  Each food has a specific serving size that equals one serving, in 

cases such as fruits and vegetables you probably will not have to measure your foods but 

for meats and other groups a food scale and measuring cup is recommended.

The exchange part of the diet refers to being able to swap a food in one food group for 

another in the same group as long as you adhere to the serving suggestion.  For instance 

½ cup of cooked pasta can be exchanged for 2 rice cakes in one meal.  The list your 

dietician gives you will be pretty complete but there are bound to be items not listed.  In 

that case, you can call your dietician for advice or keep a list of items that you need to 

know the proper serving size for.

At the beginning the exchange diet may seem like a lot of work, but as time goes on and 

you become accustomed to the serving sizes of your favorite foods it will become less so.  

Proper eating habits are crucial to managing diabetes and the exchange diet is a way to 

eat a healthy balanced diet full of variety.

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Satisfying a Diabetic Sweet Tooth

Satisfying a Diabetic Sweet Tooth

Life sometimes doesn’t seem fair – you love sweets and are known for your sweet tooth 

but now that you have been diagnosed with diabetes you are afraid you can’t have them 

anymore.  This isn’t entirely true.  Yes, if you previously indulged in many sweets you 

can no longer do that (and it may be a contributing factor to way you have type 2 

diabetes).  But there are ways that you can satisfy your sweet tooth and stick to your 

diabetic diet.

Even though sugar isn’t the only reason blood sugars raise the combination of a high-

sugar item and carbohydrates are.  There are many sugar substitutes and artificial 

sweeteners that are available to purchase on their own or in sweets such as chocolate and 

hard candies.

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Another way to add sweets into your diet is to substitute them for other carbohydrates in 

a meal.  If you were planning on having a tuna salad sandwich for lunch instead of having 

the bread try eating the tuna on its own and use the saved carbohydrates on a cookie or 

two (depending on size and serving information).  This can be done with many different 

variations, but should be done in moderation – your body really will function better on 

those two pieces of whole wheat bread than it will on two chocolate chip cookies.

Speak with your dietician too.  A dietician is full of ideas and suggestion on how to 

improve your diabetic diet.  He or she may have suggestions on snacks or meals that you 

would not have considered to be sweet but can certainly satisfy your sweet tooth.  Such 

as eating a banana to satisfy a chocolate craving.  As time goes on you will begin to 

appreciate the natural sweet things in life too – such as a juicy apple or a fresh orange.  

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Protein’s Affect on Blood Sugar Levels

Protein’s Affect on Blood Sugar Levels

Much the same as fiber, eating quality protein with your snacks and meals can have a 

positive affect on your blood sugar levels.  By combining protein and carbohydrates you 

will slow the digestions of the carbohydrates in your body.  This slowing down will 

prevent your blood sugar from spiking as the result of too many carbohydrates in your 

system.

This does not mean that you should eat more protein than is recommended in one meal.  

Doing so can lead to other problems down the road.   But if you are a diabetic, skipping 

protein in your diet is not a good idea.  For diabetics who are vegetarians or that don’t eat 

a lot of any protein it is important to find a source that can be consumed on a regular 

basis.

There are many other sources of high-quality protein that does not include animal meats.  

Other protein sources can include:

* Tofu is a source of protein that can be prepared in a variety of ways including 

dessert tofu

* Nuts are an excellent source of protein but can be high in fat too.  Read nutrition 

labels and enjoy in moderation

* Seeds such as flax, pumpkin, and sunflower can be eaten as a source of protein

* Beans and other members of the legume family.  There are many ways to prepare 

beans from chili to cold salads

* Protein powders are available to sprinkle on cereals or to make into shakes for 

drinking

* Fish sources – be aware that large fish contain high levels of mercury and should 

only be eaten once or twice per week

When making protein choices, go for a lean cut whenever possible.  Even though protein 

has a positive affect on blood sugars excessive fat can cancel out the benefit and turn it 

into a health risk.  Enjoy high-fat meats or heavily processed meats on rare occasions and 

eat a wide variety of proteins.

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Protein’s Affect on Blood Sugar Levels

Protein’s Affect on Blood Sugar Levels

Much the same as fiber, eating quality protein with your snacks and meals can have a 

positive affect on your blood sugar levels.  By combining protein and carbohydrates you 

will slow the digestions of the carbohydrates in your body.  This slowing down will 

prevent your blood sugar from spiking as the result of too many carbohydrates in your 

system.

>

This does not mean that you should eat more protein than is recommended in one meal.  

Doing so can lead to other problems down the road.   But if you are a diabetic, skipping 

protein in your diet is not a good idea.  For diabetics who are vegetarians or that don’t eat 

a lot of any protein it is important to find a source that can be consumed on a regular 

basis.

There are many other sources of high-quality protein that does not include animal meats.  

Other protein sources can include:

* Tofu is a source of protein that can be prepared in a variety of ways including 

dessert tofu

* Nuts are an excellent source of protein but can be high in fat too.  Read nutrition 

labels and enjoy in moderation

* Seeds such as flax, pumpkin, and sunflower can be eaten as a source of protein

* Beans and other members of the legume family.  There are many ways to prepare 

beans from chili to cold salads

* Protein powders are available to sprinkle on cereals or to make into shakes for 

drinking

* Fish sources – be aware that large fish contain high levels of mercury and should 

only be eaten once or twice per week

When making protein choices, go for a lean cut whenever possible.  Even though protein 

has a positive affect on blood sugars excessive fat can cancel out the benefit and turn it 

into a health risk.  Enjoy high-fat meats or heavily processed meats on rare occasions and 

eat a wide variety of proteins.

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Good Carbohydrates and Bad Carbohydrates

Good Carbohydrates and Bad Carbohydrates

A lot of diabetic diets and diabetic meal planning center around carbohydrate intake – the 

amount you can have and when you should have them.  This is because they play such a 

crucial role in managing blood sugars.  Too many carbohydrates or the wrong kind can 

cause high blood sugars.  Not enough carbohydrates can cause low blood sugars or 

hypoglycemia.

It is recommended that carbohydrates make up about 40% of your daily calories, but not 

all carbohydrates are created equal.  You also need to pay attention to fat and sugar 

content.  

Here are some carbohydrate choices that should be made frequently:

* Whole grain cereals

* Whole wheat breads and rolls

* Brown rice

* Whole wheat crackers

* Raw or lightly steamed fruits and vegetables

* Whole wheat pita pockets or wraps

Carbohydrate choices that should be made less often:

* Potato chips

* White bread

* White rice

* Other foods that have been processed

* Cookies

* Easy to eat snacks

Carbohydrates are an essential part of every diet but make sure you are including the 

right kinds in yours.  Good carbohydrates will fill you up and not create a sudden spike in 

your blood sugars.  Bad carbohydrates are usually over-processed, create high blood 

sugars, create obesity and are high in sodium.

As carbohydrates are going to make up almost half of your daily food choices it is 

important to fill you body with high-quality choices.  Choose ones that will give you 

energy and not cause you to gain weight.  The less processed or refined a carbohydrate is 

the better it is going to be for you.  Even when baking, choose unbleached whole grain 

flour.  It doesn’t make a big difference in taste but it does in the quality of carbohydrate it 

creates.  Try whole grain flour in pancakes, cookies and cakes.



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