Posted on December 1, 2007
The Diabetic Food Pyramid comprises of five components. We’ll begin with the base of the pyramid and move ahead to the peak of the pyramid.
Grains and Starches
Grains and Starches form the very base of the pyramid. This category mainly consists of foods that are rich in carbohydrates like bread, cereal, rice, oats, and pasta. Starches consist of starchy vegetables like potatoes, corn and peas. You should have 6-11 servings of grains and starches as a part of your meal everyday. Its healthy to chose whole grain foods such as whole grain bread, bran cereal, brown rice, oatmeal, pasta etc. Cooked beans, lentils, peas and corn are also excellent source of fiber and energy.
Fruits and Vegetables
Fruits and Vegetables are also an integral part of the Diabetic food pyramid. Diabetics should have 3-5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. You can take vegetables in both cooked and raw forms. The colorful the vegetables the better they are. As for fruits, its better to chose whole fruits over fruit juices. Fruits have fiber. If you savor juices, make sure they are natural and free from added sweeteners and flavors. Its better to choose citrus fruits.
Meat and Others
Meats and other items such as eggs, peanut butter, tofu etc. should be limited to 2-3 servings. Its better to chose white meats like fish and poultry over red meat. Make sure the skin is removed from chicken and turkey. You can also eat red meat like beef, veal, pork or wild game once in a while if you select lean cuts. Its also better to trim all the visible fat from meat before you take. Instead of frying or adding fat, its better to bake, roast, broil, grill or boil the meats.
Milk
You should daily take 2-3 servings of milk. You can include yogurt too. Just a cup of milk and a cup of yogurt is enough. However its better to prefer low fat or non fat milk or yogurt. Packaged yogurt in the market may have added flavors and sweeteners. Make sure you don’t choose the one with added sugar.
Fats, Sweets and Alcohol
Fats, Sweets and Alcohol are at the peak of the diabetic food pyramid signifying that they should be taken in a very limited quantity. Fats like cream, cheese, butter, margarine, oil, mayonnaise, shortening should all be reduced to a 2 teaspoons per day. Its better to limit your intake of saturated fats. Sweets should be eaten carefully because they are high in fat and sugar and can elevate your blood sugar immediately. If you choose to have sweets, reduce the serving size to just a ½ cup or a small piece. Make them a part of your diet and don’t eat them as extras. It is always better to limit the amount of alcohol to a safe amount approved by your doctor.
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