Michelle Bravo, diabetes educator at the Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Diabetes Center, talks about the basics of good nutrition for people with diabetes.
When you were diagnosed with diabetes, one of your first questions probably was: What should I eat? An excellent question, because more than any other health problem, diabetes requires careful attention to your diet, including what foods you choose and how much and when you eat them. Here is some nutritional information you’ll want to know and share with your friends with diabetes.
Q. Nutrition guidelines recommend specific amounts of carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. I feel like I need to plan every meal with a kitchen scale and calculator. Is there a simpler way to get the right portions and mix of nutrients?
A. “Mealtime should not be stressful,” says nutritionist Michelle Bravo, R.D., L.D.N., a diabetes educator at the Johns Hopkins Comprehensive Diabetes Center. To simplify meal planning, Bravo recommends meeting with a registered dietitian to develop a dietary plan that meets your needs.
If you have type 1 diabetes, getting the right amount of carbohydrates will be a big concern. If you have type 2 diabetes, you might need to lose a few pounds, so limiting calories will be a priority. Limiting the amount of saturated fat and cholesterol is important, too, because type 1 and type 2 diabetes increase the risk of heart disease.
Instead of weighing or measuring food and crunching numbers when you plan meals, a dietitian can show you how to control your intake of carbohydrates, calories, and fat by visualizing portions. For instance, one serving of cooked pasta is the size of an ice cream scoop, a serving of meat is no bigger than a deck of cards, and a serving of butter resembles one die.
Q. Should I use meal-replacement shakes or bars to lose or control my weight if I have diabetes? What advantages or disadvantages do they offer?
A. Meal preparation doesn’t get much easier than grabbing a chilled can from the fridge, stirring a packet of powder in a glass of water, or unwrapping a meal bar. Meal-replacement products eliminate guesswork, too. Their labels tell you exactly how many calories and what nutrients they contain.
However, some people find these products too chalky or chewy. More important, some say that meal-replacement shakes and bars don't satisfy their appetite as well as regular food, and they end up snacking between meals to quell the hunger. So if you have no problem with the taste and texture of meal replacement products and they satisfy your hunger, feel free to use them as a weight-control tool.
