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Meal times can be a struggle for people with diabetes.
Unsure of how to go about choosing their food, it is not
uncommon to witness family members or friends with diabetes
who are unable to resist their bout of "sweet-tooth" – only
to beat themselves up with guilt later on.
Indeed, people with diabetes need to be careful with their choice of food.
With a little knowledge and planning, a balanced food choice is possible. Since
eating is a favourite past-time of ours, it pays to equip ourselves on how to plan our meals.
As a rule of thumb, people with diabetes should spread their food intake evenly throughout the day.
So, instead of skipping breakfast and having an extremely heavy lunch due to hunger pangs, choose
to have 3 mid-size meals and 2 snacks in between. At night, avoid having supper. Instead, choose
a sugar-free oat beverage or chew on some biscuit-crackers.
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For those with diabetes who are still in the dark, there is such a thing known as the Diabetes Food
Pyramid that is recognised by the Malaysian Diabetes Association as a useful dietetic guide. The Pyramid
groups all foods into 6 categories.
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Below is a list of them in ascending order of amounts consumable – starting from the bottom up.
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• Grains & Starches – Eat most
Grains and starches occupy the bottom rung of the pyramid.
This means that you should eat more servings of wholemeal grains,
beans and starchy vegetables than any other foods.
Choose wheat bread instead of processed, white bread.
Starchy vegetables would refer to potatoes, peas and corns.
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• Vegetables – Eat more
All vegetables are naturally low in fat and should be included often during mealtimes.
Celery or carrot makes a healthy, low calorie snack during tea-breaks.
In addition, vegetables are full of vitamins, minerals and fibre.
This group includes spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce, cauliflower,
kale and carrots. (Starchy vegetables are already covered under Grains & Starches)
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• Fruits – Eat more
It is not true that a person with diabetes should abstain from fruits such as
watermelon and orange. Fruits contain lots of vitamins, minerals and fibre.
The key here is to take a single count of fruit as one serving of carbohydrate.
One banana is considered as one serving. Likewise, one piece of watermelon is considered as
one serving. Put simply, you can have half an orange and half a watermelon in order to
make one serving of fruit per day.
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• Milk & Dairy products – Eat moderately
This group is a good source of protein, calcium and other vitamins.
Opt for non-fat or low-fat dairy products to cut down on saturated fat.
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• Meat & Meat Substitutes – Eat moderately
This group is an excellent source of protein and it includes beef, chicken, turkey,
fish and tofu. Opt for lean meats, poultry and fish. Take away all visible fat off meat, and keep your portion small always.
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• Fats, Sweets & Alcoholic Drinks – Take least
All sweet and fried foods are high in fat and sugar. Take them in small servings or
perhaps as a treat once in a while. Potato chips, cookies, candy, cakes, desserts,
puddings and fried foods would fall under this group.
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This article is intended for reference and information purposes only.
Please consult your doctor for more information on diabetes mellitus and interpretation of blood glucose results.
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