Nutrition means eating well-balanced meals. A healthy diet along with exercise and medications (insulin or oral diabetes pills) is important for good diabetes control.

Good diabetes control means keeping your blood-sugar level (also called blood glucose) as close to normal (non-diabetic level) as possible. Eating healthy foods in the right amounts enables you to keep a healthy weight, which helps control your blood cholesterol and lower your blood pressure.

There isn't one "diabetes diet”. People with diabetes have the same nutritional needs as anyone else. It is better to work with your GP, or a dietician to design a meal plan. A meal plan is a guide that tells you how much and what kinds of food you can choose at meals and snack time.

A healthy diet for people with diabetes (as for anyone else) consists of

• 40% to 60% of calories from carbohydrates,
• 20% from protein and
• 30% or less from fat.

Only the portion size needs to be limited to keep a diet balanced. The goal of a diabetes diet or meal plan is to balance types and amounts of food so that blood glucose levels are controlled. Good nutrition means eating a variety of different foods to get the energy, vitamins and minerals your body needs.

Food is divided into four main groups. These are:

• Fruits and vegetables
• Whole grains, cereals, and bread (wheat, rice, oats, bran, and barley)
• Dairy products (whole or skim milk, cream, and yogurt)
• Meats, fish, poultry, eggs, dried beans, and nuts.

It's important to eat foods from each group every day. By doing that, you will make sure that your body gets all the nutrients it needs.

What And How Much Should You Eat?

In general, at each meal you may have 2 to 5 servings (or up to 60 grams) of carbohydrates, 1 serving of protein and a little bit of fat. Consult your GP or dietitian for specific advice.

Carbohydrates: are found in fruits, vegetables, beans, dairy foods and starchy foods such as breads. Eat fresh fruits and vegetables (fresh or frozen) natural fruit juices (with no added sugar) or dried fruit.

Dressings such as nonfat mayonnaise, ketchup and mustard are also carbohydrates. Vegetables are healthy for everyone, including people with diabetes. Eat raw and cooked vegetables every day. Vegetables give you vitamins, minerals, and fibre, with very few calories.. You can steam vegetables using a little water or broth.

To make vegetables tastier mix in some chopped onion or garlic, add a little vinegar or some lemon juice. Make a vegetable salad taste great by adding a little bit of smoked chicken or turkey. Sprinkle with herbs and spices.

Eat one or two servings of fruit at a meal. Fruit gives you energy, vitamins, minerals and fibre. Fruits should be eaten raw without adding any sugar, canned in their own juice or dried. Eat whole fruit rather than drinking fruit juice, as it is more filling.

Eat some starches at each meal. Starches are bread, grains, cereal, pasta, or starchy vegetables. It is generally believed that diabetic people should not to eat starch, but that is no longer correct advice. Eating starches is healthy for everyone, including people with diabetes.

Starches are necessary for getting energy, vitamins and minerals, and fibre. Whole grain starches are healthier because they have more vitamins, minerals, and fibre. Fibre is essential for regular bowel movements.

Protein: is found in meat, poultry, fish, dairy products, beans and some vegetables. Eat small amounts of these foods each day. Proteins help your body build tissue and muscles. They also give you vitamins and minerals. Try to eat poultry and fish more often than red meat.

Try to avoid deep fried foods, mayonnaise-based dishes (unless they are made with fat-free mayo), egg yolks, bacon and high-fat dairy products. Your dietitian will tell you how many grams of fat you may eat each day. When eating fat-free versions of foods (like mayonnaise and butter), check the label to see how many grams of carbohydrates they contain. (Keep in mind that these products also often have added sugar).

Remove fat from beef, pork, ham, and lamb. Eat chicken or turkey without the skin. Cook protein foods in low-fat ways: Broil, grill, stir-fry (with very little oil), roast, steam, stew. Improve flavor by adding vinegar, low fat salsa, lemon juice, or herb and spices. Boil or poach eggs or cook with very small amount of fat. Eat small amounts of nuts, peanut butter, fried chicken or shellfish because they are high in fat.

Fat is also a nutrient, and you need some fat in your diet. But too much fat or cholesterol is not good for anyone and can be especially harmful to people with diabetes who have a greater risk of developing heart disease or hardening of arteries

Eat small amounts of fats and oils because they are high in calories. Some fats and oils may contain saturated fats and cholesterol that are not good for you. You also get fat from other foods such as red meats and some dairy products (whole milk, cream, cheese, and ice cream), egg yolks, butter, salad dressings and most desserts. Limit the number of eggs you eat to three or four a week and choose liver only now and then. Cutting down on high-fat food will help you lose weight, keep your blood sugar and blood fats under control, and lower your blood pressure