According to the American Diabetes Association, 23.6 million people in the United States have diabetes. Monitoring blood sugar levels is extremely important because blood sugar levels that are too high can result in hyperglycemia. Below you will find tips and some ideas for foods that you can use when creating your seven-day diabetic meal plan.
Glycemic Index
According to the American Diabetes Association, the glycemic index (GI) measures how foods affect blood glucose levels. Foods containing carbohydrates are given a rating from 1 to 100 with glucose being 100. When planning your seven-day diabetic meal plan, you should pick foods that have a low GI rating. Try to stay with foods that have a GI rating of under 40 and avoid foods that have a GI rating of over 50.
Vegetables
Vegetables have extremely low GI ratings, which can help to control blood glucose levels. For example, tomatoes have a GI rating of 15, broccoli 10, lettuce 10 and carrots 16. When creating a seven-day diabetic meal plan, try to incorporate lots of salads into your diet. Vegetables do not only have a low GI rating, but they also have extremely high levels of fiber. Foods that are high in fiber are also filling, which reduces feelings of hunger throughout the day.
Fruits
Fruits have slightly higher GI ratings than vegetables, but their great for when you need a boost of energy. For example, cherries have a GI rating of 22, plums 24, and peaches 28. However, there are some fruits that have higher GI ratings and should be eaten less frequently. For example, watermelon has a GI rating of 80 and dates have a GI rating of 103. Fruit salads should be incorporate into a seven-day diabetic meal plan, but make sure to stick to fruits with a low GI rating.
Dairy
When creating a seven-day diabetic meal plan, you should also try and include some dairy products. Most dairy products have a relatively low GI rating. For example, whole milk has a GI rating of 32, sweetened yogurt 33 and artificially sweetened yogurt 23. Dairy products are also extremely healthy for you because they contain large quantities of protein. However, be sure to avoid ice cream, which is one dairy product that has a GI rating of 62. These are three food groups that you should focus on when creating a seven-day diabetic meal plan. Vegetable salads, fruit salads, fruit smoothies and yogurts are all great alternatives to foods that have high GI ratings.
