The Three Main Food Plans for diabetics:
Diabetics use the counting carbs plan, the exchange plan and the continuous carbohydrate plan to manage their diabetes. Are diabetes meal plans necessary? Having food plans allows you to know the food you eat as well as keep having the same quantity of carbs, fats and proteins in all your meals; and in this manner, you know the effects the foods have on your blood glucose. This knowledge leads to better control of the levels of blood glucose. Knowing what carbohydrates can do to blood glucose is necessary to persons suffering from type one or type two diabetes.
Before Starting on the plans:
For the diabetics, of all the foods eaten, carbohydrates need your attention the most because they have an immediate influence on your blood sugar after consuming them. The three food plans given below assist you to have the right amount of carbohydrates for each meal. You are told in every plan that a carbohydrate choice is equivalent to 15g of it. Since it is difficult to imagine how much that is, a dietitian’s help is required. Fortunately, practically all food labels give nutrition facts. Help can also available on the internet.
Counting Carbohydrates Food Plan:
This food plan is more flexible as it concentrates only on carbohydrates which affects your levels of blood sugar quickly. Insulin then acts on the carbohydrates to convert them into energy. You make sure your insulin dosage is right for the quantity of carbohydrates in a particular meal. Your medical practitioner or dietitian, using their knowledge of your body’s reaction to carbohydrates, will calculate the insulin you need for every gram of consumed carbohydrates. To calculate the insulin needed, keeping track as well as blood glucose testing are necessary to know the effect carbohydrates have on your blood glucose.
Exchange Meal Plan:
Food in this plan is categorized into starches, vegetables, fruits, milk, fats and meat. The given serving sizes contain almost the same quantity of proteins, calories, fats and carbohydrates. A food list is shown to assist you to know the category your food is in. The reason it is known as the exchange plan is that it gives you the choice to exchange a particular food given in its list for another similar food. For instance: an English muffin can be exchanged with a 3/4 cup of breakfast cereal. Your dietitian can provide you with such an exchange food list. They are also available on the internet or in books.
Constant Carbohydrate Food Plan:
Since this food plan is more user-friendly, it becomes the favorite among diabetics who have just started on such food plans. All that is needed is to focus on the carbohydrates in your meals. Your medical practitioner or a dietitian can assist you to determine how much carbohydrates you ought to consume each day. Medications and insulin doses usually are not changed. Meals, exercise routines and the amount of carbohydrates eaten each day are unchanged.
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In conclusion:
Regardless of the diabetes meal plan you choose, it is important to test your blood sugar frequently besides making records of test results and the amount of carbohydrates you consume so that your medical practitioner can know the effectiveness of your chosen meal plan as well as the schedule of your medication. This, together with one of the diabetes meal plans, can assist you to have good control of your levels of blood sugar.