Having lived with diabetes for over 15 years, I know first-hand how difficult it can be to achieve and maintain blood glucose control with good lifestyle habits, especially when all my resistance crumbles when tempted with delicious food.

There are different types of diabetes, and no two people with diabetes are the same. So, there really isn’t a one-size-fits-all diabetes diet for everyone with diabetes. 

What does eating right mean for you?

If you have Type 1 diabetes, carb counting is really important to keep your blood glucose levels steady. This is where you estimate how many carbs are in your meal and match it with how much insulin you need to take. Start reading labels and familiarise yourself with apps that help estimate the carbs in the portion of foods you are eating.

If you have Type 2 and you are overweight, losing weight can help to lower your blood glucose and reduce your risk of other complications, and losing substantial weight can possibly even lead to your doctor taking you off diabetes medication and managing your diabetes with diet and exercise alone. There are many different ways of doing this but you need to choose a diet strategy that you think you’ll be able to sustain long-term so that you don’t regain all of the weight.

Whether you have Type 1 or 2, you might need to lose, gain or maintain your current weight but it’s important to make healthier food choices while you’re doing this.

Portion sizes are important to think about. It makes calculating nutritional facts when you’re carb counting or managing your weight a lot easier. Remember, portion sizes are different for everyone, so what’s right for someone else might not be right for you.

If you feel overwhelmed about food and diabetes, we hope this AtoZ of Healthy Eating will help you. After all knowledge is power.

Cheers to better blood glucose!

Tammy Jardine
Registered Dietitian

DISCLAIMER – PLEASE NOTE: 

The views expressed in Diabetes Focus do not necessarily reflect the policy of Diabetes South Africa nor that of the publishers and their contributors. The information contained in this publication has been approved by Diabetes South Africa. Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that the information is correct, neither Word for Word Media nor Diabetes South Africa, can be held responsible for any errors or omission.

DSA and the publishers, Word for Word Media, advise that you consult with a healthcare professional or registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet, especially if you have diabetes.