A meal plan tells you when and how much to eat to provide the nourishment you need while staying within your goal blood sugar range. A smart meal plan will take into account your objectives, preferences, and lifestyle, as well as any medications you're taking.
A healthy meal plan includes the following:
· Broccoli,
spinach and green beans are examples of non-starchy vegetables.
· Include
fewer added sugars and refined grains with less than 2 grams of fiber per
serving, such as white bread, rice, and pasta.
· As much
as possible, focus on whole foods rather than heavily processed foods external
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Carbohydrates in your meals cause your blood sugar to rise.
The amount of time it takes for carbs to boost your blood sugar depends on the
food and what you consume with it. Drinking fruit juice, for example, boosts
blood sugar faster than eating whole fruit. When you combine carbohydrates with
foods that contain protein, fat, or fiber, your blood sugar climbs more slowly.
To avoid high or low blood sugar levels, plan for regular,
well-balanced meals. It's a good idea to eat around the same quantity of carbs
at each meal. Counting carbohydrates and utilizing the plate approach are two
popular methods for making meal planning easier.
Keeping Track of Carbs
Keeping note of how many carbs you consume and setting a
limit for each meal will help you stay within your goal blood sugar range.
Consult your doctor or a qualified dietitian to determine how much carbs you
can consume per day and per meal, and then look over this list of typical
carb-containing foods and serving sizes. See Carb Counting for more details.
The
Plate Technique
It's all too easy to consume more than you require without
even recognizing it. The plate technique is a straightforward, visual technique
to ensure that you consume enough no starchy veggies and lean protein while
reducing your intake of higher-carb meals that have the greatest impact on your
blood sugar.
Begin with a 9-inch dinner plate (about the size of a business envelope):
· Salad,
green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, and carrots can be used to fill
half of the bowl.
· One a quarter should be filled with a lean protein such as chicken, turkey, beans, tofu,
or eggs.
· Fill
one-quarter of your plate with carbohydrate-rich meals. Grain, starchy
vegetables (such as potatoes and peas), rice, pasta, beans, fruit, and yogurt
are all high in carbohydrates. A cup of milk is also a carbohydrate food.
Then, to accompany your meal, drink water or a low-calorie beverage such as unsweetened iced tea.
The Portion Sizes
The size of a portion and the size of a serving are not
necessarily the same.
A serving is a set
amount of food, such as one slice of bread or 8 ounces (1 cup) of milk, whereas
a portion is the amount of food you choose to eat at one time.
Restaurant portions are now far greater than they were a few
years ago. One entrée might serve three or four people! People prefer to eat
more when they are provided more food, according to studies, thus portion
control is critical for weight and blood sugar management.
If you're eating out, pack half of your meal to take home so
you may consume it later. Measure out snacks at home; don't consume them
directly from the bag or box. Keep the serving bowls out of reach at dinnertime
to avoid the temptation to go back for seconds. And, thanks to this
"useful" guidance, you'll always be able to estimate portion sizes:
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