Core Tip: Many people with diabetes simply believe: "Diet control is just eating less." In fact, this idea is unscientific. Diet therapy is a very important basic measure for patients with diabetes. Whether it is type 1 or type 2 diabetes, even patients who are already on medication or insulin, they must actively control their diet. However, many people with diabetes simply believe: "Diet control is just eating less." In fact, this idea is unscientific.
1. Fixed Nutritional Ratio The diet for diabetic patients should be based on the condition and the total daily energy expenditure to determine the total daily caloric intake of food. Then, it should be distributed in the proportion of carbohydrates accounting for 50% to 60% of total energy, fat accounting for 25% to 35% of total energy, and protein accounting for 10% to 20% of total energy. At the same time, among foods suitable for diabetic patients, strive for food diversity to avoid the deficiency of certain nutrients.
2. Fixed Staple Food After determining the total daily calories and the proportion of the three major nutrients, the total amount of staple food should be calculated, generally controlled at 200-300 grams, which is equivalent to about 250-300 grams of grain. The choice of staple food should be a mix of coarse and fine grains, and more low-glycemic index foods should be chosen. Ensuring the daily intake of coarse grains helps to stabilize postprandial blood sugar. If you eat all coarse grains today and all fine grains tomorrow, due to different glycemic indexes, it will also lead to unstable postprandial blood sugar, which is not conducive to reducing the burden on pancreatic β-cells and the treatment of diabetes.
3. Fixed Meal Times Clinically, to reduce the burden on the pancreas and allow it to secrete insulin reasonably, diabetic patients should eat at least three meals a day, and they must be regular in quantity and time according to the clinical medication situation. For patients who inject insulin, are prone to hypoglycemia, or have poor disease control, 2-3 additional meals should be added between the three main meals, but the time must be relatively fixed, otherwise it will cause blood sugar disorders.
4. Fixed Proportions for Each Meal The meals and snacks for diabetic patients should be evenly distributed, with carbohydrates, fat, and protein in each meal, and the proportions should be fixed. This can slow down the absorption of glucose and increase the release of insulin.