6 Healthy Eating Habits for People With Diabetes

1. Variety Is the Spice of Life

Goal: Eat a variety of foods within and among the basic food groups while you stay within your calorie needs.

Which Means … Make your calories count! Choose foods packed with vitamins and minerals. Don’t use up your calories on foods with added fats and sugars.

2. Take Control of Your Calories

Goal: Control the number of calories you eat in order to reach or remain at a healthy body weight. 
Which Means … Aim always for a healthy body weight. To achieve and maintain a healthy body weight, eat only the calories you will burn every day. If your weight is creeping up, shave off calories by choosing healthier foods — and burn more calories with physical activity.

3. Fortify Yourself

Goal: Increase the amount of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products you eat each day. 
Which Means … These foods provide essential vitamins and minerals to keep your body functioning properly. Choose more of these healthy low-fat foods to get the vitamins and minerals you need.

4. Be Picky About Your Fats

Goal: Choose fats wisely for good health. 
Which Means … Keep the amount of saturated fat and trans fat you eat low. Choose healthier fats and oils — those with mainly monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These include nuts, olive oil and canola oil.

5. Be Careful About Carbs

Goal: Choose carbohydrates wisely for good health. 
Which Means … Get about half the calories you eat every day from healthy carbohydrates. This means whole grains, legumes, dried beans, fruits, vegetables and low-fat dairy foods. Eat fewer processed foods and fewer foods made with added sugars and fats.

6. Hold the Salt

Goal: Choose and prepare foods with little salt. 
Which Means … Limit your sodium intake to no more than 2,300 milligrams a day by eating fewer processed and prepared foods and not seasoning with salt when you cook and eat. Note: Did you know that just 1 teaspoon of salt contains 2,300 milligrams of sodium? 

Adapted from Real-Life Guide to Diabetes , by Hope S. Warshaw, MMSc., RD, CDE, and Joy Pape, R.N., BSN,  CDE. Reprinted with permission from The American Diabetes Association.

Article courtesy of Parade.com