Food Groups and Proper Calories

Diabetic DietA diabetic diet is a meal plan that is individualized and carefully calculated based on that person’s personal calorie needs.  The amount of calories needed per day is determined by factoring in many aspects of a diabetic’s current state of health—including weight, age, any other medical conditions they have.  After the correct amount of calories needed per day is determined, a diabetic diet becomes a matter of selecting foods from all major food groups, sticking with the correct sized portions and following scheduled times for food intake.  Following a personalized diabetic diet to maintain one’s metabolism throughout the day is paramount to managing diabetes.

It’s important to understand that every diabetic needs their own individualized diet.  Unlike other diets, a diabetic diet does not mean simply following a bunch of special recipes and limiting the intake of certain foods or avoiding other foods altogether.  Diabetic diets are calculated specifically to meet the calorie needs of that individual.  Additionally, diabetic diets require adherence to meal schedules.  It is by eating the right foods and the right amounts of each food throughout the day that helps keep a balanced metabolism.   Diabetic diets also include snacks during the day to help keep a correct sugar level.

Diet and Medication Play a Role Together


For people with Type 2 diabetes a diabetic diet is the main way of treating and managing diabetes.  People with Type 1 diabetes need the added assistance of prescribed insulin but they also must adhere to their individualized diets to remain healthy.   The diets are based on true calorie amounts.  Calories are basically energy units produced from food eaten.  The energy produced by calories is continuously used by the body in many ways, including helping to maintain the correct body temperature.  Too few or too many calories affect the metabolism which includes the body’s ability to maintain the proper glucose level.  This is why it is important for diabetics to intake the correct amount of calories for them per day.

The amount of calories a diabetic needs per day is based on that person’s optimal weight, their levels of activity and any other medical conditions they may have such as a thyroid disorder.  Optimum weight (a person’s ideal weight) is calculated based on age, sex, and the individual’s height.  Once the optimal weight is determined, a doctor or professional dietician can add in other factors into the equation to decide the amount of calories an individual needs per day.

All other medical conditions are considered into the amount of calories needed per day because of their effects on the body.  While some medical conditions slow down physical processes, other conditions speed them up and so the amount of calories needed by an individual must be adjusted to accommodate any other physical problems that person has.

Daily activity levels are also factored in the calorie equation, including activities on a job.  For example, people in a low activity position such as sitting at a computer all day are bound to need fewer calories than a landscaper who is engaged in physical activity for most of the day.

Daily Calories and Food Groups

To meet daily calorie requirements, foods are chosen from all the major food groups.  Each type of food (whether it is a meat, vegetable, fruit, etc…) belongs to a specific food group such as Proteins, Carbohydrates, etc…  Additionally, each food group is allotted a specific percentage of a diabetic’s total daily calorie intake.  Below is a basic breakdown of the allotted percentage of calories per food group in a diabetic diet:

  • 10% to 20% of the total daily calorie intake should be Proteins.
  • 50%-60% of the total daily calorie intake should be Carbohydrates.
  • 30% or less of the total daily calorie intake should be Fat & Cholesterol.
  • Fibers are not absorbed by the body and so they are not counted in the total daily intake of calories.

Every type of food has a known amount of calories per gram that has been scientifically, and therefore, reliably determined.    However, there is no need to memorize the amount of calories per gram in each type of food.  Food charts are available to refer to; the charts list specific foods such as beef, apples or beans and their known calories per gram.  Many of the food charts also state which food group the food belongs too, but if not, separate charts showing the food groups are available.

Though it does take calculations to determine the correct sized portions of calories needed per day and one needs to be mindful of the total calorie intake per day, not all calculations need to be repeated daily.  For instance, once the amount of daily calories needed per day is calculated, that is done unless something in your health changes. Then, once you have determined the amount of calories per food group daily, which is based on the percentage allowed for each group (Proteins, Fats, etc…) that too is done.  What you do have to calculate daily is amount of grams per serving of your choices from each of the food groups when you are preparing meals.  Each type of food is carefully weighed on a diabetic scale to determine the correct sized portion.

Conclusion

A diabetic diet is part of the treatment plan for all diabetics and many are able to manage their diabetes simply by faithfully following their diet.  Diabetic diets include adherence to three meals a day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and any snacks in between with special attention to the total daily intake of calories.  Since it is the combination of many factors that determines the amount of calories a person needs per day, each diabetic needs their own individualized diet.