Diabetic Diet Food Menu – How To Use The Food Pyramid In Your Diabetic Diet Food Menu

Fri, Dec 5, 2008

When you were in grade school, you were probably taught about the food pyramid and the different food groups that it exists off. For a balanced, healthy menu it is recommended to vary your diet and follow the food serving suggestions from the pyramid. But as adults we rarely pay much attention to it all. Off course, when you are diagnosed with diabetes you need to take a refresher course on the different food groups.

Researchers have designed a food pyramid specifically for the diabetic diet food menu. Just as the normal, standard version it is divided into six food groups. The difference lies in the way the pyramids group foods together. The diabetic version lists foods of the same or similar carbohydrate content together instead of the regular version that only does food groups. This way makes it easier for diabetics to make food choices based on information that has an impact on blood glucose levels.

When you see the food pyramid for the diabetic diet, you will notice in an instance that cheese isn’t placed in the dairy group but in the meat group as a protein. The serving size is an equivalent to other proteins in the same group. Starchy vegetables, like potatoes and corn are found in the bread and grains section. They are put there because they act in a similar manner by raising blood sugars.

But you will find more differences. The actual serving sizes for example. These differences will be found especially in the bread and grains group. Because a diabetic has to monitor the carbohydrate intake at each meal, it is best to have smaller portion sizes in order to manage this.

Ask your dietician, doctor or diabetes educator for a copy of the Diabetic Food Pyramid. It works as a great reference material when you are planning your diabetic menu.