HEALTHY EATING What can I eat? Diabetes education classes can assist people with diabetes in gaining knowledge about the effect of food on blood glucose, sources of carbohydrates and fat, appropriate meal planning and resources to assist in making food choices. Skills taught include reading labels, planning and preparing meals, measuring foods for portion control, fat control and carbohydrate counting. Barriers, such as environmental triggers and emotional, financial, and cultural factors, are also addressed.

1. Healthy
Eating
Washington Association of Diabetes Educators
www.DiabetesAnswers.org or www.WADEpage.org

2. Make healthy food Choices
Instead of this Try this

3. NUTRIENTS NEEDED DAILY
 Carbohydrates*
 Protein*
 Fat*
 Minerals
 Vitamins
 Water

4. Protein
 Meat
 Cheese
 Legumes
 Milk
 Nuts
 Need: .8 grams/kg weight

5. Fat….beware
 Saturated fatty acids (bad for your heart)
 animal fats and coconut fat
 solid at room temp
 Polyunsaturated fatty acids (better for heart)
 liquid fat at room temperature
 Trans fatty acids (bad for heart)
 margarines and commercial products
 check labels

6. Omega 3 and 6 (why it
matters)
Omega 6 Fatty Acids Omega 3 Fatty Acids
Safflower oil Canola oil, soybean oil EPA/
Corn Oil DHA
Flaxseed
Salad Dressings
Salmon, tuna, mackerel,
Margarines sardines
Eggs labeled with omega
three fatty acids
Decreases serum
triglycerides
AHA suggests fish twice/
week
(lower risk of MI)

7. Carbohydrates
 Sugar
 Starch
 Fiber
 15 grams/serving

8. Total Carbohydrates Count
Carbohydrates give you energy
But too much can raise your blood
sugar above target

9. How Many Carbs???
45-60 grams per meal
*or 3-4 carb servings
15-30 grams per snack
*2-3 carb servings
Be ‘carbohydrate aware’
*helps make sense of blood sugar numbers
21-30 grams fiber/day

10. More tips
Try:
New recipes low in fat and high in fiber
Low-fat or fat free foods (but check
carbohydrate content)
Fresh fruits and vegetables

11. Create Your Plate

12. Control Portions

13. Tips for Healthy Eating
Eat at least three meals a day
If you use insulin or some oral diabetes
medications:
Eat meals at about the same time
Eat about the same amount at each meal
Avoid skipping meals

14. Food Label

15. Calories
 How many do we need?
 BMI
 Pay attention to serving size

16. Keeping Track
 Keep a food diary
 Use food exchanges
 Do carbohydrate counting
 Do calorie counting
 Do fat gram counting

17. Keeping Track
Using the Internet

18. What are the
recommendations?
 Fat:25-35% of calories
 50-75 grams (based on 2000 calories)
 Saturated Fat and Trans Fat
 No more than 15 grams combined
 Cholesterol: <200 mg/day
 Sodium: <2400 mg per day

19. Recommendations Con’t
 Potassium – need for heart health but
if have kidney disease may need to
limit
 Carbohydrate
 Typically 45-60 grams per meal or
135-180 mg/day
 Fiber: 25-30 grams per day
 Subtract fiber from CHO if >5 grams
 Protein: Depends on weight

20. Grocery Shopping

21. Grocery Shopping
 Produce
 FRUITS
 Mosthave 15
grams of CHO per
serving
 VEGETABLES
 Mosthave 5
grams of CHO per
serving

22. DAIRY
 Butter/margarine
 Cheese
 Dairy Subs
 Eggs
 Milk and Yogurt
 Ready made dough
 Cream and sour
creams

23. Dairy

24. Protein Foods
 Beef
 Chicken
 Pork
 Fish
 Lamb
 Processed meats
 Meat substitutes

25. Beef Sirloin
 Nutrition Facts Serving
Size 4 oz raw
Amount Per Serving
Calories 250 Calories
from fat 150
Total Fat 17g
Saturated Fat 7g
Cholesterol 75mg
Sodium 60mg
Total Carbohydrate 0g
Fiber 0g
Protein 22g

26. Bakery
Bagel: 67 gm of Carbohydrate
Glazed donut: 30 gm of
Carbohydrate
Equal to 13 sugar cubes

27. Canned Foods
Because of the high
fiber content only
about 15g (3 cubes
is absorbed into the
blood steam)

28. Nutrition Facts Serving
Size 1 Tbsp
Amount Per Serving
Calories 15 Calories
from fat 0
Total Fat 0g
Saturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 180mg
Total Carbohydrate 5g
Fiber 0g
Protein 0g

29. Beverages

30. MOVIE Eating Out

31. Tips for eating out
•Order an appetizer
as an entrée
•Order dressings and
sauces on the side
•Half-size portions

32. Eat This not That

33. Alcohol Safety
Use in moderation
Eat something when you drink alcohol
Avoid alcohol with some medications, ask your
pharmacist or doctor

34. Find out more
www.DiabetesAnswers.org
or..
www.WADEpage.org
Washington Association of Diabetes Educators