How To Diet For Diabetes Type 2

By: Christy Miller

Break Studios Contributing Writer

Since most of the people who have diabetes have type 2 diabetes, it is important to know how to diet for type 2 diabetes. Taking the time to follow a diet for type 2 diabetes can help a diabetic live a longer and healthier life. Following a few  simple steps when dieting for type 2 diabetes will help keep the disease under control.

  1. Plan meals. One of the biggest reasons people can't follow a diet for type 2 diabetes is, because they don't plan their meals. When busy people don't plan their meals, they tend to grab foods that are not good for their type 2 diabetes diet. Planning meals ahead of time will help ensure that people with type 2 diabetes eat the right types and right amounts of food.
  2. Eat three to five servings of vegetables a day.  Eating a variety of vegetables everyday is good for almost everyone, but it is particularly important for people who have type 2 diabetes. People, who have type 2 diabetes especially need to eat vegetables that have an intense or dark green color. Vegetables in a diet for type 2 diabetes should not included any added fat or salt. These vegetables provided diabetics with powerful antioxidants that their bodies need.
  3. Eat two to four servings of fruits each day. These servings should come mainly from actual fruits and not fruit juices. If a person with type 2 diabetes does drink any fruit juice it should be juice that does not contain any added sweeteners. Having fruits as part of a diet for type 2 diabetes is important, because fruits give the body fiber that it needs.
  4. Eat around six servings of grains a day. The exact amount of servings of grains a diabetic should have varies depending on their situation. It is important to that a diet for type 2 diabetes to consist of whole grains. Whole grain foods include bran cereal, whole wheat bread, and brown rice. These whole rain foods are rich is essential vitamins and minerals.
  5. Eat two to three servings of lean meat and fish a day. Fish and poultry are a good source of protein for people who are on a type 2 diabetes diet. Any skin or fat should be removed the poultry before eating it. Lean cuts of meat are better for a type 2 diabetes diet than fattier meats. Baking or broiling the meat is a much better option than frying meats.
  6. Eat two to three servings of low fat or non fat dairy products a day. When eating yogurt, choose yogurt that has no sugar or artificial sweetener added to it. Low fat or nonfat cheese is another good source of dairy. People on a type 2 diabetes diet need to remember that if they drink a glass of low fat or fat free milk that it counts as one of their dairy servings for the day.
Posted on: Aug. 20, 2010