American Diabetic Diet

There are approximately 1 million new patients diagnosed with diabetes each year in the United States and over 200,000 deaths attributed to the disease. If you have recently been one of the patients diagnosed, you want to do everything you cannot to be one of the 200,000 reported casualties. For this reason, you should follow a diabetic diet to keep your diabetes under control.

When buying the food that are needed for a diabetic diet, it is important to read the labels, it is especially important since most food labels show daily values based on a 2,000 calorie diet. This is higher than most diabetic diets allow for. Therefore, the values given will need to be recalculated into grams and calories and adjust that into their own diet plans.

Because diabetes is such a widespread problem in the United States, learning more about the principles of the American diabetic diet is beneficial for those who have the diseases as well as those who want to prevent developing problems down the road.

Importance of American Diabetic Diet

According to the American Diabetes Association, diabetes is the fifth most deadly disease in American, affecting nearly 21 million Americans. This staggering number represents an estimated 7 percent of the United States population. Many people with diabetes are undiagnosed, and often go untreated until serious health-related problems develop.

Anyone who has diabetes or is at risk for developing diabetes is well served by following a diabetic diet. The principles of how a person with diabetes should eat in many ways echo the healthy eating habits that everyone should strive to develop, whether impacted by this disease or not.

Diabetes Food Pyramid

The American Diabetes association recommends that those observing an American diabetic diet utilize its Diabetes Food Pyramid, which differs from the USDA Food Guide Pyramid, as a guideline for planning meals.

Foods are not grouped in terms of how they are classified within a particular food group. Instead, the Diabetes Food Pyramid groups foods based on their composition in terms of carbohydrates and protein. For this reason,diabetics must develop a solid understanding of the diabetic exchange system.

Individuals who utilize this pyramid to guide their food choices will consume approximately 1,600 to 2,800 calories each day, depending on the number of servings consumed.

Pyramid Recommendations Beans, grains, and starches (6 – 11 servings daily) Vegetables (3 – 5 servings daily) Fruit (2 – 4 servings daily) Dairy (2 – 3 servings daily) Meats, Meat Substitutes, and Proteins (4 – 6 ounces per day) Oils, Fats, Sweets, Alcohol (consume only in small quantities – consider them treats) Other Factors to Consider

The food pyramid doesn’t paint a complete picture of the best American diabetic diet. There are several other factors to consider when eating to control or prevent this disease.

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