What is a Diabetic Diet?

Monday, May 18, 2009

For a diabetic a diabetic diet is very important to managing their condition, and in some cases even working towards reversing it. If you're a diabetic then it's wise to cut the amount of fats and carbohydrates you consume.

Before discussing the diabetic diet it's important to understand the two types of diabetes
. There is the more common type II, or adult onset diabetes, as well as Type I or juvenile diabetes. Type I diabetics suffer because their bodies don't produce insulin, while Type II diabetics suffer because their cells don't absorb insulin. A diabetic diet addresses both types, but type II can actually be avoided or reversed with the proper diet.

The diabetic diet revolves around maintaining an ideal body weight. There is a simple rule of thumb to establish this ideal body weight. In women add five pounds to 100 for every inch above five feet, and subtract five pounds from 100 for every inch under five feet. At 5'6” a woman's ideal body weight is 130. Men add 6 pounds to 106 for every inch over 5 feet tall. So for a 6 foot tall man ideal weight would be 178 pounds.

The ideal formula for a diabetic diet varies, but there are some common basics. For type I diabetics, the ideal diet includes about 16 calories per pound. As an example, someone who weighs 170 pounds would eat 2720 calories daily. Type II people should lose weight by eating as little as 1500 calories daily, then refer to the type I formula to maintain ideal weight.

Carbohydrates account for about 50% of the calories consumed in a diabetic diet. It is often believed that even lower card-levels are healthier for Diabetic patients, but higher percentages of fat in the diet has its own problems. Sometimes this can be offset by substituting mono unsaturated fats and polyunsaturated fats in the place of saturated fats.

Dan Carlin

Please visit my website to find out more about the diabetic diet and weight loss - you can also download your 3 FREE fat busting reports
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