Healthy eating habits and attention to nutrition is important for everyone, however it is even more important for the elderly that have diabetes. Millcreek Home Health and Hospice understands that you or a loved one might not know what the ADA diet is about, so here is more information on what food groups a diabetic can choose from for a healthy diet. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends an ADA diet that is suitable for diabetics. The ADA diet provides a nutrition guideline to help a diabetic person eat vitamin and mineral rich foods that a healthy body needs.
The ADA recommends the following diet guidelines for a diabetic person:
Food Group One: Proteins, which include meats, eggs, fish, poultry, nuts and dried beans
Food Group Two: Dairy products such as low fat milk, skim milk, cottage cheese & yogurt
Food Group Three: Breads, whole grains and cereals
Food Group Four: Vegetables and fruits
Your body should receive all of the nutrients it needs to function and be healthy by following the ADA diet. Each food group of the ADA diet has components that healthy bodies need such as carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats.
Carbohydrates are used to create energy for your body. But you should identify what "good carbs" are and what carbohydrates to limit or avoid. Good carbohydrates come from foods such as: whole grains, cereals, beans and lentils. When the body breaks these good carbohydrates down, sugar is produced; so diabetics should take this into consideration as they calculate their carbohydrate intake.
Proteins are another source of energy for the body and are a critical part of the body's growth. Proteins can help maintain steady blood glucose levels. When diabetics have low blood glucose level, eating a carbohydrate and a protein is recommended. The carbohydrate gives the body with the sugar which raises the blood glucose level. The protein will help maintain a steady blood sugar level. So carbohydrates and proteins work together in the ADA diet for diabetics.
Another recommendation from the ADA is to include foods that are high in fiber such as whole grains and beans. These foods can help reduce high blood-fat as well as reduce high blood glucose levels.
The ADA diet does have healthy fat as part of their diet, however keep in mind that there are healthy fats. Fats of any kind should be included in a person's diet in the right proportions. The ADA diet recommends that lean cuts of meat, flax seed oil or olive oil can be used as examples of healthy fats.
Here are other tips from the ADA diet guidelines that diabetics should follow:
- When cooking chicken, remove the skin.
- Use skim or low-fat milk
- Choose low sodium content foods
- Read nutrition labels and check sodium, fat and carbohydrate amounts
- Eliminate table sugar, sugar coated cereals, canned soda & alcoholic beverages
If you have questions about the ADA diet for senior citizen diabetics, please feel free to contact a Millcreek Home Health and Hospice staff member. Diabetics can eat right and be healthy by following the ADA diet.
The ADA recommends the following diet guidelines for a diabetic person:
Food Group One: Proteins, which include meats, eggs, fish, poultry, nuts and dried beans
Food Group Two: Dairy products such as low fat milk, skim milk, cottage cheese & yogurt
Food Group Three: Breads, whole grains and cereals
Food Group Four: Vegetables and fruits
Your body should receive all of the nutrients it needs to function and be healthy by following the ADA diet. Each food group of the ADA diet has components that healthy bodies need such as carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, minerals and healthy fats.
Carbohydrates are used to create energy for your body. But you should identify what "good carbs" are and what carbohydrates to limit or avoid. Good carbohydrates come from foods such as: whole grains, cereals, beans and lentils. When the body breaks these good carbohydrates down, sugar is produced; so diabetics should take this into consideration as they calculate their carbohydrate intake.
Proteins are another source of energy for the body and are a critical part of the body's growth. Proteins can help maintain steady blood glucose levels. When diabetics have low blood glucose level, eating a carbohydrate and a protein is recommended. The carbohydrate gives the body with the sugar which raises the blood glucose level. The protein will help maintain a steady blood sugar level. So carbohydrates and proteins work together in the ADA diet for diabetics.
Another recommendation from the ADA is to include foods that are high in fiber such as whole grains and beans. These foods can help reduce high blood-fat as well as reduce high blood glucose levels.
The ADA diet does have healthy fat as part of their diet, however keep in mind that there are healthy fats. Fats of any kind should be included in a person's diet in the right proportions. The ADA diet recommends that lean cuts of meat, flax seed oil or olive oil can be used as examples of healthy fats.
Here are other tips from the ADA diet guidelines that diabetics should follow:
- When cooking chicken, remove the skin.
- Use skim or low-fat milk
- Choose low sodium content foods
- Read nutrition labels and check sodium, fat and carbohydrate amounts
- Eliminate table sugar, sugar coated cereals, canned soda & alcoholic beverages
If you have questions about the ADA diet for senior citizen diabetics, please feel free to contact a Millcreek Home Health and Hospice staff member. Diabetics can eat right and be healthy by following the ADA diet.
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