It's time to debunk, once and for all, the myth of the "diabetic diet." If you have diabetes, you don't have to eat special foods, and you don't have to be excluded from what "everyone else" is eating. The truth is, everyone else should be taking their cue from what's on your plate.
If you look at the most current and widely accepted eating guidelines, what's recommended for people with diabetes is virtually the same as what's recommended for the population at large. And, despite the sometimes cacophonous debate among nutrition experts about what constitutes a "healthy" diet, there are some core principles that just about everyone agrees on. Those principles apply just as much, if not more, in diabetes.
What do we know for sure? We know that eating well means:
• selecting a variety of foods in sensible portions
• considering no food either a magic bullet or a forbidden fruit
• choosing whole foods over processed ones as much as possible
• embracing plant foods like vegetables, fruits, beans and whole grains
• including low-fat dairy products, fish and shellfish, lean meats and poultry, with optional lean red meat and sweet treats in moderation
• relying on seasoning and cooking dishes with olive oil and the other "good fats" that make food tastier and more satisfying, while at the same time keeping a watchful eye on saturated fat and trans fat.
But most of all, eating well means eating with pleasure—in a relaxed and friendly environment whenever possible. As delicious as that way of eating sounds, it is also one of the most powerful weapons in our diabetes-fighting arsenal. Eating wisely and well can help you bring your diabetes under control, even as effectively as diabetes drugs. That's why eating guidelines are an essential part—and occasionally, the only part—of any initial diabetes treatment plan.
