NUTRITION FOR DIABETICS: CALORIES & SERVINGS

The best eating plan for a person with diabetes is one that helps keep blood sugar levels under control. Each person with diabetes needs a meal plan designed especially for them. How many calories and the amount of food that diabetics should eat depend on the person's size and activity level. A dietitian or diabetes health educator can make a meal plan that fits the way a person usually eats, their daily routine, and their diabetes medicines.

The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases at www.niddk.nih.gov recommends calorie ranges and the number of servings for specific types of foods. Here are the recommendations to help diabetics with meal planning:

Eat 1,200 to 1,600 calories a day:

If you are:

a small woman who exercises
a small or medium-sized woman who wants to lose weight or
a medium-sized woman who does not exercise much

Choose this many servings from these food groups:

6 starches
2 milk and yogurt
3 vegetables
2 meat or meat substitute
2 fruits
up to 3 fats

Eat 1,600 to 2,000 calories a day:

If you are:

a large woman who wants to lose weight
a small man at a healthy weight
a medium-sized man who does not exercise much or
a medium-sized to large man who wants to lose weight

Choose this many servings from these food groups:

8 starches
2 milk and yogurt
4 vegetables
2 meat or meat substitute
3 fruits
up to 4 fats

Eat 2,000 to 2,400 calories a day

If you are:

a medium-sized to large man who does a lot of exercise or has a physically active job
a large man at a healthy weight or
a large woman who exercises a lot or has a physically active job

Choose this many servings from these food groups:

11 starches
2 milk and yogurt
4 vegetables
2 meat or meat substitute
3 fruits
up to 5 fats

For more information about healthy eating, contact your local chapter of the American Dietetic Association, call the national 24-hour Nutrition Information line at (800) 366-1655, or visit their website at www.eatright.org.

For more information about diabetes, contact your local chapter of the American Diabetes Association, call the national office at (800) 342-2383, or visit their website at www.diabetes.org.

Disclaimer: This content is reviewed periodically and is subject to change as new health information becomes available. The information provided is intended to be informative and educational and is not a replacement for professional medical evaluation, advice, diagnosis or treatment by a healthcare professional.

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