Doctors and specialists typically provide several dietary recommendations to patients with Type 1 diabetes. These recommendations ensure the insulin injections received are sufficient to digest the patient’s food intake. In turn, this helps to maintain a regular blood glucose level that is as close as possible to normal values. The nutritional recommendations vary from one patient to another, based on their specific status and hence requires collaboration between the patient’s physician and the dietitian.
General Guidelines for the Dietary Plan
The dietary plan for diabetes patients needs to be set such that it maintains the key health parameters within the recommended values by ADA. For example, blood pressure needs to be maintained below 140/80mmHg. LDL cholesterol needs to be below 100mg/dL and HDL cholesterol to be greater than 40mg/dL for men and 50mg/dL for women. The plan should also provide the patient with tips to do their own meal planning. This will help them accept the changes as part of their new routine.
Intake of Macronutrients: Carbohydrates, Fats, and Proteins
Determining the optimal intake of macronutrients is critical when setting up the dietary plan for Type 1 Diabetic patients. This is because the intake of macronutrients, especially carbohydrates, directly affects their blood glucose level. It is then essential to provide the patient with clear guidelines on how they can monitor their intake of these macronutrients and help them balance their diet.
The optimum intake of carbohydrates is about 3-4 servings per day, distributed between the meals, each of which is 15 grams (carbohydrates/serving). Although it may slightly vary according to the overall calorie intake that depends on the patient’s weight, age, gender, and general health, it remains within the same range. Certain foods are classified as having a low glycemic index, which means that they are high in fibers and take longer to be absorbed as glucose into the bloodstream. This directly helps regulate the glucose levels in the blood. Hence, fruits and vegetable with no starch content are highly recommended to be included in the patient’s dietary plan. Whole grains, nuts, and legumes are also crucial and should replace refined grain products and high-starch carbohydrates.
The intake of fats, on the other hand, needs to be focused on polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats. Vegetable oils should be used instead of butter and margarine. Avoiding trans fats and limiting the intake of saturated fats is also critical to maintain a healthy dietary plan. Omega-3 fats need to constitute an important proportion of the daily intake due to their numerous advantages. These fatty acids are present in fish, soybean oil and walnuts.
The guidelines for protein intake can be quite challenging to set, as the recommended protein intake would depend on the complication associated with diabetes. For example, patients with Diabetic Nephropathy (kidney diseases) should maintain the intake of a protein similar to normal individuals in order not to affect the ongoing kidney functions. As a rule of thumb, foods rich in the essential amino acids should generally cover 50-75% of protein intake to ensure maximum benefit.
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