Diabetic diet

Dad has Type 2 Diabetes his BGL's go up and down and I'm sure he sneaks sweets. I do all his grocery shopping, what type of foods should I be buying? What is meant by the term GI? 

People with diabetes, no longer need to follow a “special diet”, devoid of all sugary foods. Rather, the foods recommended for someone with diabetes are no different to those recommended for most older Australians.

It’s also important not to be too restrictive with foods especially if your Dad is eating alone most of the time, has a poor appetite or has lost interest in eating. Following a very restrictive diabetic diet can lead to rapid weight loss, which is unhealthy, and in some cases, malnutrition.

The best advice for an older person with diabetes is to:

• Eat at least three meals every day and enjoy a variety of nutritious foods
• Eat plenty of cereals, breads and pastas
  
• Use added sugar in moderation
  
• Eat a diet low in saturated fat
  
• What is meant by the term Glycemic Index?

Eat at least three meals every day and enjoy a variety of nutritious foods

Eating regular meals, spread evenly throughout the day is one of the most important recommendations for someone with diabetes. Eating regularly and not skipping meals helps control blood glucose levels and also makes it easier to meet all the body’s nutrient needs.

And no matter, who you are or what complaint you have, whether it be diabetes, coeliac disease, high cholesterol or hypertension, including a variety of foods from all five food groups is vital for good health.

Eat plenty of cereals, breads and pastas

Not only should a person with diabetes eat regularly, but it’s also very important that each meal contain plenty of carbohydrate foods e.g. bread, cereal, rice or pasta.

Carbohydrate foods break down to glucose, and eating these foods regularly provides the body with an ongoing source of useable energy.

However, not all carbohydrate foods break down to glucose at the same rate. Some break down very quickly e.g. sugar, while others break down at a much slower rate e.g. rolled oats.

Use added sugar in moderation

The GI of sugar is in the moderate range, and so it’s OK for people with diabetes to include some sugary foods in their diet. That means that they no longer need to have special “diabetic” sweets, or artificially sweetened jellies and icecreams. It also means that someone with diabetes can have a decent cup of tea with sugar!

However, eating a lot of sugary based foods such as cakes, biscuits, lollies & soft drinks is not recommended for good health. Most of these foods are also high in saturated fat and offer little nutritional value. Eaten in large amounts, they also contribute to weight gain. And carrying a lot of extra weight places strain on the heart and makes it more difficult for some to control blood glucose levels.

Eat a diet low in saturated fat 

Saturated fat increases blood cholesterol levels and therefore, increases the risk of heart disease. As a person with diabetes has a much greater risk of developing heart disease, minimising foods high in saturated fat is particularly important.

Saturated fat is mainly found in animal foods e.g. butter, ghee, cream, fatty meats, cheese etc. but is also found in cakes, biscuits, takeaway foods, coconut milk and palm oil.

To decrease blood cholesterol levels and maintain a healthy heart it’s better to limit our intake of foods high in saturated fats and choose polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats instead.

Good sources of polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats include:

•  Sunflower, safflower, peanut, corn, olive and canola oils
•  Polyunsaturated, canola or olive margarines
•  Avocados, seeds, nuts and oily fish

What is meant by the term Glycemic Index?

The Glycemic Index (GI) measures how quickly a food breaks down to glucose and enters the bloodstream. Foods that break down to glucose slowly have a low GI, while foods that break down to glucose rapidly, have a high GI.

For someone with diabetes, low GI foods are best as it is easier for the body to cope with a small amount of glucose released slowly over time, than a large amount of glucose dumped suddenly into the bloodstream.

As a general rule of thumb, the foods with the lowest GI are the wholegrain, wholemeal or “seed containing” carbohydrates such as soy & linseed or multigrain breads, AllbranTM , rolled oats/ porridge, pasta, pearl barley, bulgur, Doongara or Basmati rice and pulses.

Several books are now available containing extensive lists of the GI value of most carbohydrate foods and can be found at www.glycemicindex.com.

So, for someone with diabetes, eating regular meals is good; eating regular meals containing carbohydrate foods is better, and eating regular, carbohydrate containing meals that include at least one low GI food is best!

Helpful resources

• For more information about managing diabetes visit Diabetes Australia 
• To talk to a dietitian call Diabetes Australia on 1300 136 588 or visit their website for ideas for healthy meals
• To find a dietitian visit The Dietitians Association of Australia 

Article by
AgedCarer contributor
Danielle Weber
Aged Care Nutrition Consultant