Type 2 Diabetes Food Diet Journal, Blood Sugar Chart & Calorie Count

The Diabetic Food Guide: Pyramid for Success

Diabetes is a disease in which the production of insulin in dysregulated, potentially causing a cascading series of secondary health issues including blindness, peripheral neuropathy, loss of limbs, coma, and even death.

If you have been diagnosed with diabetes, you know you must be vigilant about monitoring your medications and your diet. With the proper understanding of diabetic diet food charts and ways to plan your menus accordingly, you should be able to regulate your blood sugar, and resume a healthy lifestyle.

An easy visual reference to use for menu planning is the diabetic food table known as the diabetic food guide pyramid. At first glance, the pyramid may seem to recommend quite a bit of food, but keep in mind that the serving sizes you may be accustomed to may differ greatly from diabetic serving sizes, possibly constituting as many as 2-3 servings in one sitting.

Let’s take a closer look at this guide to eating for diabetes. When you’re in a hurry, you will find it much easier to use than complicated diabetic calorie and nutrition charts

Level 1: Grains and Starchy Vegetables

As you search your cupboards to make your first diabetes-friendly meals, you’ll want to glance at a glycemic index food chart.

Foods with a glycemic index lower than 55 are considered low glycemic foods, and are usually excellent choices. You may be surprised to hear that whole grains like brown rice are ideal starchy food choices, whereas beets, pumpkin, sweet potatoes and white potatoes are not. If you’re diabetic, carbohydrate charts can show you what starches are best.

Level 2: Fruits and Veggies

Strive to consume 3-5 servings of vegetable and 2-3 servings of fruit. These two food groups can supply you with most of the mineral, vitamins, and in the case of leafy greens, even protein that you need.

Level 3: Dairy, Meat, and Protein

Adequate protein will help to keep your energy levels stable which providing the amino acids your body needs to build healthy tissue. Consume 2-3 servings of dairy and 2-3 servings of meat or other lean protein. Here again, diabetic serving sizes may surprise you.

A serving of protein is only 2-3 oz of meat, 1 egg, or 2 tablespoons of peanut butter. People who are overweight commonly review their diabetic food diary only to realize they’ve been consuming 4-6 servings of meat per meal.

By becoming mindful of proper portion control, you may not even need to consult diabetic calorie charts. By following diabetic food pyramid guidelines, you’ll be reducing your calorie intake automatically.

Level 4: Fats, Sweets and Alcohol

Foods that are high in fat and sugars should be used in extreme moderation. They exert a tremendous effect on blood sugar and your metabolism’s ability to function properly. Moreover, as a diabetic, calorie count is important.

Avoiding these calorie-dense foods is strictly endorsed by health care professionals. Unfortunately, these foods are often the very ones we turn to when looking for comfort on a plate or in a glass. Because over-consumption so often can be traced to emotional eating, you should include a record of your thoughts and feelings about food in your diabetic food journal.

Printable diabetic food journals are widely available online and through most clinics. Using one will give you insight into how to regulate your diet and accomplish your health goals more easily.

Glycemic Index of Cereals

Kellogg’s All Bran 51
Kellogg’s Bran Buds 45
Kellogg’s Cornflakes 84
Kellogg’s Rice Krispies 82
Kellogg’s Special K 54
Oatmeal 49
Shredded Wheat 67
Quaker Puffed Wheat 67

Glycemic Index of Pasta

Spaghetti 43
Ravioli (meat) 39
Fettuccini (egg) 32
Spiral Pasta 43
Capellini 45
Linguine 46
Macaroni 47
Rice vermicelli 58

Glycemic Index of Grains

Buckwheat 54
Bulgur 48
Basmati Rice 58
Brown Rice 55
Long grain White Rice 56
Short grain White Rice 72
Uncle Ben’s Converted 44
Noodles (instant) 46
Taco Shells 68

Glycemic Index of Breads inc. Muffins & Cakes

Bagel 72
Blueberry Muffin 59
Croissant 67
Donut 76
Pita Bread 57
Pumpernickel Bread 51
Rye Bread 76
Sour Dough Bread 52
Sponge Cake 46
Stone Ground Whole wheat bread 53
Waffles 76
White Bread 70
Whole Wheat Bread 69

Glycemic Index of Fruit

Apple 38
Banana 55
Cantaloupe 65
Cherries 22
Grapefruit 25
Grapes 46
Kiwi 52
Mango 55
Orange 44
Papaya 58
Pear 38
Pineapple 66
Plum 39
Watermelon 103

Glycemic Index of Dairy

Milk (whole) 22
Milk (skimmed) 32
Milk (chocolate flavored) 34
Ice Cream (whole) 61
Ice cream (low-fat) 50
Yogurt (low-fat) 33

Glycemic Index of Vegetables

Beets 69
Broccoli 10
Cabbage 10
Carrots 49
Corn 55
Green Peas 48
Lettuce 10
Mushrooms 10
Onions 10
Parsnips 97
Potato (baked) 93
Potato (mashed, instant) 86
Potato (new) 62
Potato (french fries) 75
Red Peppers 10
Pumpkin 75
Sweet Potato 54

Glycemic Index of Beans

Baked Beans 48
Broad Beans 79
Cannellini Beans 31
Garbanzo Beans (Chickpeas) 33
Lentils 30
Lima Beans 32
Navy Beans 38
Pinto Beans 39
Red Kidney Beans 27
Soy Beans 18
White Beans 31

Glycemic Index of Snacks

Cashews 22
Chocolate Bar 49
Corn Chips 72
Jelly Beans 80
Peanuts 14
Popcorn 55
Potato Chips 55
Pretzels 83
Snickers Bar 41
Walnuts 15

Glycemic Index of Cookies

Graham Crackers 74
Kavli Crispbread 71
Melba Toast 70
Oatmeal Cookies 55
Rice Cakes 82
Rice Crackers 91
Ryvita Crispbread 69
Soda Crackers 74
Shortbread Cookies 64
Stoned Wheat Thins 67
Vanilla Wafers
Water crackers 78

Glycemic Index of Sugars

Fructose 23
Glucose 100
Honey 58
Lactose 46
Maltose 105
Sucrose 65