Meal Planning Goals
Kids with diabetes benefit from a healthy diet the same as everyone else. Although
kids with diabetes don't have to follow a special diabetes diet, they may need to
pay more attention to when they eat and how much is on their plates.
Meal planning goals for kids with diabetes often are the same as those for other
kids: They need foods that help them have overall good health, normal growth,
and a healthy weight.
But kids with diabetes also have to balance their intake of carbohydrates
(carbs) with their insulin and activity levels to keep blood sugar levels under
control. And they should eat foods that help keep blood levels of lipids (fats like
cholesterol and triglycerides)
in a healthy range. Doing so can help prevent some of the long-term
health problems of diabetes.
Food Labels
You need to know what's in the foods you're serving and eating. Look to food labels to find a food's
ingredients, nutritional information, and calories.
Check information on carbs, which can affect blood sugar levels. Usually, they're
clearly listed on food labels in grams. The two main forms of carbs are sugars and
starches. Types of sugars include:
- fructose (sugar found in fruit and some baked goods)
- glucose (the main sugar in
our bodies that's also found in foods like cake, cookies, and soft drinks)
- lactose (sugar found in milk and yogurt)
Starches include vegetables like potatoes, corn, and peas; grains, rice, and cereals;
and breads.
The body breaks down or converts most carbs into glucose, which is absorbed into
the bloodstream. As the glucose level rises, the pancreas
releases the hormone insulin.
Insulin moves glucose into the cells to be used as an energy source.
Regardless of the specific meal plan that your doctor recommends, it's important
to be aware of carbs. This helps you balance carbohydrate intake, activity levels,
and insulin to achieve the best possible diabetes control.
To figure out your child's carb intake, check the serving size and the amount of
carbs per serving on the food label and determine how many servings your child eats.
Here's an example:
- serving size: ½ cup (120 milliliters)
- carbohydrates per serving: 7 grams
- amount of food eaten: 1 cup (240 milliliters)
- grams of carbohydrates eaten: 14 grams (7 grams per serving x 2 servings)