Diabetic patients experience a condition where their blood sugar will rise significantly if they consume excessive calories (including sugar and fat). If this continues and is not treated, it will lead to various complications of diabetes such as kidney, heart, and nerve damage.
One way to do this is to keep the blood sugar within a normal range. Initial steps to control blood sugar can be done through the right diet, including schedule, portion of food, and the type of food consumed. Because of the importance of diet, experts agree that healthy dietary changes are one of the pillars of diabetes control.
When we talk about diet, there is a term that is currently quite popular: meal plan. Meal plan is a guide or plan for eating according to one’s energy and nutrition needs, also taking into account many factors including medical condition. Interestingly, meal plan is believed to be beneficial for diabetic patients.
What are the advantages of having a meal plan for diabetic patients? Let’s find out!
Introduce more food variety and nutrients to eating plate
The majority of Indonesians have a diet consisting mostly of carbohydrates. As many as 95 percent of Indonesians rarely eat vegetables and fruits. As a result, other nutrients such as protein, vitamins, and minerals were not being fulfilled adequately. Sadly, this has almost become a habit.
This is when a meal plan can be one solution. With a meal plan, we can plan and adjust our daily diet by adding more vegetables, fruit, and protein sources to the meal plate. Thus, the variety of food and nutrients will automatically be in sight.
Especially for diabetic patients who need to pay attention to their diet, the meal plan can be an opportunity to get used to eating patterns with various types of food. The Ministry of Health of the Republic of Indonesia recommends the main types of food in the diabetes mellitus diet using the concept of a T-model eating plate with the following illustration.
From the picture, we can see several examples of foods for each food groups. However, keep in mind that every single of us has different set of genetics, so the way we implement diet would be different. However, the general principle is that the ideal food consists of various nutrients in one meal plate. In fact, if you pay attention. Fruits and vegetables make up for half of the plate. This indicates the significancy of having them in our meals which cannot be ignored. With that, let’s slowly try to act out this principle of a healthy diet and balanced nutrition. And to do it, meal plan can be a useful strategy!
Make a consistent carbohydrate portions easily
One of the nutrients that need special attention in diabetic patients is the amount of carbohydrates. This is because the consumption of carbohydrates has the greatest effect compared to other nutrients in increasing blood sugar.
The recommended amount of carbohydrates that are recommended for diabetic patients is about 26-45% of total calories a day. That means, if Budi has a need of 1800 calories per day, then 810 calories come from carbohydrates. In other words, Budi’s recommended daily carbohydrate consumption is around 200 grams (1 gram carbohydrate = 4 calories).
To keep blood sugar stable, diabetic patients are advised to consume around the same amount of carbohydrates at each meal. This is where the meal plan plays a role in regulating carbohydrate portions.
The following is an example of 1-day meal plan with a total of 200 grams of carbohydrates:
To perform the calculations, we must know the carbohydrate content in the portion of food. However, for a more accurate calculation, we need to ask for some help from a nutritionist, who understands standard calculations for various foods portion consumed by average people daily.
Provide a more regular eating schedule
By planning meals with a meal plan, diabetic patients can avoid irregular eating schedules. Research has found that people with consistent eating schedules have better insulin and cholesterol levels than those who don’t. This is because the body has a biological clock, in which there is a particular schedule of nutrient metabolism every day. Irregular eating can disrupt the biological clock. Effects arising from the disruption of the biological clock include weight gain, obesity risk, and other health risks.
Reduce unhealthy and less nutritious foods
Foods that are high in sugar and fat are tempting. Especially if we are in a certain diet program, not least for diabetic patients who also undergo a certain diet. To overcome this, a meal plan can be a powerful protector.
Often the trigger for us to choose unhealthy foods is simply the urge to indulge in a desire now. Nonetheless, if we think wiser, there are plenty of delicious and healthier options for the body. Frequently we also regret after eating foods that are high in sugar and fat.
With a meal plan, we can try to break the chain of bad eating habits. Especially for diabetic patients. Because doing meal plan means we have taken preventive measures. The meal plan will guide and remind us that nutritious food is a top priority. Of course, this is good news for diabetic patients who are working on building the right eating habit.
Facilitate monitoring and evaluation
How do we know whether our diet has succeeded? Yes, by doing monitoring and evaluation. And meal plan is doing exactly that. This is because meal plan has all its processes documented, from calories counting, determining carbohydrate portions, until deciding the specific menu with its eating schedule. Thus, when things go as we plan or vice versa, we can take note on what is right (or wrong) and make some necessary changes for the better. Without meal plan, it will be difficult if not impossible to do strategic evaluation.
After understanding the importance of a meal plan, the next step is to get started.
Various information on the internet and social media now provide many references for meal plans for diabetic patients. However, you may also reap many benefits from consulting your general physician or nutritionist.
If you are interested in getting a more precise and accurate meal plan, Nala NutriReadyTM is here to help! Get personalized nutrition services based on your unique genetics. Even more, together with Nala NutriReadyTM, you will be able to translate various nutrition information into real-life actions. Call our Customer Service at 08119941440 and start your nutrition journey!
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