Food, Diabetes and You

Diabetes cannot be cured but can be treated by eating the right foods. Your doctor may also prescribe some medication. Try to avoid sugary foods and drinks and make sure you eat regular meals.

Regular Meals are Important

• Never miss meals
• Have a breakfast, lunch, evening meal and supper
• Have something starchy at each meal, eg bread, potatoes, breakfast cereals, cha[attis, rice or pasta
• Eat some vegetables (fresh, frozen or tinned) and fruit (fresh, stewed or tinned in natural juice) each day.

Meal Ideas

Breakfast

Remember to have something starchy; a bowl of high fibre cereal (eg porridge, Special K, weetabix, shredded wheat or branflakes).

OR

Some bread or toast spread thinly with margarine or butter. You can have a little marmalade or jam on your toast or bread. If wanted have a small glass of unsweetened fruit juice or grapefruit segments tinned in natural juice.

OR

Occasionally a serving of grilled bacon or sausage or boiled, scrambled or poached egg or baked beans.

Quick Meals

Baked beans on wholemeal toast

Soup and bread or roll

Sandwich

Grilled bacon, tomato and toast or bread

Toasted sandwich

Jacket potato with a savoury filling eg -baked beans, lean meat, chicken, cheese, tinned fish.

Main Meals

Have a small helping of meat, chicken, fish, egg or cheese

Have a good helping of vegetables or salad

Always have either potatoes, bread, crackers or crispbread, rice, pasta or chapatti, with your meal.

Dessert Meals

Diet yoghurt

Low sugar rice pudding

Fruit tinned in natural juices

Sugar free jelly

Stewed fruit

Low sugar custard

Sugar free angel delight

Instant whips and Mousses

Fresh fruit salad

Scoop of Ice cream

Snacks

Fresh fruit

Milky drink

Diet Yoghurt

Scone or English Muffin

Currant teacake

Bowl of cereal

Small slice of fruit cake or malt loaf

Here are some ways to eat less sugar:

Drink tea and coffee without sugar

If you cannot get used to it without sugar try using an artificial sweetener, eg Canderel, Sweetex or Hermesetas.

Choose low calorie, diet or sugar free squashes and fizzy pop

in place of ordinary versions.

Choose fig rolls, Garibaldi, Hob Nob or plain biscuits

Fruitcake, scone, English muffin, currant teacake, hot cross bun, malt loaf, crackers or crispbreads in place of chocolate, cream or iced biscuits and cakes.

Avoid sugar or honey coated breakfast cereals

See breakfast meal ideas for suitable cereals.

You can buy reduced sugar desserts

See dessert ideas for some suggestions.

You can also use artificial sweeteners when you make your own milk puddings or stewed fruit. Add the sweetener after cooking or it will produce a bitter taste.

If you want to bake your own cakes, scones or biscuits, try using half the sugar recommended in the recipe.

Be aware that ordinary sweets, chocolates and nuts contain a lot of sugar. Products marketed for people with diabetes are no better.