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LOW ENERGY WEIGHT REDUCING DIETS:

These are diets used for obese diabetic patients. These diets would provide a 500kcal reduction in daily intake and can cause a weight loss of around 0.5 kg per week. In obese diabetic patients it is often advised to skip snacks in between meals.
WEIGHT MAINTENANCE DIETS:
These are for diabetic patients with a normal BMI. These are ideally high in carbohydrate and low in fat. The total calorie intake is not reduced in these diets.
Diets for Insulin Treated Diabetes
Diabetic patients should take care to follow a regular diet pattern and eat meals and snacks at approximately the same time every day. One useful way in which meals can be planned is to encourage the use of carbohydrates along with vegetables and reduce the consumption of proteins. It is recommended to include at least five portions of fruits and vegetables on a daily basis. Children, pregnant women and lactating mothers suffering from diabetes need special dietary advice in consultation with their physician.

An ideal diabetic diet should derive at least 50% of daily caloric intake from carbohydrates and a large portion of this should be dietary fiber. Dietary fiber is mainly of two types – soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber is present in food items such as beans, peas, pulses, oats and most fruits and vegetables. It is advisable to consume at least 15g of dietary fiber on a daily basis. This can reduce not only blood glucose levels but also LDL cholesterol. Insoluble dietary fiber is found in food items such as whole meal bread and breakfast cereals. These can be a good way to satisfy hunger and manage weight. The insoluble fiber does not lower blood glucose levels directly, though. Sweet food items such as confectionery, puddings, cakes and biscuits should be restricted as much as possible. Milk also is ideally avoided.

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