Type 1 Diabetes Nutrition
If you have type 1 diabetes, it is important to know how many carbohydrates you eat at a meal. This information helps you determine how much insulin you should take with your meal to maintain blood sugar (glucose) control. Carbohydrates are the main type of food that raises blood sugar. The starch, fruit and milk groups of the Food Group Pyramid for Diabetes are high in carbs. Foods in the Other Carbohydrates and Combination Food groups are also high in carbs. The vegetable group has a small amount of carbohydrates. The meat and fat groups have few or no carbs. The amount of carbohydrates you eat at each meal will determine how high your blood sugar rises after the meal. The other two major nutrients, protein and fat ,also have an effect on blood glucose levels, though it is not as rapid or great as carbohydrates. Most people with diabetes can control their blood sugar by limiting carbohydrate servings to 2-4 per meal and 1-2 per snack. A delicate balance of carbohydrate intake, insulin, and physical activity is necessary for the best blood sugar (glucose) levels. Eating carbohydrates increases your blood sugar (glucose) level. Exercise tends to decrease it (although not always). If the three factors are not in balance, you can have wide swings in blood sugar (glucose) levels. If you have type 1 diabetes and take a fixed dose of insulin, the carbohydrate content of your meals and snacks should be consistent from day to day. CHILDREN AND DIABETES Weight and growth patterns can help determine if a child with type 1 diabetes is getting enough nutrition. Changes in eating habits and more physical activity help improve blood sugar (glucose) control. For children with diabetes, special occasions (like birthdays or Halloween) require additional planning because of the extra sw Continue reading >>
Healthy Snacks For Kids With Diabetes
Healthy snacks are important for children with diabetes, whether they are dealing with type1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes. Snacks provide a way for children to recharge, manage their blood glucose levels, and sustain energy until their next meal. When deciding what snacks to give your child, try to incorporate a variety of foods. Snacks for kids should come from the bread, dairy foods, and fruits and vegetables groups. You can also ask your child's doctor or registered dietitian for healthy snack recommendations, as well as how to monitor the carbs in your child's snack. Here are healthy snack ideas for kids from three food groups. From the bread group: air-popped popcorn baked chips breadsticks graham crackers low and no fat rolls, such as bagels (measure: half of a 3-inch bagel = 1 carb) low-fat crackers pretzels rice cakes with fruit spread or all natural peanut butter trail mix vanilla wafers From the dairy foods group: frozen, low-fat, no sugar added yogurt or ice cream fruit smoothies (made with non-fat yogurt, fruit, skim milk, and ice cubes) low-fat cheese low-fat cottage cheese or ricotta low-fat milk low-fat yogurt string cheese From the fruits and vegetables group: apple wedges baby carrots or carrot sticks banana slices celery sticks stuffed with low-fat cream cheese or natural peanut butter cherry tomatoes cucumber slices grapes melon balls oranges and tangerine sections peach or pear slices raisins or yogurt-covered raisins strawberry slices tomato and vegetables juices unsweetened fruit juices When shopping for these foods, be sure to read the nutrition labels, and watch for phrases, such as "low fat"—that doesn't always mean low in calories. Also, sometimes sugar is added for taste, which adds to the carbohydrate count. Note that fat and cholesterol sho Continue reading >>
Basic Meal Planning
Diabetes is a condition in which your body cannot properly use and store food for energy. The fuel that your body needs is called glucose, a form of sugar. Glucose comes from foods such as fruit, milk, some vegetables, starchy foods and sugar. To control your blood glucose (sugar), you will need to eat healthy foods, be active and you may need to take pills and/or insulin. In the following table, you will find some tips to help you until you see a registered dietitian. Tips for Healthy Eating, Diabetes Prevention and Management Tips Reasons Eat three meals per day at regular times and space meals no more than six hours apart. You may benefit from a healthy snack. Eating at regular times helps your body control blood glucose (sugar) levels. Limit sugars and sweets such as sugar, regular pop, desserts, candies, jam and honey. The more sugar you eat, the higher your blood glucose will be. Artificial sweeteners can be useful. Limit the amount of high-fat food you eat such as fried foods, chips and pastries. High-fat foods may cause you to gain weight. A healthy weight helps with blood glucose (sugar) control and is healthier for your heart. Eat more high-fibre foods such as whole grain breads and cereals, lentils, dried beans and peas, brown rice, vegetables and fruits. Foods high in fibre may help you feel full and may lower blood glucose (sugar) and cholesterol levels. If you are thirsty, drink water. Drinking regular pop and fruit juice will raise your blood glucose (sugar). Add physical activity to your life. Regular physical activity will improve your blood glucose (sugar) control. Plan for healthy eating Using a standard dinner plate, follow the Plate Method in the image below to control your portion sizes. Alcohol can affect blood glucose (sugar) levels and cause you Continue reading >>
10 Secrets For Getting Your Toddler With Type 1 To Eat
10 Secrets for getting your Toddler with Type 1 to Eat Note: This is part of our library of resources on Food .Learn more about dietary recommendations from nutritionists and foodies alike on our Food page! Balancing food and insulin are central to diabetes management. When youre feeding a young child, it can sometimes be tricky to provide a healthy diet while making sure they will eat enough carbohydrates. We often hear parents talk about feeling like they have given in to less nutritious carbs when their child refuses a healthier option because insulin was already in their system. This can be especially frustrating for parents who want to expand the variety of foods their children will happily eat. Eating is a skill that children learn gradually! It is completely normal for young children to reject foods they have never tried before and to change their mind about foods they have eaten previously. As young child are learning to eat, all foods are new, even those that are very familiar to you. It generally takes time and repeated exposures to new foods before taste preferences are firmly established. For families with diabetes, this takes place in tandem with establishing diabetes mealtime routines, which can include checking blood glucose, planning for food intake, making insulin dosing decisions and administering insulin. It can be a lot for anyone to manage! Here are our top 10 tips for managing mealtimes for young children with Type 1 diabetes: Set consistent routines for mealtimes incorporating diabetes management tasks, so your child knows what to expect. Have a goal to eat around the same time each day, and your child will start to come to the table hungry and ready to (manage diabetes and) eat! Children watch us eat, so be a good role model try new foods and de Continue reading >>
Meal Planning For Kids With Type 1 Diabetes: What You Need To Know
Meal Planning for Children With Type 1 Diabetes When you have a child with type 1 diabetes, meal planning is important. Everything your child eats can affect his blood sugar. Your doctor or a registered dietitian can help you come up with the best plan for your child, but theres information all parents of kids with this condition should know. Like all children, kids with type 1 diabetes need nutrient-rich foods that help them grow and keep them at a healthy weight. Over the course of a day, your child should get about 10%-20% of his calories from protein, 25%-30% calories from healthy fats, and about 50%-60% from carbohydrates. Carbs are found in most foods -- not just bread and potatoes. They supply the energy that the body and brain need to work their best. Steer your child toward complex carbs such as vegetables and whole grains. They have vitamins and minerals that will keep him healthy, and fiber, which helps control blood sugar levels. Try to stay away from simple carbs, like white bread and pasta and other processed grains, candy and frosting. They can raise blood sugar quickly. The amount of carbs your child needs depends on his weight, age, size, exercise level, and any medicines hes taking. Your doctor or dietitian can help you figure out the number of grams or serving sizes your child should have each day. Many families keep their childs blood sugar levels steady by counting the number of carbohydrates eaten at every meal or snack, then adjusting insulin doses for it. On packaged foods, the number of total carbs per serving is listed on the label. You can subtract the grams of dietary fiber since this isnt digested. Then multiply the total by how many servings of that food your child eats. If youre cooking at home or eating out, you can look up carb counts a Continue reading >>
My Child’s Low-carb Diet For Type 1 Diabetes
“We avoid grains, gluten, starches, sugar and fruit,” explains Mia Nickels, mom to 7 year-old Holden who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes almost a year ago. “I sweeten with Stevia or Swerve. He is non-celiac gluten intolerant. We can always tell when he has gotten into some hidden gluten, because he will have a huge unexplained spike, his stomach will hurt, and within 24 hours he will develop a rash around his mouth and on his cheeks.” For beverages, she says, “He usually drinks water with all meals — sometimes with Stur added (a zero-calorie flavor product). Occasionally he’ll have Zevia soda. I sneak protein powder into a lot of things, too. Shhh…don’t tell!” One major aspect of Holden’s success in his low-carb diet is his mom’s passionate effort in baking him gluten-free (GF) and low-carb (LC) treats based on various recipes, many of which she posts to her Facebook page (and his favorite donut recipe included below). You can find many of Mia’s recipes with each photo on her Facebook page. Holden’s Low-Carb Diet: Breakfast: 2 eggs fried in coconut oil, bacon with melted cheese, and half a LC bagel with Kerrygold butter or almond flour waffle sticks with butter and Waldon Farms syrup, and bacon with melted cheese. Snack: Cheese, LC/GF brownie, or LC chocolate meringues Lunch: Lunchmeat rolls (ham, turkey and chive cream cheese) or GF meatballs in LC tomato sauce, LC/GF bagel sandwich (piled up with lunchmeat, cheese and mustard), LC chicken wings, Mexican chicken soup accompanied with a celery, raw broccoli, and nuts. I usually send a LC baked treat or two pieces of Chocorite, too. Snack: A few of his daily snack options include nuts, cheese, HWC hot chocolate, TrueLemon Jello, Nori/Ham wraps, raw veggies with guacamole dip, or a baked tre Continue reading >>
Type 1 Diabetes And Your Child: Meals And Snacks
People with type 1 diabetes were once told that they couldn’t eat certain foods. This is no longer true. In fact, now there are no “forbidden foods” for people with diabetes. This means that your child can eat the same foods as the rest of the family. But, you and your child will have to balance the foods he or she eats with the correct amount of insulin. Insulin helps keep your child’s blood sugar from going too high or too low after meals. Healthier food choices also help control blood sugar. So encourage smarter food choices to help your child stay healthy now and in the future. What is a meal plan? A dietitian will help you create a meal plan and show you how to follow it. A meal plan helps you decide what kinds of foods your child can eat for meals and snacks. It also tells you how much food (how many servings) your child can eat. Following the meal plan is important because it helps manage your child’s blood sugar. Try to stick to the same schedules for meals and snacks so that you can best control your child’s blood sugar level. Of course, this will not always be possible. So the meal plan should be flexible and give you room to make adjustments. The meal plan will also need to be changed as your child grows. Understanding carbohydrates Different foods affect blood sugar in different ways. Foods high in carbohydrates raise blood sugar quicker than other foods. This is why you must keep track of the carbohydrates that your child eats. Carbohydrates are found in fruit and in starchy foods such as potatoes. Because carbohydrates are in so many foods, they can be tricky to keep track of. You may even be tempted to cut them out of your child’s diet altogether. But carbohydrates play a very important role in your child’s health. They are the body’s ma Continue reading >>
Cooking For The Type 1 Diabetic
If you are a caregiver for someone with type 1 diabetes, you know that a healthy diet and proper food preparation are an important part of controlling diabetes. "You don't need to buy special foods,” advises Sue Tocher, MS, RD, dietitian and diabetes clinical program coordinator at Children's Healthcare of Atlanta. “You should prepare the same healthy foods that would be recommended for someone without diabetes. That means plenty of whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and a low concentration of fats and sweets." Diabetes: Food and Blood Glucose Levels It's important for diabetics to keep their glucose from getting too low or too high. This is achieved by regularly checking blood glucose levels and regulating insulin dosage and carbohydrate intake. It's best to eat about the same amount of carbohydrates each day, eat and snack at regular hours, and avoid skipping meals. "Carbohydrates are the most important food group for diabetics,” says Tocher. “These are the foods that impact glucose levels. Fats and proteins supply calories but have little effect on blood glucose." Foods that contain lots of carbs include bagels, crackers, dried beans and peas, fruit, pasta and rice, and of course, sweets. Diabetes: The Food Pyramid The diabetes food pyramid illustrates how to make the best food choices. The pyramid has six color-coded categories, each representing a different food group. "The idea of the food pyramid is to get you to eat from a variety of food groups,” says Tocher. “The foods closest to the bottom are the foods that are closest to their natural state, such as whole grains, fresh vegetables, beans, and fresh fruit. You want to get your calories from the bottom up." Foods from the bottom also provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Moving up the pyramid, as t Continue reading >>
Original Research Protein And Fat Meal Content Increase Insulin Requirement In Children With Type 1 Diabetes – Role Of Duration Of Diabetes
Highlights • Calculation of mixed meal insulin need in type 1 diabetes children is challenging. • This home-based study demonstrated that for a typical cooked dinner: fat required double the amount of insulin than protein when consumed in a mixed meal. • Fat and protein did not significantly increase post-prandial glucose excursion. • Fat and protein significantly increased the duration of post-prandial hyperglycaemia. • Abstract Hyperglycaemia remains a challenge in type 1 diabetes since current regimes used to determine meal insulin requirements prove to be ineffective. This is particularly problematic for meals containing high amounts of protein and fat. We aimed to determine the post-prandial glycaemic response and total insulin need for mixed meals, using sensor-augmented insulin pumps in children with type 1 diabetes. Twenty-two children with type 1 diabetes, aged 4–17 years on insulin pump therapy completed this home-based, cross-over, randomised controlled trial. Two meals with identical carbohydrate content – one with low fat and protein (LFLP) and one with high fat and protein (HFHP) contents – were consumed using normal insulin boluses. Blood glucose monitoring was done for 10 h post-meal, with correction bolus insulin given two-hourly if required. The HFHP meal required significantly more total insulin (3.48 vs. 2.7 units) as a result of increased post-meal correction insulin requirement (1.2 vs. 0.15 units) spread over a longer duration (6 vs. 3 h). The HFHP meals significantly increased the time spent above target glucose level. Duration of diabetes and total daily insulin use significantly influenced the post-prandial blood glucose response to the two meals. When consuming carbohydrate-based mixed meals, children with type 1 diabetes on in Continue reading >>
Low Carb Diet For Kids With Diabetes? | Diabetesmine
We're sorry, an error occurred. We are unable to collect your feedback at this time. However, your feedback is important to us. Please try again later. Got questions about life with diabetes? So do we! That's why we offer our weekly diabetes advice column, Ask D'Mine, hosted by veteran type 1, diabetes author and community educator W il Dubois . This week, Wil is taking on the topic of Food and Diabetes, in response to a new D-Mom whose small daughter was just diagnosed with type 1. There's a lot of confusing talk out there about low-carb diets, and even a debate among the medical pros themselves about whether carb counting is actually the best method . So, here's Wil's take on managing carbs -- and don't worry, per his signature style, it ain't no copy and paste of what your local dietician advises. {Got your own questions? Email us at [email protected] } Sumi, D-mom from New York, writes: Hi, Wil! Im a newlydiagnosed diabetes type 1 parent: My little girl (2 years, 4 months) was diagnosed twomonths ago. We have been feeding her a low-carb diet and have cut out, letssee... dairy, wheat, and sugar due to some feedback from sensitivity tests andthe scare of killing off her remaining beta cells even quicker (though I thinkshe is already coming out of her honeymoon ).She has somewhere from 20-30grams of carbs per meal and I still havent found a way to feed her any carbs forsnacks without high blood sugar readings that send me panicking. Thedietician at the hospital doesnt think it wise to give a two-year-old, oranyone for that matter, less than 100g of carbs a day, and she also recommendsme to give her up to 10g of carbs for snacks without any insulin between meals.She thinks my daughter may have starvation ketones in her blood at this rateand that it may affect h Continue reading >>
Tips For Feeding Toddlers With Type 1 Diabetes
Feeding toddlers can be a difficult task at the best of times, and this can become twice as challenging if you have a toddler with type 1 diabetes. The most important thing to remember is that toddlers with diabetes have the same dietary requirements as any other toddler, and a healthy, balanced diet should provide all these nutrients. No two toddlers are the same when it comes to what and how much food they eat, when they eat it, and how all of that fits in with their family’s lifestyle and home environment. This means working out strategies to manage your toddler’s diabetes can only be achieved by you and your family, in conjunction with your diabetes specialist or dietitian. Below are some general tips which you may find useful when feeding toddlers with type 1 diabetes “I don’t know how much carbohydrate my toddler is eating because he just grazes throughout the day.” It’s normal and appropriate for toddlers to engage in a “grazing” style eating pattern. A toddler’s stomach is about the size of their fist, so eating small regular amounts is more appropriate than three large meals. This age is also a time for exploring the world actively through play, so sitting still for long enough to eat a large meal is not a priority for most toddlers. Even if your toddler ate regular meals through the day and finished all the food on their plate so you knew how much carbohydrate was eaten, this wouldn’t guarantee steady blood glucose levels. This is because a toddler’s blood glucose levels are affected by everything from immunisations and illness, to changes in sleeping patterns and teething, not to mention the variability in how much physically active play they’ve engaged in that day. Trying to regulate timing and amount of carbohydrates eaten by toddler Continue reading >>
Meal Planning For Children With Type 1 Diabetes
Home Diabetes Overview Articles Diabetes and children Meal planning for children with type 1 diabetes Meal planning for children with type 1 diabetes Two little 2 years old girls sitting at a table and eating together against a green lawn Meal planning for children with type 1 diabetes can be a true practice in patience. With the varying degrees of literature and information out there, it can be challenging to understand the Dos and Donts of proper nutrition. Although, naturally, there are some considerations to be aware of, most diets recommended for children with type 1 diabetes are the same healthy diet for children without the condition. Knowing this helps alleviate some of the stresses in making food, so when its time to prep that lunch or dinnertime meal you know its just a matter of following a few, basic rules. Heres how its done! Instead of trying to build a diabetic diet handbook (which, at best, is an exhausting pursuit) focus on ensuring your child is getting a balanced diet, which means eating across each of the major food groups: vegetables and fruit, grain products, meat and alternatives, dairy and alternatives, as well as added oils and fats. Healthy eating is integral to a childs development and growth and a child with diabetes is no different. Check out this article on basic menu planning for people with diabetes. Carbohydrates raise your blood sugar levels faster than any other food, but they are important nutrients for your child because they supply glucose (aka: energy) needed for the bodys cells and brain functions. Your childs body uses carbs to help him or her grow, walk and hit that jungle gym, while their brain uses it to develop, learn and respond. They are critical to health and well being but consumption also warrants a critical eye, as chi Continue reading >>
Diet For Children With Type 1 Diabetes
While diet is a very important part of managing your child's Type 1 diabetes, you don't need to provide special foods. In fact, the recommended diet for children with Type 1 diabetes is the same healthy diet recommended to all children. The only difference is you need to count carbs to help manage blood sugars. Video of the Day The diet for children with Type 1 diabetes should be balanced and include a variety of foods from all of the food groups. Your child should eat regularly to help control blood sugars and meet nutrient needs. A healthy meal plan for children with Type 1 diabetes should include three meals and three snacks. Talk to your doctor or dietitian about meal and snack times so they coordinate with insulin dosing and activity. Carbohydrates for Blood Sugar Control Carbohydrates are the nutrients in food that affect blood sugar. Grains, fruits, milk and sweets contain carbs. To help with blood sugar management, your child should eat a specified amount of carbs at each meal or snack. General recommendations range from 45 to 60 grams at each meal and 15 grams at each snack, but your doctor or dietitian can help you determine your child's specific carb needs. Food labels and carb counting books can help you count the grams of carbs in the food your child eats. The good news is that fat and protein does not affect blood sugar. Protein supports growth and development, while fat supplies energy. Protein foods, such as meat and cheese, should be included at two or more meals and snacks. You child should consume fats like oils and nut butters in moderate amounts. To help limit fat intake, include low-fat or nonfat dairy products. Some children are never hungry, while others are always asking for food. If your child with Type 1 diabetes is hungry but it's not quite m Continue reading >>
Nutrition And Meal Planning
Pediatric Type 1 diabetes To correct for the lack of insulin in Type 1 diabetes, families learn how to match insulin doses to the amount of food (carbohydrates) eaten at meals. Foods contain a mixture of protein, carbohydrate and fat. One hundred percent of carbohydrates (carbs) are broken down to glucose. Meals and snacks should include a variety of foods, for good nutrition. Include colorful fruits and vegetables each day. Choose whole grains to add fiber to the diet. Protein and fat A minimum amount of protein and fat end up as sugar in the blood, so additional insulin is usually not needed to cover these foods. Protein and a moderate amount of fats are important for good nutrition and a balanced diet. They can help maintain a steady level of blood glucose and play a role preventing hypoglycemia. Include protein foods with two or more meals or snacks every day. Include low fat dairy to meet calcium needs. Most dairy foods count as carbohydrates; cheese is a low-carb protein substitute. Look for reduced-fat choices to help control saturated fat. Carb counting Carbohydrate is a broad category including sugars, fiber and starches (bread, cereal and starchy vegetables like potato). Carbs are found in many food groups, such as grains, fruit, milk and sweets. Food labels Reading food labels will help you control your diabetes, and is essential to learning carb counting. Prepared foods are required to have food labels, and reference books will help you find carb contents for ones that do not, like produce, meats and restaurant foods. It is important to compare your serving size to the serving listed on the nutrition facts label for accurate carb counting. If the food contains less than 5 grams of fiber, subtract half of the fiber grams from the total carbohydrate, as only p Continue reading >>
I Have Type 1 – Diabetes What Can I Eat?
From the moment you are diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes you are likely to be faced with what seems like an endless list of new tasks that need to become part of everyday life – injections, testing, treating a hypo, monitoring and eating a healthy, balanced diet. No wonder it can all seem so daunting and overwhelming. One of your first questions is likely to be “what can I eat?” But, with so much to take in, you could still come away from appointments feeling unsure about the answer. Plus, there are lots of myths about diabetes and food that you will need to navigate too. If you’ve just been diagnosed and aren’t sure about what you can and can’t eat, here’s what you need to know. I've just been diagnosed with Type 1 – what can I eat? In one word... anything. It may come as a surprise, but all kinds of food are fine for people with Type 1 diabetes to eat. In the past, people were sent away after their diagnosis with a very restrictive diet plan. This was because the availability of insulin was limited and the type of insulin treatment was very restrictive. As insulin treatments have been developed to be much more flexible, the days of “do's and don'ts” are long gone. The way to go nowadays is to try and fit the diabetes and insulin around the same healthy, balanced diet that is recommended for everyone, with lots of fruit and veg and some food from all the food groups. Is there anything I should avoid? Before your diagnosis of diabetes, it is likely that you experienced an unquenchable thirst. It is a good idea to avoid sugary drinks and fruit juices as a way of quenching thirst. They usually put blood glucose levels up very high and very quickly – which is why they can be a useful treatment for a hypo (low blood glucose levels). Instead, drink water, Continue reading >>
