Milk and yogurt give you energy, protein, fat, calcium, vitamin A, and other
vitamins and minerals.
How much is a serving of milk and yogurt?
Note: If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have four to five servings
of milk and yogurt each day.
Print out this chart. Then fill in the blanks with
how many servings of milk and yogurt to have at meals and snacks.
1. How many servings of milk and yogurt do you now have each day? I have
_____ milk and yogurt servings each day.
2. Check how many servings of milk and yogurt to have each day in the section
on How much should I eat each day. I will have
___________ milk and yogurt servings each day.
To control your blood glucose, spread the servings you have throughout the
day.
3. I will have this many servings of milk and yogurt at
Breakfast______
Snack ______
Lunch______
Snack ______
Dinner______
Snack ______
A diabetes teacher can help you with your meal plan.
What are healthy ways to have milk and yogurt?
Drink fat-free (skim or nonfat) or low-fat (1%) milk.
Eat low-fat or fat-free fruit yogurt sweetened with a low-calorie sweetener.
Use low-fat plain yogurt as a substitute for sour
cream.
Meat and Meat Substitutes
The meat and meat substitutes group includes meat, poultry, eggs, cheese,
fish, and tofu. Eat small amounts of some of these foods each day.
Meat and meat substitutes help your body build tissue and muscles. They also
give your body energy and vitamins and minerals.
Examples of meat and meat substitutes include
chicken
fish
beef
eggs
peanut butter
tofu
cheese
ham
pork
How much is a serving of meat or meat substitute?
*Two to three ounces of meat (after cooking) is about the size of a deck of
cards.
Print out this chart. Then fill in the blanks with
how many servings of meat and meat substitutes to have at meals and snacks.
1. How many servings of meat or meat substitutes do you now eat each day?
I eat _____ servings of meat or meat substitutes each day.
2. Check how many servings of meat or meat substitutes to have each day in
the section on How much should I eat each day. I will
eat _____ servings of meat or meat substitutes each day.
To control your blood glucose, spread the servings you eat throughout the
day.
3. I will eat this many servings of meat or meat substitutes at
Breakfast______
Snack ______
Lunch______
Snack ______
Dinner______
Snack ______
A diabetes teacher can help you with your meal plan.
What are healthy ways to eat meat or meat substitutes?
Buy cuts of beef, pork, ham, and lamb that have only a little fat on them.
Trim off extra fat.
Eat chicken or turkey without the skin.
Cook meat or meat substitutes in low-fat ways:
broil
grill
stir-fry
roast
steam
stew
To add more flavor, use vinegars, lemon juice, soy or teriyaki sauce, salsa,
ketchup, barbecue sauce, and herbs and spices.
Cook eggs with a small amount of fat or use cooking spray.
Limit the amounts of nuts, peanut butter, and fried chicken that you eat.
They are high in fat.
Choose low-fat or fat-free cheese.
Fats and Sweets
Limit the amounts of fats and sweets you eat. They have calories, but not
much nutrition. Some contain saturated fats and cholesterol that increase your
risk of heart disease. Limiting these foods will help you lose weight and keep
your blood glucose and blood fats under control.
Examples of fats include
salad dressing
oil
butter
margarine
avocado
olives
Examples of sweets include
regular soda
ice cream
cake
cookies
pie
candy
How much is a serving of sweets?
How much is a serving of fat?
How can I satisfy my sweet tooth?
It's okay to have sweets once in a while. Try having sugar-free popsicles,
diet soda, fat-free ice cream or frozen yogurt, or sugar-free hot cocoa mix.
Other tips:
Share desserts in restaurants.
Order small or child-size servings of ice cream or frozen yogurt.
Divide homemade desserts into small servings and wrap each individually.
Freeze extra servings.
Don't keep dishes of candy in the house or at work.
Remember, fat-free and low-sugar foods still have calories. Talk with your
diabetes teacher about how to fit sweets into your meal plan.
Alcohol
Alcohol has calories but no nutrients. If you drink alcohol on an empty
stomach, it can make your blood glucose level too low. Alcohol also can raise
your blood fats. If you want to drink alcohol, talk with your doctor or diabetes
teacher about how it fits into your meal plan.
Your Meal Plan
Print out this chart to plan your meals and snacks
for one day. (Work with your diabetes teacher if you need help.)
Breakfast
Food Group
Food
How Much
Snack
Food Group
Food
How Much
Lunch
Food Group
Food
How Much
Snack
Food Group
Food
How Much
Dinner
Food Group
Food
How Much
Snack
Food Group
Food
How Much
Measuring Your Food
To make sure your food servings are the right size, use
measuring cups
measuring spoons
a food scale
Also, the Nutrition Facts label on food packages tells you how much of that
food is in one serving.
Weigh or measure foods to make sure you eat the right amounts.
These tips will help you choose the right serving sizes.
Measure a serving size of dry cereal or hot cereal, pasta, or rice and pour
it into a bowl or plate. The next time you eat that food, use the same bowl or
plate and fill it to the same level.
For one serving of milk, measure 1 cup and pour it into a glass. See how
high it fills the glass. Always drink milk out of that size glass.
Meat weighs more before it's cooked. For example, 4 ounces of raw meat will
weigh about 3 ounces after cooking. For meat with a bone, like a pork chop or
chicken leg, cook 5 ounces raw to get 3 ounces cooked.
One serving of meat or meat substitute is about the size and thickness of
the palm of your hand or a deck of cards.
A small fist is equal to about 1/2 cup of fruit, vegetables, or starches
like rice.
A small fist is equal to 1 small piece of fresh fruit.
A thumb is equal to about 1 ounce of meat or cheese.
The tip of a thumb is equal to about 1 teaspoon.
When You Are Sick
It's important to take care of your diabetes even when you're ill. Here are
some tips on what to do:
Even if you can't keep food down, keep taking your diabetes
medicine.
Drink at least one cup (8 ounces) of water or other calorie-free,
caffeine-free liquid every hour while you're awake.
If you can't eat your usual food, try drinking juice or eating crackers,
popsicles, or soup.
If you can't eat at all, drink clear liquids such as ginger ale. Eat or
drink something with sugar in it if you have trouble keeping food down, because
you still need calories. If you don't have enough calories, you increase your
risk of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar).
Make sure that you check your blood glucose. Your blood glucose level may be
high even if you're not eating.
Call your doctor right away if you throw up more than once or have diarrhea
for more than 6 hours.
Points to Remember
What, when, and how much you eat all affect your blood glucose
level.
You can keep your blood glucose at a healthy level if you
Eat about the same amount of food each day.
Eat at about the same times each day.
Take your medicines at the same times each day.
Exercise at the same times each day.
Every day, choose foods from these food groups: starches, vegetables, fruit,
meat and meat substitutes, and milk and yogurt. How much of each depends on how
many calories you need a day.
Limit the amounts of fats and sweets you eat each day.
How to Find More Help
Diabetes Teachers (nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, and other health
professionals)
To find a diabetes teacher near you, call the American Association of
Diabetes Educators toll-free at 1–800–TEAMUP4 (1–800–832–6874) or see www.diabeteseducator.org and click on
"Find a Diabetes Educator."
Recognized Diabetes Education Programs (teaching programs approved by
the American Diabetes Association)
To find a dietitian near you, call the American Dietetic Association's
National Center for Nutrition and Dietetics toll-free at 1–800–366–1655 or see
www.eatright.org and
click on "Find a Nutrition Professional."
