What Should Food for Diabetic Patients Be Like?
Food for diabetic patients is not special or different from food for the general population. It just requires careful selection of food types and controlling the amount of food appropriately to avoid excessive sugar intake into the body. Each day, you should eat a complete diet with all 5 food groups, dividing meals into 5 small meals per day. Here is an example of food for diabetic patients in 1 day… that doctors would like to recommend!
Example of Food for Diabetic Patients in 1 Day
3 main meals + 2 snacks = 5 meals
Breakfast Suitable for Diabetic Patients
(Choose one option or arrange a menu with similar nutrients and quantities instead)
- Shrimp rice porridge or minced pork congee 1 bowl, small plate of cantaloupe or 1 sweet orange
- Spinach, egg, and cheese sandwich, small plate of cantaloupe, black coffee or coffee with low-fat milk + 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 slice whole wheat bread, 1 fried or boiled egg, 1 plate of salad vegetables, black coffee or coffee with low-fat milk + 1 teaspoon sugar
Mid-morning Snack Suitable for Diabetic Patients
(Choose one option or arrange a menu with similar nutrients and quantities instead)
- Fruits that are not too sweet such as guava, cantaloupe, apple, rose apple 1 small plate or 1 banana
- 1 glass of meal replacement drink or 1 glass of skimmed milk or low-fat milk
- Low-fat plain yogurt, 3-4 strawberries
Lunch Suitable for Diabetic Patients
(Choose one option or arrange a menu with similar nutrients and quantities instead)
- 1 bowl of noodle soup or dry noodles, 1 small plate of fruits that are not too sweet (1 cup)
- 1 plate of Thai papaya salad, 1 piece of grilled skinless chicken, 1 small plate of sticky rice (1/2 cup)
- 1 plate of fried rice, 1 plate of salad vegetables
Afternoon Snack Suitable for Diabetic Patients
(Choose one option or arrange a menu with similar nutrients and quantities instead)
- 1 glass of meal replacement drink, 4-5 strawberries
- 3-4 whole wheat crackers, 1 glass of blended vegetable and fruit juice without pulp
- 3 steamed dumplings or 1 steamed bun, 1 glass of hot chrysanthemum tea/hot unsweetened tea
Dinner Suitable for Diabetic Patients
(Choose one option or arrange a menu with similar nutrients and quantities instead)
- 1 ladle of brown rice or steamed rice, sour curry with mixed vegetables / stir-fried mixed vegetables with shrimp / clear soup with ivy gourd and minced pork tofu, 1 piece of steamed or grilled fish
- 1 ladle of brown rice or steamed rice, 1 fried mackerel, chili paste + fresh and boiled vegetables 1 plate
- Fish steak or grilled skinless chicken, 1 plate of salad with clear dressing or boiled vegetables
The food items presented here are only examples. Diabetic patients have the freedom to choose a variety of foods like the general population. They just need to know how to select the type of food, the appropriate amount, how to adjust, and how to choose substitute foods to consistently control blood sugar levels within a safe range, which will benefit their health.
