7-Day Meal Plan and Essential Tips for Managing Diabetes

Controlling blood sugar levels is essential for managing diabetes mellitus and helps prevent complications.

Due to dietary restrictions in diabetes mellitus, it is essential to responsibly plan daily diets to ensure intake of all essential micronutrients. Making a menu for the week will help provide variety and, if necessary, lose weight.

Naturally, there is no one-size-fits-all meal plan. Each person should develop their nutritional plan with the help of a doctor or dietitian, taking into account their characteristics and preferences.

In this article, we have prepared a 7 Day Calorie Restricted Meal Plan for People with Diabetes.

Also below are tips to help a person create their meal plan.

Before starting a diet, consult your doctor to see if the menu is right for you or if you need to adjust it.

Tips for making a menu for a week with diabetes

Making a menu for the week is an excellent way to provide a balanced and nutritious diet for people with diabetes.

Factors influencing the choice of diet for people with diabetes:

• Balancing carbohydrate intake with activity level and use of insulin and other drugs.
• Eating a lot of fiber to maintain proper blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of high cholesterol, weight gain, cardiovascular disease, and other health problems.
• Limiting consumption of carbohydrates and foods with added sugar, such as candy, cookies, and sodas.
• Understanding how dietary choices can affect complications of diabetes, such as the fact that salt increases the risk of high blood pressure.
• Weight control, as it helps a person cope with the development of diabetes and its complications.
• Accounting for an individual treatment plan, which will contain the recommendations of a doctor or nutritionist.

An ideal diabetes meal plan would include three meals a day and light snacks. The diet below provides a maximum of 3 servings of healthy, high-fiber carbohydrates with every meal or snack.

Diabetes menu for a week

Monday

Breakfast: one poached egg and toast with half a small avocado, one orange. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 39

Lunch: Mexican Bowl (1/3 cup brown rice, two-thirds cup cooked beans, 1 cup chopped spinach, 1/4 cup chopped tomatoes, 1/4 cup bell pepper, 30 grams cheese, 1 tablespoon salsa sauce). Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 43.

Snack: 20 grams of young carrots with 2 tablespoons of hummus. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 21.

Dinner: 1 cup cooked lentil penne pasta, 1.5 cups vegetable tomato sauce (cook garlic, mushrooms, herbs, zucchini, and eggplant), 60 grams lean turkey mince. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 35.

Total Carbohydrates per Day: 138

Tuesday

Breakfast: 1 cup (100 grams) boiled oatmeal, three-quarters of a cup of blueberries, 30 grams of almonds, 1 teaspoon of chia seeds. Total Carbohydrates: 34

Lunch: Salad with 2 cups fresh spinach, 60 grams of grilled chicken breast, half a cup of chickpeas, half a small avocado, a quarter cup of grated carrots, 2 tablespoons of olive oil. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 52.

Snack: One small peach, diced, mixed with a third cup of 2% cottage cheese. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 16.

Dinner: Mediterranean couscous (two-thirds of a cup of cooked whole grain couscous, half a glass of fried eggplant, four sun-dried tomatoes, five chopped olives, half a diced cucumber, 1 tablespoon of balsamic vinegar, fresh basil). Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 38

Total Carbohydrates Per Day: Approximately 140

Wednesday

Breakfast: an omelet of two eggs (spinach, mushrooms, bell peppers, avocado can be added) with half a glass of black beans and blueberries. Total Carbohydrates: 34

Lunch: Sandwich (two regular slices of high-fiber whole grain bread, 1 tablespoon low-fat Greek yogurt and 1 tablespoon mustard sauce, 60 grams of canned tuna in its juice, mixed with a quarter cup of grated carrots, 1 tablespoon of dill seasoning, 1 cup chopped tomato) and half a medium apple. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 40.

Snack: 1 glass of unsweetened kefir. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 12.

Dinner: 100 grams of pork tenderloin, 6-7 asparagus shoots, half a medium apple. Total Carbohydrates: 34

Total Carbohydrates Per Day: Approximately 120.

Thursday

Breakfast: toast with 30 grams of goat cheese, spinach and 1 teaspoon of chia seeds, 2 boiled eggs. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 44.

Lunch: 200 grams of fried chicken, 1 cup of boiled cauliflower, 1 tablespoon of low-fat French dressing, 1 cup of seasonal berries. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 23

Snack: 1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt with half a small banana added. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 15.

Dinner: ⅔ cup quinoa, 100 grams of tofu, 1 cup bok choy and 1 cup steamed broccoli, 2 teaspoons of olive oil, one kiwi. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 44.

Total Carbohydrates Per Day: Approximately 126.

Friday

Breakfast: 1/3 cup high-fiber cereal, 1/2 cup seasonal berries, 1 cup unsweetened almond milk. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 41.

Lunch: salad of 2 cups spinach, 1/4 cup tomatoes, 30 grams of cheddar cheese, one boiled egg, 2 tablespoons of yogurt dressing, 1 teaspoon of pumpkin seeds, 60 grams of fried chickpeas. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 47

Snack: 1 glass of celery with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 6.

Dinner: 100 grams of salmon fillet, one medium baked potato, 1 teaspoon of butter, 5 boiled asparagus shoots. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 39

Total Carbohydrates Per Day: Approximately 133

Saturday

Breakfast: 1 cup low-fat Greek yogurt, half a banana, 1 cup strawberries, 1 tablespoon chia seeds. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 32.

Lunch: tacos (two corn tortillas, 1/3 cup cooked black beans, 1-ounce low-fat cheese, half an avocado, 2 lettuce leaves, salsa dressing). Total Carbohydrates: About 70

Snack: cherry tomatoes and carrot sticks with 2 tablespoons of hummus. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 14.

Dinner: 1 small potato baked with skin, 100 grams of fried beef, 1 teaspoon of butter, 1.5 cups of steamed broccoli, and seasonal berries. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 41.

Total Carbohydrates Per Day: Approximately 157

Sunday

Breakfast: 1 cup steamed oatmeal, 1 scoop of vegan chocolate or whey protein powder, 1 tablespoon of peanut butter, 1 tablespoon of chia seeds. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 21.

Lunch: vegan roll: one slice of pita bread, 1 small cucumber, 1 large tomato, half a glass of lentils, half a glass of herbs, 2 tablespoons of salad dressing. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 30

Snack: 30 g almonds, one small grapefruit. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 26.

Dinner: 150 grams of boiled shrimp or mussels, 1 cup of green peas, 1 teaspoon of oil, half-boiled beets, 30 grams of roasted almonds, 1 teaspoon of balsamic vinegar. Total Carbohydrates: Approximately 39

Total Carbohydrates Per Day: Approximately 116.

Control and self-control in diabetes mellitus

When compiling a diet for diabetes mellitus, we recommend adhering to the following principles.

Weight control

There is a known relationship between diabetes and being overweight. Many people with diabetes seek to lose or prevent weight gain.

One way to control your weight is to count calories. The number of calories a person needs will depend on several factors:

• Blood glucose
• Activity level
• Height
• Sex life
• Specific goals to reduce, increase, or maintain weight
• Use of insulin and other medications
• Preferences
• Budget

Various diets help a person achieve and maintain a healthy weight, but not all of them are related to calorie counting.

For example, the DASH diet focuses primarily on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, nuts, and seeds, as well as low-fat dairy, poultry, and fish. This diet encourages people to avoid adding salt, sugar, unhealthy fats, red meat, and processed carbohydrates.

The DASH diet is designed to raise blood pressure levels in people with hypertension, but research also shows it can help with weight loss.

Your doctor may recommend different weight management guidelines for you.

The plate method

The plate method demonstrates the correct ratio of different types of foods that include all the nutrients.

According to this method, you should present a plate full of food, which includes:

• 50% non-starchy vegetables
• 25% lean protein such as lentils, tofu, fish, chicken, or turkey without skin or fat.
• 25% high fiber carbohydrates such as whole grains or legumes

A person who needs more carbohydrates can add to this plate:

• A small amount of fresh fruit
• A glass of 1% milk

Some oils are good for your health. For diabetes mellitus, choose an oil that is low in carbohydrates but high in calories. You can use the oil for cooking and flavoring, but use it in moderation.

A limited intake of certain fats is excellent for maintaining health:

Monounsaturated fats such as olive oil, canola oil, and avocado

Polyunsaturated fats such as sesame seeds and nuts

Saturated fats, found in coconut oil, animal fats, and dairy products, can trigger high cholesterol levels and heart disease.

Controlling carbohydrates

According to the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive, and Kidney Diseases, one way to control your blood sugar is to plan your carbohydrate intake each day and distribute it between meals.

People can choose how to "spend" their carbohydrates using the carbohydrate substitution table. It contains information on the number of carbohydrates in foods, making it easy to replace one type of food with another.

Ask your doctor how much and what type of carbohydrates to consume each day and distribute them throughout the day.

Highly processed carbohydrates and sugars can quickly raise blood glucose levels without any nutritional benefits.

Fiber, on the other hand, is slowly digested and can help regulate weight and glucose. Today, doctors recommend 28.0 to 33.6 grams of fiber per day for adults.

Glycemic index

The glycemic index (GI) ranks foods based on how quickly they raise blood sugar.

High GI foods quickly raise blood sugar levels. These foods include sugar and other highly processed carbohydrates.

Low GI foods are low in carbohydrates or high in carbohydrates or fiber, which the body does not absorb as quickly as processed carbohydrates.

Here are some examples of carbohydrate-rich foods and their GI scores:

1. Low GI foods (rated 55 or less): Whole grain bread, sweet potatoes, most fruits, whole oats.
2. Medium GI foods (56–69): oatmeal, brown rice, whole grain pita bread.
3. High GI foods (70 and above): white bread, potatoes, candy, white rice, melon.

People with diabetes need to choose foods with a low glycemic index.

Grocery list for diabetes

People with diabetes need to closely monitor their carbohydrate intake, serving size, and food choices.

We've prepared a list of foods for people with diabetes to help you make the right choice at your grocery store.

Vegetables

• Cabbage
• Mushrooms
• Broccoli
• Cauliflower
• Lettuce leaves
• Zucchini
• Beans
• Carrot
• Celery
• Corn
• Potato
• Sweet potato
• Tomatoes
• Avocado

Fruits

• Berries
• Apples
• Grapefruit
• Banana

Fats

• Rapeseed oil
• Peanut paste
• Almond oil
• Unsweetened olive oil dressing
• Low sodium barbecue sauce
• Low sodium soy sauce
• Local honey
• Olive oil
• Nuts such as almonds

Legumes

• Beans
• Lentils
• Black beans

Meat, seafood, and eggs

• Fatty fish, including trout, tuna, and salmon
• Chicken fillet
• Turkey fillet
• Lean beef
• Eggs (no more than 3-4 eggs per week; or more if you only eat egg whites)

Grocery

• Bulgur
• Quinoa
• Whole wheat bread
• Taco cakes
• Whole wheat pasta
• Whole grain (check added sugar)
• Oatmeal (replace brown sugar and raisins with cinnamon and berries)
• Chia seeds

Milk products

• Yogurt (check added sugar)
• Low-calorie milk
• Low-fat cottage cheese
• Soft sodium cheese such as mozzarella

Desserts

• Ice cream sweetened with stevia (or other low-calorie sweeteners)
• Low sugar cookies
• Consider muffin recipes that use unsweetened applesauce instead of sugar.

 

Download a weekly diabetes food list and edit it based on your preferences and the availability of this or that product at home.

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