The 1800 Calorie Diabetic Diet

The goals of a diabetic diet are to control your blood sugar and to normalize or to maintain your body weight. While your needs and results may vary based on your size, age and gender, the 1800 calorie diet with three moderately portioned meals and two or three snacks should accomplish this result.

First be aware of which foods provide the most nutrition. While an apple and a cookie may have the same number of calories, the apple will have more fiber, more vitamins, take longer for your body to digest and will be more filling. The cookie contains fat which your body is more likely to store rather than burn for energy. Protein found in meats, dairy products and beans is a good source of energy that your body will digest and burn more slowly compared to simple sugars. You want to be careful with most fruit juices because they contain concentrated sugar. You are better served by eating a piece of fruit and drinking a glass of water.

Next pay attention to portion size. Get a general idea about the size of a three ounce serving of meat. It may be smaller than what you are accustomed to eating. Also in the case of starches such as rice, pasta or potatoes make sure that you are measuring accurately as this can drastically affect the calorie content of your food. The inability to accurately measure portion size will sabotage your diet goals.

With an 1800 calorie diet it is also important to eat frequently to prevent ravenous hunger. Plan to eat a mid-morning and a mid-afternoon snack. Some people will enjoy an evening snack as well. This will not only prevent you from becoming too hungry, but it will stabilize your blood sugar. Eating the correct foods in the proper portions at the right time will help you succeed.