How Does the ADA Diet Work?

The ADA recommends individualized eating patterns.

The ADA recommends individualized eating patterns.

Following a healthy diet designed to keep blood sugar balanced is a vital tool for preventing or managing diabetes. The American Diabetes Association, or ADA, provides a lot of information to help you learn which types of foods to eat and to plan daily menus. However, the ADA does not recommend a specific diet. You’re encouraged to choose from a variety of eating patterns and to develop a lifestyle that works for you.

Guiding Goals

The ADA position statement published in the October 2013 issue of “Diabetes Care” notes that a healthy eating pattern is essential, but at the same time is one of the most challenging aspects of treatment for diabetes. Planning your meals, especially when you’re first diagnosed with diabetes, is a good way to learn which foods to choose and to be sure your meals are timed to fit your schedule and any medications you may take. Although eating plans are tailored for each person, the goals for everyone include eating to maintain normal blood sugar, as well as to ensure healthy blood pressure and low cholesterol levels.

Create an Eating Pattern

Eating patterns refer to combinations of foods that promote health. Several well-known diets are acceptable for diabetics, including vegetarian, low-fat, low-carb, Mediterranean and DASH diets. You can follow one diet, mix-and-match different components or make healthy choices from all the food groups. The ADA simply promotes eating a variety of nutrient-dense foods and limiting portions to control calories. Low-carb diets are based on lean protein, unsaturated fats and low-carb veggies. All of the other diets focus on fruits, vegetables, whole grains, beans, nuts and lean protein. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes plant-based foods and depends on olive oil as its primary source of fats.

Watch Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates determine how much your blood sugar rises after you eat, so it’s important to plan them in your diet. The ADA suggests two tools for monitoring your carb intake: carbohydrate counting and the glycemic index. Carbohydrate counting tracks the amount you consume. You can keep blood glucose in your target range by setting a limit for the carbs you’ll eat at each meal. The glycemic index assigns a number between zero and 100 to indicate the impact of carbs on blood sugar. Foods with a score of 70 or higher significantly spike blood sugar, but you can reduce their impact if you stick with small portions and eat them with high-fiber foods.

Basics to Follow

Limit your portions to maintain a healthy weight or to lose weight, if necessary. If you’re overweight, losing just a few pounds can improve your blood sugar and cholesterol levels. A good tool for portion control is the the plate method, according to Diabetes Forecast. fills half the plate with fruits and veggies, one-quarter with protein and one-quarter with complex carbs. Several ADA recommendations are similar to guidelines established for everyone. For example, you should eat two servings of fish weekly, limit sodium to no more than 2,300 milligrams daily and replace saturated and trans fats with heart-healthy unsaturated fats.

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