29/03/2021
DIABETES MEAL PLAN, BY KENYA DIABETES FOUNDATION VEGETABLES
PRE-MEAL:
Fill the top ½ of the plate (GREEN SECTION) with any of these non-starchy vegetables
OR
Eat as many of these vegetables as you can hold in both hands
Broccoli Egg plant (brinjal) Spinach
Cabbage French beans Tomato
Carrots Kale Managu
Courgettes Lettuce Saga
Kunde Malenge leaves Terere
Nderema
• These vegetables affect your blood sugar level at the least• Vegetables contain fiber as well as vitamins and minerals.(avoid juicing of vagetables as this can cause spike
of blood sugar)
STARCH
PRE-MEAL:
Fill the bottom left ¼ of the plate (PURPLE SECTION) with any of these cooked starchy foods.
Eat any cooked starch of OR Measure 1 cup OR Measure ½ OR Eat 2 slices
the size of ONE of your (250ml) of any cooked cup (125 ml) of bread.(whole bread)
closed fists starch or high fiber cereal oats and other cereals
-Arrow root - Green banana - Plantain - Ugali
-Bread - Mabelle - Rice (mashed corn flour)
-Crackers - Spaghetti
-Chapatti - Pasta - Sorghum
These vegetables are higher in starch and belong in this section of the plate: Butternut, Sweet potatoes and Potatoes.
• If porridge of some sort is eaten, it must be cooled down after cooking (to lower the Glycemic Index) and can
be heated up again before serving.
• Eating the correct amount of starch at a meal will not push your sugar level up too high BUT after eating too
much starch at a meal will increase your sugar level too high straight after eating.
• Eat brown or whole wheat foods instead of white foods as they contain more fiber
FAT
PRE-MEAL
Fill the circle in the plate (YELLOW SECTION) with any of these healthy fats.
OR OR
Eat any fat the size Add 1 teaspoon of fat
Of the tip of your per person when making
thumb to your knuckle stews or curry
- Butter - Cheese
- Margarine - Vegetable oils✓ Healthy cooking methods: grill, bake, pan-fry, stir-fry, roast, poach, microwave, steam, boil
– add the correct amount of fat, use spray ‘n cook or use a non-stick pan
✓ Eating too much fat will increase your sugar level about 8 or more hours later and will
cause weight gain.
PROTEIN
PRE-MEAL:
Fill the bottom right ¼ of the plate (RED SECTION) with any of these proteins
OR
Eat any size of the palm of your hand and the same thickness as your baby finger
Black beans Green grams
Chicken (no skin or wings) Mala (cultured milk) Dried beans and lentils Quinoa
Peas Soy bean
Peanuts Chickpeas
Eggs Red meat (no fat, minced and whole)
Fresh milk Yoghurt (low fat)
Fish (fresh, frozen or tinned)
• Eat the correct amount of protein will have very small effect on your sugar level BUT eating too much protein
will push your sugar level too high about 4 hours later.
• Dried beans and lentils also contain starch so when you eat beans as your protein, fill the starch section of the
plate with less starch.
• Cost effective but very good sources of protein include eggs lentils and fish.
ALCOHOL
Alcohol is an empty form of energy without any nutritional value. Excessive amounts of alcohol will lead weight
gain. The general recommendation is to consume alcohol only in moderate amounts:
• Women (maximum 1 drink per day)
• Men (maximum 2 drinks per day)
1 drink = 125ml wine, 340ml lite beer, 1 tot – 250ml spiritDaily allowance cannot be ‘heaped up’ for the weekend.
Check blood glucose levels before consuming alcohol on an empty stomach.
Caution should be taken with the consumption of alcohol:
• If you are pregnant
• If you are breastfeeding
• If you have high blood pressure OR liver disease OR pancreatitis OR peptic ulcers OR hypertriglyceridemia.
DIABETIC PRODUCTS
Foods such as chocolate, biscuits etc. that are labelled “Suitable for diabetics” OR “Sugar free” OR “No sugar added”
are NOT recommended. Remember, sugar-free does not mean carbohydrate and calorie free. They may contain other
types of sugars which can increase your blood glucose level or even cause diarrhea. They are generally high in fat
and calories which can lead to weight gain.
If you wish to eat them make sure you do in moderation as you would with regular foods that contain sugar (i.e. 1-2
small biscuits, 2-3 squares of chocolate.)
SALTEating too much salt in your diet can cause high blood pressure (hypertension) which can cause damage to kidneys,
heart, brain and eyes. High blood pressure has no signs or symptoms so the only way to know if you have it is to
have it checked at every visit to your doctor or nurse.
Reducing salt in your diet can help to reduce your blood pressure.
• Do not add salt – containing spices to food during cooking or at the table. Use spices that do not contain salt,
e.g. herbs, pepper, onions, garlic, curry powder, chili, lemon juice, vinegar, ginger etc.
• Avoid meat tenderizers, stock cubes, soya sauce, convenience and instant meals, as well as ready-made
sauces, salad dressings, soup and gravies.
• Avoid ingredients such as salt, sodium, monosodium glutamate (MSG), sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate,
or any sodium containing additive.
• Eat small amounts or avoid processed food (boerewors, viennas, sausages, polony, cold meats, fish cakes,
hamburger pates, bully beef), tinned and smoked foods, spreads ( Marmite, Bovril, fish paste, liver or meat
spreads, pate, cheese spread), most cheese and salty snacks (crisps, salty biscuits, biltong, salted nuts, salted
popcorn, olives, pickles, anchovies.)
• Make sauces, salad dressings, soups and gravies at home and eat unprocessed and fresh meat, fish, chicken,
fruit, vegetables and beans regularly.
TREATMENT OF LOW BLOOD GLUCOSE (HYPOGLYCEMIA)
Hypoglycemia occurs when blood glucose levels drop too low, which can happen when the body gets too much insulin
or not enough food, when meals or snacks are missed or eaten late, when you exercise more than you planned or
when you drink alcohol without eating.
Symptoms of Hypoglycemia include: shaking, trembling, blurry eyes, weakness, dizziness, pale skin, rapid pulse,
hunger, nausea, irritability and feeling confused.To treat hypoglycemia immediately eat or drink something that is high in sugar such as 125ml of regular Coke (not
Coke Light) OR a 125ml glass of fruit juice OR 1 table spoon of jam or honey OR 3 teaspoons of sugar in water. This
will push your sugar level up quickly (within 10 – 15 minutes.)
I advise Diabetics to carry patco sweets or Ksl sweets or glucose which have sugar to help incase of a hypoglycemia.
After 15 minutes you need to eat a healthy carbohydrate combined with a protein source e.g. wholegrain bread with
nut butter / cottage cheese or plain yoghurt.
FRUIT
Fruits are very high in vitamins, minerals and fiber just like vegetables. Fruits do contain carbohydrates so keep
that in mind with your meal plan.
1 portion of fruit = size of a tennis ball (e.g. small apple, orange or pear), 2 golf balls (e.g. 2 plums), small banana,
handful of grapes, ½ cups of cut-up fruit, 30g dried fruit (+ 2 pieces), + 125ml 100% fruit juice (with no added
sugar.) Try to include a variety of different fruits.
It is recommended you discuss with a dietitian the number of portions per day and where best to include in your
meal plan.
Avoid:
• Tinned fruit (in syrup)
• Sugar coated dried fruit
• Sweetened fruit juice
• Large portions of 100% juice
DRINKS• Water remains the healthiest option. Aim to drink 6 – 8 glasses per day. Add fruit slices (e.g., strawberries),
cucumber slices, lemon juice or mint leaves to your water to vary the taste.
• Avoid any sugary drinks (e.g. sugar-containing fizzy drinks, cordials, iced tea.)
• Avoid fruit juice. A large glass of fruit juice can easily be equivalent to three to four pieces of fruit –
unnecessary extra kilojoules. Fruit juice is also very low in dietary fiber. If you are drinking fruit juice, only
use ½ cup (125ml) and dilute it with water. Substitute a fruit or snack in your meal plan with this.
• Avoid hot drinks that contain sugar e.g. hot chocolate
• Use artificially sweetened beverages in moderation.
• You may include tea or coffee in your diet. Avoid adding sugar to your hot drinks
TAKE AWAY
Keep some of the following ideas in mind when eating out or getting take – aways:
• Only order one course meal and ask for ½ portions where possible.
• Salads that contain olives, nuts, seeds, salad dressing and mayonnaise are high fat. Order a plain green salad
with separate salad dressing and drizzle a little on or use vinegar and dash of oil or a squeeze of lemon.
• Order tomato or vegetable based soups instead of cream based soups.
• Order grilled meat (beef or veal), chicken (without the skin) or fish with no extra oil. Keep away from deepfried, crumbed (battered) and sweet and sour dishes as well as gravies, cream-based or butter-based sauces –
rather squeeze fresh lemon for flavor.
• Roast sautéed or mashed potatoes, fried chips and onion rings are high in fat, so choose boiled rice or plain
baked or boiled potatoes instead (add a little butter)
• Order steamed, grilled or boiled non-starchy vegetables instead of butternut (which often has no added sugar)
and spinach (which often has cream added)
• Toasted sandwiches are often very high in fat – rather order an open sandwich or burger, pre-go, wrap or pita
with no or less butter, sauce, dressing or mayonnaise and with salad instead of chips or potato wedges.
• Order a small vegetarian pizza with less cheese and extra vegetablesSome take aways are healthier than others – it is recommended you discuss with a dietitian/diabetes nurse
educator/doctor what is most suitable for you.
SNACKS
Snacking should be tailored to your current diabetes medication regimen and to the type of diabetes that you have.
Discuss this with your dietitian/diabetes nurse educator/doctor
