Healthy eating - food choices

Until recently, people with diabetes were placed on rigid diets and given a list of dos and don’ts about eating. Your friends or family may tell you about these restrictions and while they might mean well, their advice may be out of date and inaccurate.

Thankfully the dreaded ‘diet’ is a thing of the past and has been replaced with simple healthy eating principles. There is no longer a need to prepare separate meals or to buy special foods. In fact, we recommend that people with diabetes follow the Dietary Guidelines for Australian Adults when making food choices.

To manage your blood glucose levels, you need to aim for a balance between the amount of food you eat, the physical activity you do and the insulin you take. You will need to consider the timing of, amount and type of carbohydrate foods you eat, as well as the timing of, amount and type of insulin you take.

Carbohydrate counting is a very useful skill for people with type 1 diabetes to learn. It helps in managing your diabetes and can match the amount of insulin given to your meals.

Your Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) can provide advice on an eating plan that’s best for you. It isn’t always easy to find and keep the right balance, but regular blood glucose testing will help.

More information

Balancing Food, Activity and Insulin information sheet (PDF).

Find out more about the DAFNE Program (Dose Adjustment for Normal Eating) program.  It is a structured education program to help people with type 1 diabetes to learn to estimate their carbohydrate intake and adjust their insulin dose accordingly.

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Last updated 1 December 2009