The Proper Amount of Protein

Hi Again

This week our question comes from Robert. Robert asked http://foodpicker.org, “Since I’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, a lot of people have given me advice about how much carbohydrate and fat to eat. I’m wondering about protein. How much protein should I get in my diet and from what foods besides meat?”

The correct amount of protein you should be eating in your diet is 10-35% of your daily calorie intake. For a 2000 calorie diet that would be 200-700 calories from protein. On most food labels protein is listed in grams. Protein = 4 calories per gram; so this would equate to 50-175 grams of protein per day. This isn’t as hard to accomplish as it sounds. A 6 0z filet of salmon (about the size of a deck of cards) has about 34g of protein, and a cup of beans has about 18g of protein. There are many foods that contain protein other than meat, and there are protein choices to make at every meal and snack. Foods that are a great source of protein are: Nuts (Almonds & Walnuts are great choices), Low-Fat Greek Yogurt, Beans, Eggs (Egg Whites, or an Egg Substitute are a great low-fat option), Cheese (low-fat preferred), Soy Protein Substitutes (such as Tofu), and Whey Protein Substitutes (like low-fat, low-sugar protein powder; I like to put a scoop of protein into my greek yogurt for an extra protein punch). The other option for protein is fish, poultry, pork, and red meat. While you can obtain a very large amount of protein from each of the animal based options, they can also bring with them a hefty serving of saturated fat. When choosing animal based sources of protein always choose the leaner cuts of meat. Fish, Chicken, and Turkey are your best options in this category. I personally use lean ground turkey in place of ground beef for all of my recipes that require ground beef. You won’t even notice the difference.

I hope this answered your question Robert, and I hope this was helpful for everyone Please check out http://foodpicker.org for all your diabetes questions.

-Claudia-

Normal Blood Sugar Levels

Hi Everyone

This week I would like to take some time to answer a question submitted to http://foodpicker.org. This question comes to us from Susan and she asked “I have diabetes and my blood sugar is all over the map.  Could you please tell me the ideal blood sugar level?”. This is a great question!

For starters, your blood sugar is going to fluctuate throughout the day. The normal range for a non-fasting blood sugar should be between 70-140 mg/dl. The best way to accomplish the desired blood sugar range is to eat small meals throughout the day. If you wait long periods of time in between each meal your blood sugar will drop too low, and if you are eating large portions of food too close together this will raise your blood sugar causing your body to have a hard time reducing your blood glucose back to a normal level. It is extremely important to keep in mind the types of foods you are eating throughout the day. Foods that are rich in carbohydrates are going to raise your blood sugar dramatically. When planning your meals you are going to want to aim for a combination of foods that will gradually raise and lower your blood sugar avoiding the large spikes in blood glucose levels which are harder for your body to handle. The easiest way to do this is to make sure your meal or snack has a balance of protein, carbohydrate, and fat. Your daily consumption should be around 10-35% protein, 45-65% carbohydrate, and 20-35% fat. If you follow the percentage guidelines at each meal or snack this will help balance your blood sugar; think of your plate like a pie chart and divide up the pieces of the plate accordingly. Always remember all carbohydrates are NOT created equal!! When choosing your meal portion of carbohydrates stick to whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, and low-fat dairy; and avoid processed food items containing added sugar and fat.

I hope this answered your question Susan , and I hope this was helpful for everyone. Please check out http:foodpicker.org for the latest in diabetes information.

-Claudia-

My First Post

Hi everyone,

My name is Claudia and I am currently a Junior in the Bachelor’s of Nutrition program at Arizona State University. I currently am volunteering with http://FOODPICKER.org as a Nutrition Editor. This website is designed to help people with diabetes have access to the nutritional information that they need. I am very excited to be able to share with you the information that I have learned through my education. I understand that with or without the diagnosis of diabetes, it can be hard to stay on a nutritional path in the society we live in. I also understand that the diagnosis of diabetes can be a scary and confusing time. I have two close family members myself that have recently been diagnosed with diabetes. I hope throughout the course of this blog I will be able to address your concerns and questions on how best to manage diabetes, so please feel free to add any comments or questions, and check out http://foodpicker.org for more diabetes information.

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