Diabetes

Food Guide
Which foods to choose and
how much to eat when
you have diabetes.

brought to you by
 We want to help
We know how hard it can be to decide what - and how much -
to eat when you have diabetes.

We hope this book will help: it tells you which food to choose and how much
of each food is healthy. It is for people with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes.
Taking care of your diabetes is so important. The right diet can help you live a
normal, healthy life. Here's what to choose for you and your family.

Remember:
» Don’t skip meals. » Don’t use too much salt
» Eat vegetables every day. or eat salty foods.
» Eat dry beans, split peas, » Try to avoid sugar.
lentils and soya regularly. » Drink lots of clean, safe
» Choose vegetable oils water every day.
rather than hard fats. » Be more active.

You're not alone in this!

Please join our community on Facebook: Diabetic South Africans.
Or check out www.sweetlife.org.za or www.pnp.co.za/livewell
for diabetes and food info.

ILLUSTRATOR: Caroline Gardner EDITOR: Bridget McNulty

ART DIRECTOR: Mark Peddle CONTENT: Pick n Pay Dietitian

Supported by:

Disclaimer:
All people with diabetes require an individualised treatment plan that is developed by your diabetes healthcare team
with your specific requirements in mind. Especially for people with Type 1 diabetes, your use of insulin or medication is
coordinated with the type and timing of your meals. Your dietitian and wider diabetes team can help you to design your
regimen around your needs and lifestyle to build in the maximum amount of flexibility possible. Please consult with your
diabetes healthcare team for more information.

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What your plate
of food should
look like:
Keep meals small and plan a snack
in between each meal and before Always
you go to bed at night. drink water
with meals

1
4
plate
Starch

1 small
4 amount
of
1
plate 2
Protein Fat plate
Vegetables
+1
Fruit
with a
meal

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How much to eat
of each food?
How much you eat is as
important as what you eat.
With every meal, try to eat the
right amount of each food.

2 teaspoons

These are the

different
sizes: As big as
your thumb

As big as the
palm of your hand As big as your fist

4
2 handfuls

1
small cup
(250ml)

2 slices 1 roll

5
PORTION SIZE

Vegetables
(also frozen and canned)

As much as you like:

2 handfuls
with a meal

Peas

Cabbage

Cucumber

Lettuce

6
 Tomato

Spinach

Carrot

Onion

Pepper

7
PORTION SIZE

Vegetables
(also frozen and canned)

As much as you like:

2 handfuls
with a meal

Broccoli

Pumpkin
Mushrooms

8
 Butternut
Canned
veg

Gem
squash

Frozen
veg

Green

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PORTION SIZE

Protein
As big as:
the palm of
your hand
with a meal

Egg

Canned
fish

Fresh or
frozen
fish

10
 Steak

Chicken

Mince

Remember: cut all the

skin off chicken

Only eat these 1 or 2 times a week.

These foods have lots of salt and fat.

Remember:
cut all the fat
off meat

Corned
beef

Ham, polony,
salami, vienna,
sausage

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PORTION SIZE

Protein
(veg and dairy)

1 small cup 1
small cup
with a meal (250ml)

Canned
baked
beans
Split
peas or
chickpeas

Cooked
beans Soup
mix

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 Lentils Soya
mince

Canned
or dried

Rinse canned lentils

to reduce salt

Milk
Yoghurt

Choose low-fat

Maas

Choose plain,
not sweetened

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PORTION SIZE

Fruit
As big as:
your fist
Eat 3 fruits a day:
only one at time.
Have one piece of
fruit with your meal
or as a snack.

1 cup
of fruit
salad
Banana

14
 Mango
Pear

Apple

Peach

Orange
or naartjie

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PORTION SIZE

Starch
1 small cup
with a meal 1
small cup
(250ml)

Potato

Sweet
potato

1 2 1
medium or baby medium
potato potatoes sweet
potato

16
 Pasta

Samp

Choose wholewheat

Rice

Pap

Choose brown
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PORTION SIZE

Starch
High-fibre cereals

1 small cup
1
small cup
with a meal (250ml)

Nutrific

All
Bran
Weet-
bix

Cooked
porridge

Oats is a high-
fibre porridge

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Bread
Choose wholewheat, low GI or
seed bread, not white.
Be careful! Eating too much bread at one
time can push up blood sugar.

2 brown bread slices 1 wholewheat roll

or
PORTION
SIZES

or or

6 wholewheat crackers

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PORTION SIZE

Fats
two teaspoons
with a meal

Butter or
margarine

Sunflower,
olive or
canola oil

Peanut
butter

Avocado

1/4 avo = 2 teaspoons

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PORT
T II O
ONN SSIIZZEE

Cheese
one thumb
with a meal
or snack

Cheese

Cream
cheese

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Foods to avoid Sugar
These foods have
too much sugar
Sugar raises
blood sugar
=
bad for diabetes

Try sweetener in tea

or coffee instead

Fizzy
drinks

Muffins,
Choose sugar-free doughnuts
drinks instead & cupcakes

Cake &
cookies
Chocolate
& sweets

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 Honey
& jam
Fruit
juices

Flavoured
milk

Flavoured
cereal

Flavoured
yoghurts

Custard

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Foods to avoid
These foods have too
much salt and bad fats
Salt and bad fats raise blood 'Slap'
pressure and cholesterol chips
=
risk of stroke and
heart attack

Vetkoek

Samoosas

Pies

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Pizza Burgers
& fried
chicken

Chips
& salty
snacks
Polony

Salami
Viennas

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Meal ideas Day 1

Breakfast

1 cup oats 1 cup milk 2 teaspoons peanut butter

Snack 1

1 orange 1 thumb of cheese

Lunch

2 slices wholewheat bread 1 fist of sardines 2 handfuls of

vegetables

Snack 2

1 apple 2 teaspoons peanut butter

Supper

1 palm of chicken stew 1 cup brown rice 2 handfuls of

vegetables

Snack 3

1 banana 1 cup milk or yoghurt

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 Day 2
Meal ideas

Breakfast

2 slices wholewheat bread 1 cup baked beans 1 boiled egg

Snack 1

1 pear 1 thumb of cheese

Lunch

1 cup cooked pap 1 palm of meat 1 cup tomato

onion sauce

Snack 2

1 slice wholewheat bread 2 teaspoons peanut butter

Supper

1 cup cooked samp 1 cup beans 2 handfuls of salad

Snack 3

3 crackers 1 thumb of cheese

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