diabetic diet

The diabetic diet - A nutritional regime designed to prevent complications of diabetes mellitus by controlling the timing and amount of energy intake, thereby minimizing the occurrence of hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose levels) or hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose levels).

People with diabetes should follow the same kind of healthy diet that is recommended for people in general (see nutrition). The diet should be rich in complex carbohydrates (such as bread and pasta) and contain less than 30 per cent fat. In addition, the energy intake (see calorie) needs to be controlled in order to maintain a healthy body weight. People who take insulin need to coordinate their meals with the times for their insulin injections.