Tips for Healthy Eating, Diabetes Prevention and Management

Tips Reasons
Eat three meals per day at regular
times and space meals no more than
six hours apart. You may benefit from
a healthy snack.
Limit sugars and sweets such as
regular pop, desserts, candies, jam
and honey.
Limit the amount of high-fat food you
eat such as fried foods, chips and
pastries.
Eat more high-fibre foods such as
whole grain breads and cereals,
lentils, dried beans and peas, brown blood sugar
rice, vegetables and fruits.
If you are thirsty, drink water.
Add physical activity to your life.
Limit alcohol consumption.
Eating at regular times helps
your body control blood sugar
levels.
The more sugar you eat, the
higher your blood sugar will
be. Artificial sweeteners can be
useful.
High-fat foods may cause you to
gain weight. A healthy weight
helps with blood sugar control
and is healthier for your heart.
Foods high in fibre may help
you feel full and may lower
and cholesterollevels.
Drinking regular pop and fruit
juice will raise your blood sugar.
Regular physical activity will
improve your blood sugar
control.
Alcohol can affect blood sugar
levels and cause you to gain
weight.

Sweeteners that increase blood glucose (sugar) levels

Sweetener Forms & uses Other things you should know

Sugars (some  Used to sweeten  Sugars are carbohydrates that can affect your blood sugar,
examples) foods and weight and blood fats.
beverages
 There is no advantage to those with diabetes in using one
 Brown sugar
 May be found in type of sugar over another.
 Maltodextrins medications
 Sugars may be eaten in moderation by people with diabetes.
 Icing sugar Up to 10 per cent of the days calories can come from added
 Agave syrup sugar. Their effect on blood sugar levels will vary. Talk to your
dietitian about how to fit sugars into your meal plan.
 Invert sugar
 Brown rice
syrup
 White sugar
 Corn syrup
 Dextrose
 High fructose
corn syrup
 Fructose
 Maple syrup
 Glucose
 Fruit juice
concentrates
 Lactose
 Honey
 Maltose
 Molasses
 Sucrose
 Barley malt

Sweeteners that don't increase blood sugar levels

Sweetener Forms & uses Others things you should know

Sugar alcohols &  Used to sweeten foods labelled “sugar  Sugar alcohols are neither sugars
polydextrose free” or “no added sugar” nor alcohols. Small amounts are
found naturally in fruits and
 May be found in cough and cold syrups
 Lactitol vegetables. They can also be
and other liquid medications (e.g. antacids)
 Xylitol manufactured.
 They are only partly absorbed by
 Maltitol
your body, have fewer calories
 Polydextrose than sugar and have no major
 Mannitol effect on blood sugar.

 Isomalt  Check product labels for the

number of grams of sugar alcohols
 Polyols per serving. If you eat more than
 Palatinit 10 grams of sugar alcohols a day,
you may experience side effects
 Sorbitol such as gas, bloating or diarrhea.
 Polyol syrups  Talk to your dietitian if you are
 Hydrogenated carbohydrate counting and want to
starch use foods sweetened with sugar
hydrolysates alcohols.
(HSH)
 Sweetener Forms & uses Others things you should know
Common/brand
Sweetener Forms & uses Other things you should know
name
Acesulfame  Not available for  Added to packaged  Safe in pregnancy*
Potassium (Ace-K) purchase as a foods and beverages
 ADI = 15 mg/kg body weight per
single ingredient only by food
day. For example, a 50 kg (110 lb)
manufacturers
person could have 750 mg of Ace-
K per day. One can of diet pop
contains about 42 mg of Ace-K.
Aspartame  Equal®  Available in packets,  Safe in pregnancy*
tablets or granulated
 NutraSweet®  ADI = 40 mg/kg body weight per
form
day. For example, a 50 kg (110 lb)
 Private label
 Added to drinks, person could safely have 2000 mg
brand
yogurts, cereals, low- of aspartame per day. One can of
calorie desserts, diet pop may contain up to 200 mg
chewing gum and of aspartame.
many other foods
 Flavour may change
when heated
Cyclamate  Sucaryl®  Available in packets,  Safe in pregnancy* (Be cautious of
tablets, liquid and exceeding ADI)
 Sugar Twin®
granulated form
 ADI = 11 mg/kg body weight per
 Sweet’N Low®
 Not allowed to be day. For example, a 50 kg (110 lb)
 Private label added to packaged person could have 550 mg of
brand foods and beverages cyclamate per day. One packet of
Sugar Twin® contains 264 mg of
 Flavour may change
cyclamate.
when heated
Saccharin  Hermesetas®  Available as tablets  Safe in pregnancy*
 Not allowed to be  ADI = 5 mg/kg body weight per
added to packaged day. For example, a 50 kg (110 lb)
foods and beverages person could have 250 mg of
saccharin per day. One tablet of
Hermesetas® contains 12 mg of
saccharin.
 Available only in pharmacies
Sucralose  Splenda®  Available in packets  Safe in pregnancy*
or granulated form.
 ADI = 9 mg/kg body weight per
Added to packaged
day. For example, a 50 kg (110 lb)
foods and beverages
person could have 450 mg of
 Can be used for sucralose per day. One packet of
cooking and baking Splenda® contains 12 mg of
sucralose; one cup (250 mL)
 Sweetener Forms & uses Others things you should know
contains about 250 mg of
sucralose.
Steviol glycosides Stevia-based  Table top sweeteners  Safe in pregnancy*
sweeteners such as:
 Added to drinks,  ADI = 4 mg/kg body weight per
breakfast cereals, day. For example, a 50 kg (110 lb)
 Stevia
yogurt, fillings, gum, person could have 200 mg of
 Truvia spreads, baked Stevia per day. A 30 g portion of
 Krisda products, snack foods breakfast cereal may contain 11
mg of steviol glycosides.
 Pure Via

lan for healthy eating

Using a standard dinner plate, follow the Plate Method in the image below to control
your portion sizes.

 Have at least three out of the four key food groups at each meal from Eating Well with
Canada’s Food Guide: Vegetables and fruit, Grain products, Milk and alternatives, Meat and
alternatives.
 Select whole and less refined foods instead of processed foods, such as sugar-sweetened
beverages, fast foods and refined grain products.
 Include low-glycemic index foods such as legumes, whole grains, and fruits and vegetables.
These foods can help control blood sugar and cholesterol levels.
 Eat more vegetables. These are very high in nutrients and low in calories.
 Choose lean animal proteins. Select more vegetable protein, such as beans, lentils, or tofu.
 Make lower fat choices (e.g. skim milk, lean ground beef, and use small amounts of oil and
salad dressings). Select plant oils such as olive and canola, and nuts instead of animal fats.
 Have portion sizes that will help you reach or maintain a healthy body weight. Your hands
can be a very handy Portion Guide.

What else can I do?

 Diabetes Canada recommends that all people with diabetes should receive advice on
nutrition from a registered dietitian. Consider learning about counting carbohydrates as the
amount of carbohydrate eaten at one time is usually important in managing diabetes.
 Ask a registered dietitian about diabetes-friendly eating patterns such as the Mediterranean
diet or the DASH dietduring your visit.
 Try to prepare more of your meals at home and use whole, unprocessed ingredients.
 Eat together as a family more often to model healthy eating behaviours to children and
teenagers.
 If you are planning on fasting, talk to your health-care team one to two months in advance.