Diabetes and nutrition

The right nutrition

A healthy lifestyle is important for everyone—whether or not you have type 1 diabetes. Healthy eating is a key part of that. If you have type 1 diabetes, there’s no need to follow a special diet. However, it is important to eat and drink healthily.

Just like people without diabetes, those with type 1 diabetes benefit from a balanced diet. While a special diet isn’t required, understanding carbohydrates and making healthy food choices is essential. But what does healthy eating actually look like?

GoOD TO KNOW

Healthy eating and drinking are important for everyone. There are a few basic rules that can help support this.

For type 1 diabetes, there is additional guidance when it comes to nutrition. These help to keep blood glucose levels balanced.

The risk of heart and vascular problems is higher in type 1 diabetes. That’s why it’s important to pay extra attention to fats.

Basic rules for nutrition

Healthy nutrition means that the things you eat and drink contain enough nutrients. This includes a good balance of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. There are a few basic rules you can follow:

Eat plenty of vegetables and fruit.
Choose mostly whole grain foods, such as whole grain bread, whole grain pasta, and brown rice.
Eat less meat and more plant-based foods. Alternate daily between fish, meat, eggs, nuts, and legumes.
Consume enough dairy, such as milk, yogurt, and quark.
Eat a handful of unsalted nuts every day.
Use soft or liquid fats for cooking and on bread. For example, olive oil and soft margarine.
Drink enough fluids. Preferably water and unsweetened tea.
Eat as few unhealthy items as possible.
Take small portions. Avoid eating too much in a short time.
Choose items with minimal salt, sugar, and saturated fat.
Eat a variety of foods and alternate regularly.

THE WHEEL OF FIVE

The Wheel of Five from the Nutrition Centre is a useful tool to use. It shows what and how much you can eat each day to stay healthy.

The wheel has different sections with types of food. If you eat according to the different sections, your body receives enough of the various nutrients every day.

Extra advice for type 1 diabetes

Diabetes and lifestyle influence each other. People with type 1 diabetes aim to manage their blood glucose as effectively as possible. It’s important to match the amount of insulin to what you eat and drink. These tips can help make blood glucose control easier:

Eat enough fiber. Fiber is mainly found in whole grain products, such as whole grain bread, as well as in vegetables and fruit. Foods high in fiber cause blood glucose to rise more slowly.
Limit processed carbohydrates. For example, white pasta, white rice, and white bread often contain little fiber.
Avoid added sugars. Drinks with a lot of sugar or foods with added sugar cause blood glucose to rise quickly. It’s better to drink water, tea, or sugar-free soft drinks. Avoid eating too many cookies and sweets.
Limit alcoholic beverages. Do not drink alcohol if you are under 18. If you are 18 or older, have no more than one glass of alcohol per day. Alcohol affects blood glucose levels. Before drinking, consider how you will keep your glucose levels under control.

Personal Nutrition Advice

Diabeter has dietitians who specialize in type 1 diabetes and can help with questions about nutrition, diabetes, and lifestyle. For example, if your blood glucose fluctuates often—even when you eat healthily—or if you want to make changes to your diet.

If you are being treated at Diabeter, a dietitian is always part of your care team. So don’t hesitate to bring your questions to the dietitian in your team. They can look at your situation and give you personalized advice.

Healthy and unhealthy fats

Type 1 diabetes increases the risk of heart and vascular problems. That’s why it’s especially important to pay attention to the fats in your diet. There are two types of fats:

Saturated fat – This is the less healthy type of fat. It is mainly found in animal-based foods, such as meat and 48+ cheese. Cookies, pastries, and snacks also often contain a lot of saturated fat.
Unsaturated fat – This is the healthy type of fat. It is mainly found in plant-based products, such as nuts, olive oil, and soft margarine. Fatty fish also often contains a lot of unsaturated fat.

It’s important to eat as little saturated fat as possible. These foods can be replaced with options that contain unsaturated fats. For example, use olive oil instead of butter. Or eat fruit instead of cookies or sweets.

It’s also healthy to eat fatty fish at least once a week, such as salmon, herring, or mackerel.

If you mostly follow the Wheel of Five, you’ll automatically avoid many saturated fats.