From the Guidelines
The recommended diet for Diabetes Mellitus (DM) includes individualized carbohydrate intake, with an emphasis on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products, and a daily cholesterol intake of less than 200-300 mg, and saturated fat intake of less than 7% of total calories.
Key Recommendations
- Carbohydrate intake: should be individualized, with an emphasis on whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and low-fat dairy products, and a consistent pattern of carbohydrate intake with respect to time and amount may be recommended to improve glycemic control and reduce the risk of hypoglycemia 1.
- Cholesterol intake: should be limited to less than 200-300 mg per day 1.
- Saturated fat intake: should be limited to less than 7% of total calories 1.
- Omega-3 supplementation: two or more servings of fish per week (with the exception of commercially fried fish filets) are recommended to provide n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids 1.
Additional Considerations
- Protein intake: should be individualized, and there is no clear evidence to recommend an ideal amount of protein intake for optimizing glycemic control or improving cardiovascular disease risk measures 1.
- Total fat intake: evidence is inconclusive for an ideal amount of total fat intake for people with diabetes, and goals should be individualized, with an emphasis on fat quality rather than quantity 1.
- Micronutrients and herbal supplements: there is no clear evidence of benefit from vitamin or mineral supplementation in people with diabetes who do not have underlying deficiencies, and routine supplementation with antioxidants is not advised due to lack of evidence of efficacy and concern related to long-term safety 1.
From the Research
Dietary Recommendations for Diabetes Mellitus
The recommended diet for Diabetes Mellitus (DM) is a healthy diet, high in complex carbohydrates, high in dietary fibre, and low in fat 2. The dietary recommendations for individuals with diabetes are similar to those recommended for the general population.
Daily Intake
- Carbohydrate intake should be liberalized, including a wide variety of fibre-rich complex carbohydrates 2
- Total fat intake, especially saturated fat, should be restricted 2, 3
- Cholesterol intake should be less than 300 mg per day 3
- Protein intake should be restricted to the Recommended Daily Allowance, except in groups at risk of negative nitrogen balance 2
Weekly Omega-3 Supplementation
There is no specific recommendation for weekly omega-3 supplementation through fish consumption in the provided studies. However, it is mentioned that more research is needed before recommendations regarding eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation can be made 2.
Additional Recommendations
- Weight loss and subsequent maintenance of a desirable body weight should be achieved when necessary 2, 4
- Foods with lower glycaemic indices should be offered on trial to people with diabetes 2
- A reduction in daily mono- and polyunsaturated fat intake is recommended for most patients with T2DM 4
- A diet rich in cis-monounsaturated fat can be advantageous for patients with type 1 or type 2 diabetes who are trying to maintain or lose weight 5