Diabetes The Different Parts Of Nutrition
CALORIES
A calorie is a measure of energy you can get from the food you eat. The main source of calories in a meal plan are carbohydrates, protein and fat.
One gram of carbohydrate = 4 calories.
One gram of protein = 4 calories.
One gram of fat = 9 calories.
As you can see, fat has more than twice the calories as carbohydrate or protein. How do you know how many calories to eat each day? Your meal plan will tell you how many calories you need to eat each day to stay healthy, maintain your weight, or lose weight.
CARBOHYDRATECarbohydrates provide you with energy. Carbohydrates get broken down into glucose (sugar). It's important for you to figure out and know how much carbohydrate you (or your child) will eat each day. Some people measure carbohydrate as a way of controlling their blood glucose level (Carbohydrate Counting)
CHOLESTEROLCholesterol is made in the liver and also comes from the foods you eat. It is recommended that you eat less than 300 milligrams of cholesterol each day. If you have high LDL cholesterol levels you need to eat less than 200 milligrams of cholesterol each day.
FATThe two main kinds of fat in the foods we eat are saturated and unsaturated fats. Saturated fats are found in animal foods and some plant foods. They are solid at room temperature. Unsaturated fats are found in plant foods and are liquid at room temperature. Saturated fats can raise your cholesterol and unsaturated fats can lower your cholesterol level.
FIBERFiber is a part of plants that your body can't digest. Fiber helps to carry excess cholesterol out of your body and protects your colon and intestines from diseases. It is recommended that people eat 20 to 35 grams of fiber each day.. Fiber can come from a wide variety of foods including fruits, vegetables, beans, and whole grains.
PROTEINProtein is used by the body to make blood cells, hormones and body tissues. It is recommended that you get 10 to 20 percent of your daily calories from protein. If you have kidney disease its recommended that you get 10 percent of your calories from protein.
SODIUMSodium is salt. In general try to get no more than 1 milligram of sodium for each calorie you eat in a day. If you have mild to moderate high blood pressure eat about 2400 milligrams or less of sodium per day. If you have high blood pressure eat about 2000 or less milligrams per day.
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