Fiber

• A diet high in low-glycemic whole-graine cereal fiber is highly recommended for those with diabetes. This is because fiber helps control blood glucose levels after the meal has been eaten while also reducing the serum cholesterol levels in those suffering from Type 2 diabetes.
  
  

Sugar

• Perhaps the most common misconception about diabetes and food is that sugar raises blood glucose levels. In fact, it is not necessarily sugar that has this effect; it is any carbohydrate-rich food. Artificial sweeteners are chosen by diabetics because they contain no carbohydrates at all -- they're not just sugar-free.
  
  

Sodium

• When taken in moderate amounts, sodium is not especially harmful to people with diabetes. Sodium actually has the beneficial effect of maintaining a proper balance of the body's electrolytes and, when combined with foods rich in potassium, can help to promote regular heart function, muscle contractions, and the blood acid/base balance.
  
  

Diabetes Food Pyramid

• The USDA food pyramid has been regenerated for people with diabetes. The recommendation is for 6 to 11 servings of grain and starchy vegetables; 3 to 5 servings of nonstarchy vegetables; 2 to 4 servings of fruit; 2 to 3 servings of milk or yogurt; 2 to 3 servings of meat and protein; and spare consumption of sweets and food high in fat.
  
  

Snacks

• Most snack foods sold in America are either too sweet or salty for regular consumption by people with diabetes. Patients are advised to cut out these traditional snack foods and replace with things such as unsalted popcorn, sugar-free gelatins, whole-wheat crackers, peanut butter, and even baked tortilla chips, preferably those low in fat and sodium.
  
  

Fat Substitutes

• When used in moderation, fat substitutes can become part of an overall weight loss plan, but the temptation is to overuse them because the lack of fat from calories can lead some people to think they the foods they are used in are low-calorie. In most cases, this is not true, and overindulging in foods made with fat substitutes can actually lead to weight gain, which is definitely a no-no for diabetics. Among the fat substitutes to be aware of are Olestra, carrageenan, and polydextrose.
  
  

Restaurants

• Eating at a restaurant makes measuring food servings a delicate gamble at best. The truth is that average serving offered by a restaurant can be up to three or four times the size that is considered a serving by the USDA. One consideration may be to order off the child's menu in order to get a closer approximation of the actual serving needed. It is always a good idea to inquire about whether the restaurant has special menu items for patients with diabates. At the very least, ask the server if the restaurant has a menu that provides serving size information.