How much food is enough when you have diabetes?

What does a portion mean?

More than our hunger cues, the amount of food we consume is determined by meal portions at restaurants, food packages, and cultural and family conventions. Thus, even when we’re not hungry anymore, we occasionally eat more than we should.

Over time, portion sizes have increased; what was before thought to be a meal-size portion is now thought of as a snack-size portion. We should not be surprised that we don’t know how much is appropriate to eat!

A person’s intake at each meal and snack matters whether they are attempting to lose weight or have type 1 or type 2 diabetes.

What makes portion control crucial?

By controlling your portions, you may stop depending on outside cues like portion sizes and start eating in accordance with what your body genuinely requires.

The quantity of food you eat has a huge impact on blood sugar regulation, especially when it comes to foods high in carbohydrates, which are the most common type. Your blood sugar rises when the amount of carbohydrates in your meal exceeds what your body can process. Additionally, the additional calories will impact your weight, which will lower your body’s resistance to insulin and impact your blood sugar.

How big of a portion is right?

Everybody has various needs. You need to eat a certain amount of food depending on your weight, gender, and level of exercise. You might ask your dietician how many portions are appropriate for each meal and snack.

According to Diabetes Canada, the portion sizes of typical foods are listed in the table below.

Type of food	1 portion equals
Grains and starches	1/3 cup cooked rice1 slice (1 ounce) whole grain bread½ cup cooked pasta½ medium potato
Fruit	1 medium size apple1 cup strawberries1 small banana2 tablespoons dried fruit
Low-fat milk and alternatives	1 cup 1% or skim milk¾ cup yogurt, plain or unsweetened
Protein or lean meats	1 ounce of fish, poultry, lean meat or cheese1 large egg2 tablespoons peanut butter½ cup chick peas or black beans

You may find out how many portions to consume at each meal by following a meal plan. The serving size is determined by how many portions you eat. For instance, your supper menu might call for two servings of starch, one serving of fruit, one serving of milk, and three servings of meat.

This implies that you would select your favorite foods from each food group in the quantity that corresponds with the number of portions. For instance, one cup cooked pasta, one medium apple, one cup skim milk, and three ounces of chicken would be the serving sizes.

Using measuring cups, a kitchen scale, and measuring spoons to measure your meals will give you the most precise indication of how much you are eating. We frequently get the measurement wrong when we rely just on guesswork! Check your portion amounts by bringing out the scale and measurement equipment at least once a week.

Read Also: Diabetes and junk food

Does everything I eat need to be measured and weighed? Is there a simpler method?

If the thought of weighing and measuring seems like too much work and effort, think about doing things another way. If precision is important to you, these approaches might not be precise enough, particularly when measuring carbohydrates. However, these strategies can be highly effective for the type 2 diabetic who wants to cut back on portions in order to lose weight.

1. The method of plates

Larger servings of non-starchy veggies and lesser portions of starchy meals, lean meats, and protein should be on your plate at every meal, advises Diabetes Canada. We call this portioning strategy “the plate method.”

• Select a plate with a diameter of approximately 9 inches. The portion will be larger the larger the plate.

• Draw a fictitious line through the middle of your dish.

• Next, divide it again on one half of your plate, creating three parts.

• Non-starchy veggies (such as broccoli, carrots, green beans, or salad greens) should make up half of your meal.

• Place a protein or lean meat (such as chicken, fish, or tofu) in one quarter of the other half of the dish and a starchy item (such as rice, pasta, or potatoes) in the other.

2. The helpful section guide

You can estimate the right portions a lot by using your hands. Use the following serving sizes as a reference while organizing a meal:

• Your fist: To measure the number of grains and starch you should serve, take the size of your fist.

• Your palm: Select a portion for your meat and alternate options based on the size of your hand’s palm and the thickness of your little finger.

• Thumb tip: keep fat (like oil and margarine) intake to a quantity equivalent to your thumb tip.

• Stuff your plate full of non-starchy veggies using two hands.

Estimating the right portion sizes can be made much easier by using one of the aforementioned techniques, especially when dining out.

I want to feel content, but how can I limit my portions?

Too many of us choose our portions of food based on habit rather than listening to our hunger signals. Your brain takes approximately twenty minutes to sense fullness, so if you eat rapidly, you can have consumed more food than necessary before your brain has had a chance to adjust. Eating more slowly can be achieved by chewing your food longer and setting down your fork between bites.

It’s likely that you’ve heard the expression “eating with your eyes.” Your portion sizes will appear larger if you use smaller plates and bowls, giving the impression that you ate more than you actually did. Another tactic is to load your plate with as many veggies as possible, making less room for foods high in calories or carbs.

Adopting new routines is never simple. Being conscious of your food intake is the first step towards changing. To keep track of the quantities, calories, and carbs at each meal and snack, create a daily food journal. Maintaining a food journal can be a highly useful tool for helping people modify their eating patterns and reduce weight. Additionally, it can assist in blood sugar stabilization.