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Nutrition & Product Information
Diabetes Mellitus & Dairy Food Consumption
Dairy Foods in the Management of both Type 1 and Type 2 Diabetes
The American Diabetes Association (ADA) maintains that the most effective nutrition management approach is an individualized one taking into account the patient’s personal likes and dislikes. The ideal eating plan is one that best maintains that particular person’s blood glucose within normal limits. The strategy is to balance food intake and exercise to optimize the regulation of blood glucose. As patients are adjusting their food intakes and activity schedules they are asked to monitor their blood glucose levels. They soon come to realize what foods they can tolerate well with little effect on overall glucose control. They also learn what foods are not well tolerated with respect to the effects these foods have on blood glucose. Patients are asked to keep a diary to help them remember what works and what does not work. Because it is not possible to detect the genetic reason for their diabetes, this kind of trial and error food and exercise balancing will help manage their disease.
The general diet recommendations for Americans are that of the food pyramid. The pyramid includes dairy foods (milk, cheese, yogurt and other milk products) as essential components. Both children and adults are encouraged to include 2-3 servings of dairy foods/day. A serving is defined as 8 oz. of milk or 2 oz. of cheese. Butter is at the top of the pyramid and is included with other fats and sweets. The recommendation is to use these items sparingly. With this as the backbone, the ADA recommends the spacing of meals throughout the day, avoiding binge eating or eating one or two large meals. A three-meal pattern plus a small snack is preferred to the two-meal pattern followed in many households (no breakfast, small lunch, large dinner). The distribution of energy from fats, carbohydrates and proteins is important. 10-20% of the energy intake should be from protein with the remainder coming from fats and carbohydrates.
Contrary to the historical position on the food management of the person with diabetes, there is no prohibition of certain foods i.e. sweets. Rather, there is the recommendation that the diet be designed to satisfy the patient, yet keep the energy intake at a level commensurate with attaining ideal body weight and control over blood glucose levels. In some instances, this means that energy intake restriction is needed to reduce the body fat stores of the patient. The ADA recommends that persons with diabetes should try to keep their saturated fat intake to 10% of total calories. Compared to meat fat, butter is an ideal fat source because of its fatty acid profile. As mentioned above, milk fat has a large percentage of its fatty acids as oleic acid. Again, individualization of the food management plan will allow for such adjustments. Through trial and error, the person with diabetes will find the best combinations of foods that allow for the control of blood glucose, avoiding both extremes of hypo- and hyperglycemia.
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