Diet is incredibly important for patients with both type 1 and type 2 diabetes; all patients with diabetes will be offered help and advice with nutrition to ensure that their blood sugar levels are balanced and controlled effectively.

Eating well with type 1 diabetes

It is very important for people with type 1 diabetes to keep an eye on their diet and tailor their diet to suit their condition; this can be challenging at first, but once you get used to it, it will become much easier and there is always help available from your care team.

Having diabetes does not necessarily mean that you need to completely change what you eat it just means that you need to keep an eye on your diet and learn which kinds of foods are best for your health. Learning to eat well can be difficult, especially for people with teenage diabetes, as it can be tempting to indulge in junk food with your friends, but if you are careful, you can eat what you want without paying for it later.

Tips for eating well:

?      Eat three meals a day and never skip meals

?      Include starchy carbohydrates in all your meals; examples include bread, pasta, potatoes and cereals

?      Cut down on saturated fat: you can do this by using margarine instead of butter, trimming the fat off meat, eating low fat dairy foods and grilling, baking and steaming foods instead of frying them

?      Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables

?      Limit your intake of sugary foods

?      Try to eat two portions of oily fish each week; examples include mackerel, salmon, pilchards and sardines

?      Try to eat pulses and lentils

?      Cut down on salt

?      Drink alcohol in moderation

Eating well with type 2 diabetes

Diabetes is commonly linked to obesity and being overweight, which are usually the result of poor eating habits; in many cases, people with type 2 diabetes can reduce their symptoms by switching to a healthy diet, which is low in fatty and salty foods. Adopting a healthy diet and combining this with regular exercise will help you to lose weight, which will be beneficial for your overall health, as well as diabetes.

Tips for eating well:

?      Cut down on salt

?      Limit sugar intake

?      Cut down on saturated fat: use margarine instead of butter, grill and steam foods instead of frying and choose lean meats that are low in fat, such as chicken and turkey

?      Eat plenty of fruit and vegetables (aim for 5 portions per day); this does not mean that you have to eat five separate portions of fruit and vegetables every day, you can also include soups, fruit smoothies, sugar-free fruit juice, sauces and frozen fruit and vegetables in this tally.

?      Choose wholegrain foods, such as wholemeal bread, brown rice, wholegrain cereals and wholegrain pasta

?      Eat plenty of fish; fish is low in fat and contains a range of important nutrients and minerals. Aim to eat two portions of oily fish, such as mackerel and sardines, per week.

?      Include beans and pulses in your diet

?      Eat three meals a day; if you get hungry between meals, have a healthy snack, such as a piece of fruit

?      Drink plenty of water