In grade school everyone was taught the food pyramid and the different food groups that make it up. It is recommended for a balanced and healthy diet to vary your diet and follow the food serving suggestions from the pyramid. As adults, people rarely pay as much heed to it if any at all. But once you have been diagnosed with diabetes it is time to take a refresher course on the different food groups.

Diabetes Food Pyramid is specifically created for diabetics. It is comprised of six food groups just like the standard version. The way the two pyramids differ is that the diabetic version lists foods together that have the same or similar carbohydrate content instead of the regular version that does it by food groups alone. This lay out makes it easier for diabetics to make food choices based on information that can have a negative impact on blood glucose levels.

A large number of Vegetarians eat a larger amount of fruits and vegetables in a day than a non-vegetarian and getting larger fibre intake. An increased amount of fiber in a diabetic’s diet can help blood sugars because it slows down the process of the body digesting carbohydrates. A vegetarian’s diet is usually lower in cholesterol as well and it can help ward off cardiovascular disease including heart attacks and strokes.

There are some noticeable differences in the way food items are grouped. For example cheese would is included in meat group. Vegetables like potatoes and corn have an effect on blood sugar levels which is similar to bread and grains. So they are grouped together.

One more difference is the actual serving sizes, especially in the bread and grains group. A diabetic should be careful about the carbohydrate intake at each meal and the best way is to take it in smaller portions.

Your dietitian or doctor or diabetes educator would be able to provide you Diabetic Food Pyramid. You will find it quite handy to refer to, when you prepare your meal plan.
re - low carb food pyramid - sample diabetic menus.