Keto Diet Meal Plan for Diabetics
The ketogenic diet was developed nearly 100 years ago to treat epilepsy, and it has since been used for various therapeutic reasons, mostly pediatric neurological and metabolic diseases.
It has recently become a hot fitness trend for weight loss, and it is likely to benefit people with diabetes as well.
The main idea of this diet is to follow an of the low-carb, high-fat, moderate-protein meal plan. In conditions of carbohydrate deficiency, the body is forced to look for other sources of energy.
The liver begins to convert fatty acids into ketone bodies, which become fuel for the brain and cells, hence the body burns fat and uses it as the main source of energy.
Keto Diet Meal Plan for Diabetics – Content and Main Ingredients
The consumption of carbohydrates is significantly limited – up to 20-50 g per day in the form of non-starchy vegetables and fruits. The ratio of fat to total carbohydrates and proteins is 4:1 by weight.
The acceptable amount of protein consumed in the keto diet is 1 gram per kg of bodyweight, which we get mostly from meat, seafood or cottage cheese.
Some high-fat foods can be consumed without restrictions: meat, lard, yolk, fish, unrefined vegetable oils, avocados, nuts and seeds, and whole fat dairy products, which include sour cream, greek yogurt, butter, cream, cheese.
In patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus, the keto diet is said to lead to a decrease in glycated hemoglobin, rapid weight loss, good glucose control, a decrease in the number of antihyperglycemic drugs.
Although the long-term benefits of this diet over other high-carb diets are yet to be proven.
All these promising results can be achieved if you follow a balanced meal plan
Please make sure to receive a consultation from your physician before making significant changes to your diet.
Keto diet meal plan for diabetics
Keto Diet Meal Plan for Diabetics – Overview
Day 1
Breakfast
Scrambled eggs with spinach and asparagus
193 calories
Snack
1 cup of Low carb strawberry smoothie
182 calories
Lunch
100 grams of Sour cream with parsley, celery, green onion
203 calories
Dinner
1 bowl of Chicken soup with veggies – 183 calories
1 slice of white bread – 77 calories
1 slice of cheese – 113 calories
368 calories
Snack
Roasted peppers stuffed with cheese
227 calories
Total Calorie Count: 1173 calories
Day 2
Breakfast
Chia pudding made with almond milk, strawberries, and half a banana
283 calories
Snack
1 cup of Zucchini chips coated in olive oil and 30 gram of parmesan cheese
316 calories
Lunch
150 grams of Avocado salad, with avocado, tomatoes, green bell pepper, lime juice, cucumber.
124 calories
Dinner
10 Shrimp with olive oil, broccoli, bell peppers, garlic, lime juice.
143 calories
Snack
10 macadamia nuts – 185 calories
Total Calorie Count: 1051 calories
Day 3
Breakfast
Poached egg with avocado and celery
405 calories
Snack
2 slices of watermelon
64 calories
Lunch
Tuna sandwich
438 calories
Dinner
Air pressured chicken breast in olive oil, roasted cherry tomatoes and asparagus
213 calories
Snack
10 Almonds
77 calories
Total Calorie Count: 1197 calories
Day 4
Breakfast
150 grams of full-fat greek yogurt with 10 blueberries
115 calories
Snack
10 Salted crackers
204 calories
Lunch
200 grams Salmon fillet with roasted cherry tomato, carrot, and mashed avocado
436 calories
Dinner
10 Mushrooms with cheese, pepper and green onion
178 calories
Snack
2 oz of coconut
259 calories
Total Calorie Count: 1192 calories
Day 5
Breakfast
Keto Sausage and cheese egg omelet
483 calories
Snack
10 Raspberries
10 calories
Lunch
Turkey sandwich
324 calories
Dinner
Meatballs in tomato sauce and high-fat cheese
256 calories
Snack
50 grams of Kale chips
72 calories
Total Calorie Count: 1145 calories
Day 6
Breakfast
2 Scrambled eggs with 2 slices of bacon
195 calories
Snack
50 gram of pumpkin seeds
223 calories
Lunch
1 piece of peanut butter toast
279 calories
Dinner
200 gram beef in olive oil with roasted cauliflower, salsa, asparagus, garlic,
1 slice of high-fat cheese
403 calories
Snack
10 olives
37 calories
Total Calorie Count: 1137 calories
Day 7
Breakfast
1 cup of granola(122 grams) with cottage cheese, nuts, 5 raspberries
596 calories
Snack
Guacamole with cucumber, carrot, zucchini.
135 calories
Lunch
3 pieces of ham and cheese roll-ups
179 calories
Dinner
Zucchini noodles with 10 shrimps, parsley, pepper, green onion, sliced cucumber
234 calories
Snack
10 pecans
103 calories
Total Calorie Count: 1247 calories
Tips
As with any diet, some precautions must be taken before starting a ketogenic diet.
- This diet is not recommended for all obese and type 2 diabetes patients. Your doctor must monitor your diet.
- Constant control of sugar readings is extremely crucial for diabetics, especially when starting a new type of diet. In case you’re prescribed insulin or hypoglycemic drugs, you might need an adjustment of medications dosages since on Keto Diet there is a potential risk for hypoglycemia.
- Don’t limit your drinking regimen. Due to the pronounced diuretic effect, it is important to drink at least 1 liter a day of water. You can freely enjoy water, tea and coffee daily, just make sure they are sugar-free.
- You should also be aware of the keto-flu period. Your body goes into adaptation mode when you first start a keto diet journey, that’s why you are likely to experience temporary flu-like symptoms for up to 2 weeks.
- Despite being beneficial in several ways, High-fat diets have one big controversial side effect, which is increasing levels of cholesterol. For that reason, constant check-ups for lipid profiles might be a good idea. To avoid unfavorable results, make sure to avoid saturated fats and include mainly polyunsaturated fats in your diet.
- Pregnant women and those with kidney disease should avoid using this type of diet since according to experts it’s not considered to be safe.
- If you wish to maximize the effects of diet and lose extra pounds in a shorter period it’s a great idea to add daily light to moderate physical activity.
See Also
Supplements to get into ketosis faster
