The best way to plan a meal based on a diabetic diet is to first assess the nutritional needs of a person with diabetes and the amounts of fat, protein, carbohydrates and then calculate the total calories needed per day. This information is converted into recommendations for the quantities and types of foods to be included in the daily diet.

Each person with diabetes should consult with a registered dietitian to prepare their diet plan. However, the total number of meals and snacks and the time you should eat them each day, may be different for each person depending on their nutritional needs, lifestyle and the action and time of the medications. So, the rest is mostly up to you. Get the ‘budget’ for your meal plan and then decide how to spend it on each one. Just as a person without diabetes can’t eat cookies and cakes all day long and expect to be healthy, if you have diabetes you have to eat a balanced diet to stay healthy. However, within the limits and with a good education, if you have diabetes you can eat what everyone else eats. Even the Diabetes Foundation suggests some very interesting recipes that can be supplemented with these types of plans.


In general, a nutrition plan for a person with diabetes includes:

  • 10 to 20 percent calories from protein.
  • Not more than 30 percent of calories from fats (no more than 10 percent saturated fat).
  • The remaining 50 to 60 percent carbohydrates.

Below are the ideal nutritional portions for your diet, according to your calorie needs.

Diabetic diet (1200-1600 calories)

This diabetic diet plan is perfect if you are a small woman who exercises, a small or medium-sized woman who wants to lose weight or even a middle weight woman who doesn’t exercise much. Choose these portions from these food groups for a total of 1,200 to 1,600 calories per day:

  • 6 starches
  • 2 milk and yogurt
  • 3 vegetables
  • 2 meat or meat substitute
  • 2 fruits
  • Up to 3 fats
Diet for gestational Diabetes and General Diabetes Complications
Diet for gestational Diabetes and General Diabetes Complications

Diabetic diet (1600-2000 calories)

This diabetic diet plan is perfect if you’re a big woman who wants to lose weight, a small man with a healthy weight, a medium-sized man who doesn’t exercise much, or a medium-large man who wants to lose weight. Choose these portions from these food groups for a total of 1,600 to 2,000 calories per day:

  • 8 starches
  • 2 milk and yogurt
  • 4 vegetables
  • 2 meat or meat substitute
  • 3 fruits
  • Up to 4 fats

Diabetic diet (2000-2400 calories)

This diet plan is perfect if you are a medium/large man who exercises a lot or has a physically active job, a tall man with a healthy weight or a large woman who exercises a lot or has a physically active job. Choose these portions from these food groups for a total of 2,000 to 2,400 calories per day:

  • 11 de almidones
  • 2 milk and yogurt
  • 4 vegetables
  • 2 meat or meat substitute
  • 3 fruits

Important: A serving of starch, fruit or milk contains 15 grams of carbohydrates or 1 serving of carbohydrates.