Nutritional recommendations for individuals with diabetes mellitus.

The diabetic diet is fundamentally a healthy diet, high in complex carbohydrates, high in dietary fibre, low in fat. A nutritionally adequate, mixed diet is satisfactory for most people with diabetes and special foods or food supplements are not required. The dietary recommendations directed towards the diabetic population are essentially similar to those recommended by most authorities for the population as a whole. Education of diabetic patients and their families and also individualised diet and meal planning are essential components in the management of diabetes mellitus. Weight loss and subsequent maintenance of a desirable body weight should be achieved when necessary. The amount of carbohydrate should be liberalised, including a wide variety of fibre-rich complex carbohydrates. In some individuals modest amounts of sucrose taken at meal times are acceptable. Foods with lower glycaemic indices should be offered on trial to people with diabetes. Total fat intake, especially saturated fat, should be restricted. More research is needed before recommendations regarding eicosapentaenoic acid supplementation can be made. Protein intake should be restricted to the Recommended Daily Allowance except in groups at risk of negative nitrogen balance. A restriction in salt intake is advised. Alcoholic beverages and nutritive and non-nutritive sweeteners may be used, but in moderate amounts.