When it comes to diabetes and nutrition, there's a lot to know...but it's a very important part of your healthcare, and a better understanding of what you eat will make your diabetes that much easier to manage. If you are running high and low throughout the day, leaving you exhausted and feeling completely lousy, nutrition needs to become a more important part of your day.

I’m going to help you understand what foods you should be sticking to, how much to eat and when to eat them. First though, let’s have a nutrition overview.

Nutrition 101:

Protein: Protein has 4 calories per gram, which means if you take a chicken breast with 24 grams of protein in it, you know there are at least 96 calories before combining any calories from carbs or fats. Protein is broken down into amino acids and used mostly for the development of muscle. Amino acids also serve other purposes such as forming hormones your body needs, neurotransmission formation (helping the brain operate and function!), as well as being a source of energy. Good sources of protein include eggs, chicken, lean steak, turkey, deli meats, whey protein, soy products, and fish.

Carbohydrates: Carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram. The average apple has 15 grams of carbohydrate, so 4 x 15 = 60 calories. All carbohydrates are turned (metabolized) into glucose through the digestion process and are used primarily as a source of energy. Once in the bloodstream, glucose can be used for energy by the brain, liver, muscle and it can be stored as glycogen in the muscle and liver. Carbohydrates that don't need to send to those areas of the body can be converted to fat on our body. Good choices of carbohydrates include oatmeal, brown rice, sweet potatoes, Ezekiel grain products, fruit and vegetables.

Fats: Fats have 9 calories per gram, which means four grams of a fat has more calories than four grams of a protein or a carb because it is calorically more dense. When we talk about fats in our diet we are referring to "fatty acids" that are basically triacylglycerides and glycerol. Fatty acids are used as a source of energy and are extremely important in the formation of hormones such as testosterone and estrogen. Fatty acids are also important for cholesterol resynthesis. Good sources of fats include any nuts, olive oil and the omega 3 fatty acids found primarily in fish.

Alcohol: Alcohols have 6 calories per gram and do virtually nothing for us. They are empty calories that are a poison to our bodies. They can lower our metabolism and change the efficiency of what we are eating. Good sources of alcohol are…just kidding. Whether or not you have diabetes, alcohol really takes a toll on your body. Your metabolism literally slows down when alcohol is in your system and you stop processing other good nutrients nearly as well.

Ok, so we covered the nutrition basics. All of the foods recommended are what I consider “clean” foods that are natural and prepared by the user. Part 2 will discuss how to incorporate these foods into a complete, healthy, diabetes-friendly diet program.