Diabetic Diet With Low Protein

While diabetes is most often related to blood sugar and carbohydrates, a condition involving the kidney may require protein to be monitored as well. Do not fear though, because most of the recent high-profile books about high protein as a necessity are mostly fads and you can still receive an adequate amount of protein with a low-protein diet. Each person is different and only your doctor can tell you how much protein you should be taking in, not a New York Times best seller.

How are Diabetes and the Kidneys Related?

Diabetes is a disease the causes your body to not make enough or use enough insulin properly. Insulin, a hormone that regulates blood sugar, when scarce can lead to negative body implications. Diabetes can lead to the injury of small blood vessels. If that condition spreads to the kidneys, it will take away their ability to clean blood correctly. The body will retain more salt and water than it typically does and this can lead to weight gain and ankle swelling. As the kidney has more and more problems with these damaged cells, protein and waste materials can build up in the blood and urine. A related problem with the nerves, can lead to a bladder backup that will also damage the kidney. Around 30 percent of Type 1 diabetics and 10 to 40 percent of Type 2 diabetics eventually will endure kidney failure.

What to Eat on Low Protein Diet

There are certain foods you should include in your low-protein diet and certain ones you should avoid. For dairy products, you'll want to include skim milk, plain yogurt and sugar free ice-cream, while avoiding chocolate milk, sweetened yogurt and sugar sweetened ice cream. Keep in mind that all dairy portions should be limited to 4 oz. or less because of high protein content.

Include unsalted crackers, flour tortillas and cream of wheat in your diet, and exclude biscuits, salted snacks and sugar-coated cereals. Fruits that are lower in sugar like most berries, grapefruit, and fruits canned in unsweetened juices are recommended as opposed to bananas, dried fruits like raisins, and orange juice.

For starchy vegetables, consume corn and peas and avoid baked potatoes, yams and baked beans. Most vegetables are good for the diet, but avoid tomatoes, sauces and juices made from tomatoes, artichokes and fresh bamboo shoots.

You can eat lean cuts of meat, but keep lunch meats, hot dogs, cheeses and bacon to a minimum. Keep unsaturated fats higher than saturated (animal) fats by avoiding lard, shortening and whipping cream. As in most diets, it is recommended that you drink eight glasses of water each day to flush out your system.

More Foods to Avoid

Sweets and salty foods tend to raise sodium and potassium, which also tends to be restricted on a low-protein diet for diabetics. This means that candy, syrup, honey, pies and ice cream are typically out. Also eliminate canned foods, barbecue sauce, ketchup, pizza, soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce.