If you understand how the foods you eat affect your blood glucose, you can make smart choices that can help you better control your diabetes.

Rely on your partners in care for support. As your diabetes educator or a dietitian to help you identify areas for improvement in your food choices or give the grocery shopper in your house a list of your favorite healthy foods.

Making healthy choices

Get the nutrition facts: Learn about carbohydrates and fats so you can be comfortable reading nutrition labels and knowing what they mean.

Eat the right foods: Choose healthy foods at the dinner table and grocery store. A healthy diet should include:

• Complex carbohydrates such as whole grain bread, rice and pasta
• Fiber, such as pinto, navy and black beans
• Lean protein, such as chicken (without the skin) or fish
• Lots of vegetables, especially the green, leafy ones
• A limited amount of starchy vegetables such as corn and potatoes

Watch portion sizes: Nutrition labels offer examples of healthy portion sizes. Be prepared for a wake-up call - most people eat much more than a healthy serving!

Keep a diary: Make notes of what you eat, how much you eat, when you eat and how it makes you feel. Share this diary with a dietitian or diabetes educator, so you can work together to make a plan for improvement.