The Big Three
Your body is like a NASCAR car. It's a finely tuned machine, which requires good care so it runs well. There are three main parts of your car's care, or rather three kinds of nutrients that you need to have in the foods you eat: carbohydrates, protein, and fat. Each one has a different job to keep your car running.
Carbohydrates
Eating carbohydrates is like putting gas in your car. It'll give you energy fast. Carbohydrates are the body's main source of fuel. Your digestive system turns carbohydrates into sugar quickly and easily. That sugar feeds all the cells in your body.
The two bottom layers of the food pyramid (breads and grains, fruits, and vegetables) consist of foods high in carbohydrates. Sugar is also a carbohydrate (as are honey, molasses, syrup, and other sweeteners). Carbohydrate is the food that most influences blood glucose levels. So, tracking the amount of carbohydrates in your meals and snacks is one way to plan meals.
Learn more about Carbs.
Proteins
Proteins act like the tools a car mechanic uses. They repair and build tissue in your body. That helps keep you strong. Proteins can also be used for fuel, but it takes double the time to change proteins to sugar. You get protein in meat, milk, nuts, and some kinds of beans.
Fats
Fats are reserve fuel, like keeping an extra gallon of gas in the car trunk for emergencies. They also help your body absorb certain vitamins and help the cells send signals to the rest of the body. You don't need a lot of fat every day. Fat is basically concentrated energy. It has double the calories of carbohydrates or proteins. Too much can make you overweight. It can also clog your blood vessels, which is bad for your heart. Fat is found in butter and margarine, oils, most meats, eggs, whole milk, chocolate, and any foods cooked in butter or oil.
Some kinds of fat are better for you than others. For example, it's better to use canola oil than butter in cooking because canola oil is less likely to clog your blood vessels. Talk to your parents and a dietitian to find out more about different kinds of fats.
Vitamins & Minerals
So, you're thinking, "What about vitamins and minerals?" Vitamins and minerals are substances your body needs to keep working well. They're mostly in carbohydrate and protein foods. The best way to get all the different vitamins you need every day is to different kinds of foods, especially different kinds of fruits and vegetables.
Eating by the Clock
For people with diabetes, eating on time is just as important to waking up on time. Why? Insulin. Insulin has peaks, times when it works the hardest. Your meals and snacks are planned around those peaks. You take a shot of rapid-acting insulin, then 15-30 minutes later, that insulin kicks in and works hard. You need to have food in your body for the insulin to work on.
What happens if your insulin peaks and you forget to eat? You could get hypoglycemia, or low blood glucose, which can be dangerous if you don't catch it in time.
Learn more about hypoglycemia.
