A 2,000-calorie diabetic diet means that you have no more and no less than 2,000 calories of food helpings per day. This diet is not at all a no-sugar diet, no-carb diet. Rather, it is a healthy diet which contains all the food groups but is low in calories and fat.

When on a 2,000-calorie diabetic diet, the ideal breakfast should consist of two slices of bread or two rice cakes or half a cup of pasta, one cup of skimmed milk or a cup of sugar-free yogurt, one egg in any form, boiled or poached or scrambled and surely one serving of ones favorite fruit. One can have a sandwich, too, and the margarine spread on it will contribute to the fat portion of the breakfast. The egg can be substituted with two slices of bacon. The idea is that the breakfast of the diabetic patient incorporates all the goodness of the various food groups.

For lunch, one can have a bowl of pasta, two servings of your favorite vegetables and a meat product, for example chicken or turkey. Ideally, the vegetables and the meat should not be cooked in too much oil, for oil itself contributes to calories. The pasta can be substituted with a cup of cooked brown rice or two to three slices of bread. Fish, too, can be had for lunch, for it is an excellent source of vitamins.

The afternoon snack can consist of a fruit, two to three saltines or crackers, and half a cup of tea or coffee made with artificial sweetener. A helping of cheese can also be eaten at this time of the day.

For dinner, there should be three servings of meat or fish, like salmon or tuna, which is best served baked or roasted; half of a baked potato or two to three slices of bread; two helpings of vegetables; and a fruit. One can have a cup of milk accompanied by cheese or a few saltines as the nightcap.

Different combinations can make up a 2,000-calorie diet, but before undertaking this type of diet, it is important to obtain the green signal from the dietician.