How is a heart healthy diet comparable to a healthy diabetic diet?

The good news is that a heart-healthy diet and a healthy eating plan for diabetes are very similar. The new healthy plate icon, recently released by the USDA for guidelines for healthy, balanced eating gives a practical and realistic picture of how to structure your meals. You can find out more information at www.choosemyplate.gov but the basics are to fill half your plate with fruit and vegetables, one-quarter of your plate with lean protein choices, and the final one-quarter of your plate with whole grains.  

A heart healthy diet and a diabetic diet have the same content of calorie controlled nutrient dense whole food, high in nutrients and low in saturated fat, refined grains, sodium and added sugar. Nutrient dense foods are whole grains, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats such as olive oil, proteins including lean meat, nuts, legumes, beans, soy or low fat dairy. A heart healthy diet with mono and poly unsaturated healthy fats of less than 30% of calories, including saturated fat less than 7% of calories benefits most everyone to maintain a healthy weight and prevent chronic disease. The difference between a diabetic diet is carefully planned portions of carbohydrate containing foods that directly affect blood glucose control. Fruit, whole grains, beans, legumes, and dairy contain carbohydrate.