How much proteins should a diabetic take?

Q: My 66 years old relative with type 2 diabetes is diagnosed to have diabetic nephropathy with a total 24 urine protein of 10 gm and her cholesterol is 238 mg/dl, LDL is 132 mg/dl and serum albumin is 2.9 gm. What amount of cholesterol and protein should she take?

A:Average protein intake should be around 50 grams a day. Focus should remain on low carbohydrate and low saturated fat / cholesterol diet. I would recommend consulting a nutritionist who can recommend the diet types and the content tailoring to the needs of the patient (based on whether the patient is vegetarian or not).