January 11, 2023

Healthy Eating & Diabetes

General Health

We all know that eating healthy is an important way to maintain good health, but it is especially important if you or a family member has diabetes or prediabetes. There are many different meal plans available for people living with diabetes. Each plan has different benefits, but the key is to find one that will work best for you. Most plans are going to focus on the difference between foods that will increase blood sugar and foods that will not. Foods that increase blood sugar are known as carbohydrates. Carbohydrates also known as carbs are found in foods that contain starches, sugar, or fiber. Some examples of carbs are bread, corn, pasta, cereal, potatoes, fruit, yogurt, and sweets/desserts. A person with diabetes should still eat carbs at each meal but should reduce their portion size. Other foods that will not increase blood sugar are non-starchy vegetables, protein, and fats. Non-starchy vegetables include lettuce, green beans, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, and many more. Proteins are any type of meat as well as eggs and nuts. Fats would be cooking oils, oil-based salad dressings, and meat fat. One thing to keep in mind is that while fats do not raise the blood sugar, they are not our best choice, so moderation is key.

One way to help with portion sizes is using the Diabetes Plate Method. This method of meal planning helps ensure that a person is eating the right amount of each type of food. The plate method involves using a 9-inch plate and dividing it into quarters. 1 quarter of the plate should be filled with carbs, 1 quarter of the plate should be filled with protein, and half of the plate should be fill with non-starchy vegetables. On the side, have a glass of water or other 0 calorie drink such as flavored sparkling water. Avoiding sugar sweetened beverages (regular soda, lemonade, fruit juice) is another way to reduce carbs in your diet. The plate method helps reduce portion sizes and increase intake of healthy vegetables. As always, every person is different, so finding what will work best for you and help you manage your diabetes is the priority.

For more information, please visit https://diabetes.org/healthy-living/recipes-nutrition/eating-well