Low-Stress Meals For Diabetics

Part of the stress of meal planning is that it’s easy to prepare favorite foods, which are usually high in carbohydrates and sugar, but it seems to take more time and preparation to make healthier meals.

This article from The American Diabetes Associationis a good list to refer to when remembering what should and should not be part of your diet:

Knowing what to eat can be confusing. Everywhere you turn, there is news about what is or isn’t good for you. Some basic principles have weathered the fad diets and stood the test of time.

Here are a few tips on making healthful food choices for you and your entire family. You may also be interested in our book, Healthy Calendar Diabetic Cooking, 2nd Edition.

• Eat lots of vegetables and fruits. Try picking from the rainbow of colors available to maximize variety.

• Eat non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, carrots, broccoli or green beans with meals.

• Choose whole grain foods over processed grain products. Try brown rice with your stir fry or whole wheat spaghetti with your favorite pasta sauce.

• Include dried beans (like kidney or pinto beans) and lentils into your meals.

• Include fish in your meals 2-3 times a week.

• Choose lean meats like cuts of beef and pork that end in “loin” such as pork loin and sirloin. Remove the skin from chicken and turkey.

• Choose non-fat dairy such as skim milk, non-fat yogurt and non-fat cheese.

• Choose water, unsweetened tea, coffee and calorie-free “diet” drinks instead of regular soda, fruit punch, sweet tea and other sugar-sweetened drinks.

• Choose liquid oils for cooking instead of solid fats that can be high in saturated and trans fats. Remember that fats are high in calories. If you’re trying to lose weight, watch your portion sizes of added fats.

• Cut back on high calorie snack foods and desserts like chips, cookies, cakes, and full-fat ice cream.

Eating too much of even healthful foods can lead to weight gain. Watch your portion sizes.