Artificial Sweeteners - American Diabetes Association

LIVING WITH DIABETES

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Cutting Calories and Carbohydrate—Artificial sweeteners have no carbohydrates

Create Your Plate

group. You may also be interested in our book, Complete Quick & Hearty Cookbook for
People with Diabetes, 2nd ed.

Six Easy Steps to Create Your Plate It's simple and effective for both managing
diabetes and losing weight. Creating your plate let's you still choose the foods you want,
but changes the portion sizes so you are getting larger portions of non-starchy
vegetables and a smaller portion of starchy foods. When you are ready, you can try new
foods within each food category.

Try these six simple steps to get started:

Using your dinner plate, put a line down the middle of the plate.

1.Then on one side, cut it again so you will have 3 sections on your plate. 2.Fill the
largest section with non-starchy vegetables such as: a.spinach, carrots, lettuce, greens,
cabbage, bok choy b.green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, c.vegetable juice,
salsa, onion, cucumber, beets, okra, d.mushrooms, peppers, turnip

3.Now in one of the small sections, put starchy foods such as: a.whole grain breads,
such as whole wheat or rye b.whole grain, high-fiber cereal

Create Your Plate - American Diabetes Association

 
e.cooked beans and peas, such as pinto beans or black-eyed peas f.potatoes, green
peas, corn, lima beans, sweet potatoes, winter squash g.low-fat crackers and snack
chips, pretzels, and fat-free popcorn

4.And then on the other small section, put your meat or meat substitutes such as:
a.chicken or turkey without the skin b.fish such as tuna, salmon, cod, or catfish c.other
seafood such as shrimp, clams, oysters, crab, or mussels d.lean cuts of beef and pork
such as sirloin or pork loin e.tofu, eggs, low-fat cheese

5.Add an 8 oz glass of non-fat or low-fat milk. If you don’t drink milk, you can add
another small serving of carb such as a 6 oz. container of light yogurt or a small roll.
a.And a piece of fruit or a 1/2 cup fruit salad and you have your meal planned.
Examples are fresh, frozen, or canned in juice or frozen in light syrup or fresh fruit.

Breakfast Your plate will look different at breakfast but the idea is the same. If you use
a plate or bowl for breakfast, keep your portions small. Use half your plate for starchy
foods. You can ad fruit in the small part and a meat or meat substitute in the other. Find
out about Breakfast On the Go.

Diabetes Superfoods

Ever see the top 10 lists for foods everyone should eat to superpower your diet? Ever
wonder which will mesh with your diabetes meal plan? Wonder no more. Your list of the
top 10 diabetes superfoods has arrived.

As with all foods, you need to work the diabetes superfoods into your individualized
meal plan in appropriate portions.

All of the foods in our list have a low glycemic index or GI and provide key nutrients that
are lacking in the typical western diet such as:

calcium potassium fiber magnesium vitamins A (as carotenoids), C, and E.

There isn’t research that clearly points to supplementation, so always think first about
getting your nutrients from foods. Below is our list of superfoods to include in your diet.
Beans Whether you prefer kidney, pinto, navy or black beans, you can’t find better
nutrition than that provided by beans. They are very high in fiber giving you about 1/3 of
your daily requirement in just a ½ cup and are also good sources of magnesium, and
potassium.

They are considered starchy vegetables but a ½ cup provides as much protein as an
ounce of meat without the saturated fat. To save time you can use canned beans, but
be sure to drain and rinse them to get rid of as much sodium as possible. Dark Green
Leafy Vegetables Spinach, collards, kale – these powerhouse foods are so low in
calories and carbohydrates, you can’t eat too much. Citrus Fruit Grapefruit, oranges,
lemons and limes. Pick your favorites and get part of your daily dose of soluble fiber and
vitamin C. Sweet Potatoes A starchy vegetable packed full of vitamin A and fiber. Try in
place of regular potatoes for a lower GI alternative. Berries Which are your favorites:
blueberries, strawberries or another variety? Regardless, they are all packed with
antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. Make a parfait alternating the fruit with light, non-fat
yogurt for a new favorite dessert. Tomatoes An old standby where everyone can find a
favorite. The good news is that no matter how you like your tomatoes, pureed, raw, or in
a sauce, you’re eating vital nutrients like vitamin C, iron, vitamin E. Fish High in
Omega-3 Fatty Acids Salmon is a favorite in this category. Stay away from the
breaded and deep fat fried variety... they don’t count in your goal of 6-9 ounces of fish
per week. Whole Grains It’s the germ and bran of the whole grain you’re after.  It
contains all the nutrients a grain product has to offer. When you purchase processed
grains like bread made from enriched wheat flour, you don’t get these. A few more of
the nutrients these foods offer are magnesium, chromium, omega 3 fatty acids and
folate.

Pearled barley and oatmeal are a source of fiber and potassium. Nuts

Diabetes Superfoods - American Diabetes Association 

Some nuts and seeds, such as walnuts and flax seeds, also contain omega-3 fatty
acids. Fat-free Milk and Yogurt Everyone knows dairy can help build strong bones and
teeth. In addition to calcium, many fortified dairy products are a good source of vitamin
D. More research is emerging on the connection between vitamin D and good health.

Some of the above list can be tough on the budget depending on the season and where
you live. Look for lower cost options such as fruit and vegetables in season or frozen or
canned fish.

Foods that every budget can live with year round are beans and rolled oats or barley
that you cook from scratch.

Of course, you probably don't want to limit yourself to just these items for every meal.
The American Diabetes Association's book What Do I Eat Now? provides a step-by-step
guide to eating right.

  Give us your feedback! What do you think of our diabetes superfoods list? Do you
regularly eat many of these? Do you avoid any? Are we missing any on our list? Give us
some feedback and discuss with others on our Eating Right With Diabetes message
board!

Making Healthy Food Choices

Everywhere you turn, there is news about what is or isn't good for you. Some basic
principles have weathered the fad diets, and have 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.

 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 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.

Planning Meals
When you have diabetes, eating well takes practice and planning. A good balance of
the right foods, along with regular exercise and your prescribed medications, can help
you feel better and stay healthier. Work with your doctor and dietitian to create a meal
plan that:

works with your schedule keeps your weight on track improves your blood glucose,
blood pressure, and cholesterol numbers.