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Eating right is key to managing diabetes.
Fortunately, your food "prescription" includes filling, flavorful fare that
tastes like anything but medicine. A diet rich in these 10 "superfoods" will
help minimize blood sugar and even throw your disease into reverse. Dig in!
1. Vegetables. The advantages of eating
more vegetables are undeniable, according to the experts at ChangeOneDiet.com. Packed with powerhouse nutrients, vegetables are
naturally low in calories, and they're full of fiber, so they're plenty filling.
Loading your plate with more vegetables will automatically mean you're eating
fewer simple carbs (which raise blood sugar) and saturated fats (which increase
insulin resistance). Aim to get four or five servings a day. (A serving is 1/2
cup canned or cooked vegetables or 1 cup raw vegetables.) Go easier on starchy
vegetables -- including potatoes and corn, and legumes such as lima beans and
peas -- which are higher in calories than other vegetables.
2. Fruit. It has more natural sugar and
calories than most vegetables, so you can't eat it with utter abandon, but fruit
has almost all the advantages that vegetables do -- it's brimming with nutrients
you need, it's low in fat, it's high in fiber, and it's relatively low in
calories compared with most other foods. Best of all, it's loaded with
antioxidants that help protect your nerves, your eyes, and your heart, says
ChangeOneDiet.com.
Aim to get three or four servings a day. (A
serving is one piece of whole fruit, 1/2 cup cooked or canned fruit, or 1 cup
raw fruit.) Strive to make most of your fruit servings real produce, not juice.
Many of the nutrients and a lot of the fiber found in the skin, flesh, and seeds
of fruit are eliminated during juicing, and the calories and sugar are
concentrated in juice.
3. Beans. Beans are just about your
best source of dietary fiber. Fiber slows digestion and keeps blood sugar from
rising quickly after a meal. This effect is so powerful that it can even lower
your overall blood sugar levels. Because it slows digestion, fiber also keeps
you feeling full longer. Throw canned beans into every salad you make (rinse
them first), and add them to pasta dishes and chili. Black bean, split pea, or
lentil soup, even it comes from a can, is an excellent lunch, says
ChangeOneDiet.com.
4. Cereal. The right breakfast cereal
is your absolute best opportunity to pack more fiber into your day. There's a
bonus: Studies show that people who start the morning with a high-fiber cereal
actually eat less later on. So don't forgo breakfast. And choose a cereal brand
with at least 5 grams fiber per serving. Good choices include Kashi GoLean
Crunch! (10 grams), Kellogg's Raisin Bran (8 grams), General Mills Multi-Bran
Chex (8 grams), Post Wheat 'N Bran Spoon Size (8 grams), Kellogg's All-Bran
Original (10 grams) and General Mills Fiber One (14 grams). Top your cereal with
fruit and you've checked off a fruit serving for the day.
5. Fish. Fast and easy to prepare, fish
is a good source of protein, and a great substitute for higher-fat meats. Fatty
fish is also the best source of omega-3 fatty acids, those remarkable
good-for-you fats that help keep the arteries clear. People with diabetes often
have high triglycerides and low levels of HDL, the "good" cholesterol. Omega-3
fatty acids can improve both numbers.
ChangeOneDiet.com
says to aim to eat fish at least twice a week.
Excellent sources of omega-3s are salmon, mackerel, and tuna.
6. Chicken breast. Versatile, extremely
lean, and low in calories, chicken breast is practically a miracle food. Unlike
steaks and hamburgers, it's low in saturated fat, which raises "bad" cholesterol
and may increase insulin resistance, making blood sugar control more difficult.
A 3-ounce serving of skinless chicken breast has only 142 calories and 3 grams
fat. Turkey breast is even leaner and lower in calories.
7. Nuts. Nuts have several things going
for them -- and for you. They're loaded with "good" fats that fight heart
disease. These fats have even been shown to help reduce insulin resistance and
make blood sugar easier to control. Nuts are also one of the best food sources
of vitamin E, an antioxidant that protects cells and may help prevent nerve and
eye damage, according to the experts at
ChangeOneDiet.com. They are rich in fiber and magnesium, both of which may benefit your
blood sugar. Studies suggest that including them in your diet may even help you
lose weight. Because nuts are high in calories, though, eat them in moderation.
8. Olive oil. At the dead center of the
famously heart-healthy Mediterranean diet is olive oil, full of "good" fats that
slash the risk of heart attack -- and help keep blood sugar steady. These fats
have even been shown to help reduce insulin resistance. So toss the butter and
cook with olive oil instead. At home and in restaurants, dip your bread in a bit
of the stuff. Just watch how much you eat, because at 9 calories per gram, even
the "good" fat in olive oil can pack on the pounds.
9. Yogurt. Yogurt is rich in protein
and something else important for weight loss: calcium. Several studies have
shown that people who eat plenty of calcium-rich foods have an easier time
losing weight -- and are less likely to become insulin resistant. As a snack or
for breakfast, choose nonfat plain yogurt, and add your own fresh fruit or a
sprinkling of wheat germ or low-fat granola for a burst of extra nutrients.
10. Cinnamon. Believe it! Amazingly,
just by sprinkling cinnamon on your foods, you could lower your blood sugar.
Components in cinnamon help the body use insulin more efficiently, so more
glucose can enter cells. A recent study found that in people with diabetes, just
1/2 teaspoon a day can significantly lower blood sugar levels. So go ahead and
add powdered cinnamon to your whole wheat toast, oatmeal, baked apples, or even
chicken dishes. Or soak a cinnamon stick in hot water to make a soothing and
curative cup of cinnamon tea.
For more diabetes tips and mouth-watering
recipes and meals, visit
ChangeOneDiet.com
ChangeOneDiet.com - Free Week & Free Diet Profile!