![]() The American Diabetes Association ( ADA) has several cookbooks that include meal plans and recipes. Recipes: Look for new recipes online, buy a new cookbook, or try a cooking magazine.Make cooking exciting again by trying some new things. Too often we get into a rut of cooking the same foods and we get bored. ![]() Once you have dinners planned, think about some ideas for breakfast and lunch. This helps to keep the carbs lower and increases fiber, vitamin and mineral intake. When you look at your plate, ½ should be non-starchy vegetables for lunch and dinner (extra credit if you can do that for breakfast). This includes all the food groups in a healthy portion-controlled way. Try Create Your Plate or the diabetes plate method to help with meal planning. We really should be planning meals around the vegetable. Instead of 7 meals, think about cooking 3-4 meals and planning for some leftovers. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by planning ahead for meals. If you need more or less time that’s fine too. Try to give yourself 30 minutes one time a week to think about what meals to make. If you don’t meal plan, now is the time to start. If you already regularly meal plan, maybe some of these tips will give you new ideas. Meal planning also helps to reduce mindless eating. For people with diabetes this is especially important because food directly impacts blood glucose levels. It doesn’t matter what diet you are trying to follow you need to meal plan. Sneaky sources of added sugars include flavored yogurts, store-bought dressings and marinades and processed peanut butter (opt for natural peanut butter whenever possible).Meal planning is the first step in healthy eating. ![]() Although sweetened beverages are a huge source of added sugars, they're not the only culprit. Cut Added Sugars: Sticking to sugar-free drinks like water and seltzer while cutting back on added sugars from soda, sweetened tea and juice can improve blood sugars.If you're trying to lower your blood sugars, cutting back on carb portions while upping your protein tends to make a big difference. Not only does protein keep us full, it slows the breakdown of our food which means fewer blood sugar spikes. Eat More Protein: When it comes to diabetes, most people focus on carbohydrates and sugar but it's important to remember your protein.Aside from its positive impact on blood sugars, fiber has a ton of other health benefits so it's a good nutrient to focus on. You'll find fiber in whole grains, beans and lentils, nuts, seeds and fruits and vegetables. Because it's not digested, we process fiber-rich meals more slowly and are less likely to have blood sugar spikes. Focus on Fiber: Fiber is a type of carbohydrate that isn't broken down into sugar.To improve your numbers, opt for whole grains, watch your carb portions and be sure to fill up your plate with plenty of protein and lower-carb nonstarchy vegetables. Carbohydrates-even those that are naturally sugar-free, like rice or pasta-turn into sugar when we eat them, which raises our blood sugars. Lower Your Carbs: It's a myth that people with diabetes need to completely avoid carbohydrates, but cutting down can improve your blood sugars. ![]() Plus, the produce is local and sourced directly from the farm so there's no middle man, which means lower prices. Consider a CSA: Although they often require a deposit up front, CSAs (Community Supported Agriculture), often called farm shares, are a great option if you're trying to up your produce intake. ![]()
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