Limiting Carbohydrate On A Diabetic Diet
Our understanding of diabetes meal planning has greatly changed in the last two decades. In the past, a diabetic diet was highly restrictive, but we now know that macronutrient balance and portion control are two of the most important considerations. In particular, when creating a diabetic meal plan, you should focus on three key macronutrients:
- Carbohydrates: Both the American Diabetes Association and the Joslin Diabetes Center recommend moderate carbohydrate meal plans. The ADA recommends about 45% of your daily calories come from carbohydrates, while Joslin recommends 40%.
- Protein: Lean meats, fish and nonfat or low-fat dairy products are ideal sources of proteins which should make up about 20-30% of your daily calories.
- Fat: Fat sources like healthy oils and fatty fish are ideal sources meals that should constitute about 30-35% of your daily calories.
Bottom line, there is no one-size-fits-all diabetic diet. Everyones needs are different and can be based on a variety of factors, like activity level, age or weight. Consult with a nutritionist or doctor for personalized macro and micronutrient guidelines.
Healthy Diabetic Lunch Ideas
It can be hard to find a good lunch menu for a diabetic. Perhaps you are at work or school without access to a kitchen but with plenty of unhealthy choices around you. Thats why its important to plan ahead and to have a good list of healthy diabetic lunch ideas to choose from!
For this roundup, I have chosen a mix of cold lunches, lunches that you can make beforehand and reheat, and a few that require cooking at lunchtime. What they all have in common is that they are low-carb, taste amazing, and will give you a healthy boost in energy for the afternoon.
I try to follow the guidelines that my diabetic lunch ideas should have:
- Less than 20 grams of carbs
- Mostly carbs with a low glycemic index
- At least 20 grams of protein
- Some healthy fat
For even more healthy low-carb recipes, check out my roundups of Breakfast Ideas for Diabetics and Dinner recipes for Diabetics.
Enjoy!
Special Conditions And Diabetic Meal Planning
Type II Diabetes and Prediabetes are two of the most common types of diabetic diseases in the U.S. And they affect millions of Americans. For example, 86 million adults in the U.S. have prediabetes, according to the CDC, and 20 million have been diagnosed with Type II diabetes. How can you manage each condition? Lifestyle choices like healthy eating and exercise are the best tools for preventing, reducing or delaying the onset of complications from both these conditions. Weight loss, too, can help to reduce symptoms. Heres a look at both of these special conditions, as well as their dietary considerations:
Also Check: Keto Friendly Recipes For Dinner
Get The Support You Need
Getting support from family and friends can help you immensely when trying to reduce your sodium intake.
Work together to come up with fun, low-sodium recipes, or have a potluck dinner where everyone brings a new, sodium-free dish to share.
Opt out of daily trips to grab fast-food and weekly dinner dates out at restaurants and instead enjoy more meals with your loved ones at home, where you can work on meeting your health goals together. Sodium is not required!
Diabetic Low Sodium Casserole Recipes
2 weeks agoLow Sugar No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake. A great light dessert, low in sugar and great for diabetics. CALORIES: 187.5 | FAT: 3.5 g | PROTEIN: 10 g | CARBS: 25.5 g | FIBER: 1 g. Full ingredient & nutrition information of the Low Sugar No Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Calories. Very Good 4.8/5.
Preview / Show more
See also: Ingredient
Don’t Miss: High Protein Pureed Food Recipes
Type Ii Diabetes Diet
Type II diabetes is the more progressed version of prediabetes, and its more common than Type I. There are many risk factors for Type II diabetes. Being overweight, for example, is the No. 1 risk factor, and inactivity, genetics and age can also increase your risk for developing the disease.
What Is Type II Diabetes: Type II diabetes results when theres too much sugar in the blood . As such, the body cant properly metabolize the sugar, which means your blood sugar stays abnormally high for long periods of time. Over the long-term, high blood glucose can have many complications, including kidney, eye, nerve and heart damage.
How Diet Can Help: Since Type II diabetes affects how your body metabolizes sugar, limiting your carbohydrate intake can help the body better manage blood glucose levels. The Type II diabetes diet typically focuses on limiting and reducing simple carbohydrates like cookies, cakes and refined sugars, for example. Overall, the goal of the diet is to balance your blood glucose levels. But since weight is such a significant contributing factor, Type II diets tend to also focus on sustainable, long-term weight loss. Most meal plans focus on controlling carbs per meal focusing on a maximum of 65 grams of carbs per meal as well as increasing intake of high-fiber, complex carbohydrates like leafy greens, broccoli, whole-grain breads, and legumes.
Diabetes & Sodium: How Much Salt Should You Eat
Everyone knows that people with diabetes need to be aware of the number of carbohydrates they eat in a day, but not everyone knows that people with diabetes need to also watch their salt intake as well.
According to the Food & Drug Administration, the average American eats way too much sodium, upwards of 3,400 mg of sodium per day!
So, how much salt should you be eating? This article will outline how much salt people with diabetes need to have in their diets, the risks of eating too much salt, and how to help lower your daily salt intake to improve your health.
Read Also: Starbucks Iced Caffe Latte Recipe
Playing With The Flavor Of Your Salsa
One of my favorite things about salsa is how many different variations you can make. You can customize it to your tastes and have some fun!
If you prefer a less spicy salsa, swap out the jalapeño for a milder pepper or bell pepper. On the other hand, if you love spice, you could use something hotter like serrano peppers instead!
You can also use a variety of onions. I really like green onions, so thats what I use here, but red onions are also very popular in salsa recipes. Feel free to use whatever you have on hand.
When picking out tomatoes at the store or farmers market, you can choose whichever variety looks the best! Tomatoes make up the bulk of salsa, so the better the tomato tastes, the better your salsa will be. If you can find them, I especially love heirloom tomatoes.
And finally, if you belong to the part of the population that thinks cilantro tastes like soap, youre welcome to swap it out for parsley instead!
Seven Tips For Lowering Sodium In Your Diet
Its wise to reduce sodium in your diet to keep it from taking a toll on your health, especially if heart or kidney disease runs in your family. Blood pressure often rises as you age, too. So even if you dont have problems with it now, scaling back on sodium is a smart move for the future you. Here are some tips to help you eat less salt:
Read Also: On Guard Essential Oil Recipe
Summer Tomato And Zucchini Quinoa Pizza
Just because you have diabetes doesnt mean you have to miss out on your favorites, including pizza, Poulson says. Case in point: This recipe from Simply Quinoa. It starts with a crust made of quinoa and hummus, which provide fiber, healthy fats, and protein, Poulson notes. Use more hummus to make the sauce and then add healthy toppings. This recipe does what I often suggest to people with diabetes who still want to enjoy pizza, and that’s to top it with veggies, Poulson says. Use nonstarchy veggies like zucchini and tomatoes, as these add flavor, fiber, vitamins, and minerals without tons of carbs, she adds.
One serving packs 150 calories, 13 g of carbs, 4 g of protein, 10 g of fat , 3 g of fiber, and 1 g of sugar. Optional: Garnish with shredded vegan cheese, chopped basil, and red pepper flakes.
Basic Guidelines To Maintain A Low Sodium Diabetic Diet
Low Sodium Diabetic Diet Plan Basic Guidelines to Maintain a Low Sodium Diabetic Diet
The allowed normal salt intake should not exceed 2,300 mg daily. However, if you are on a low sodium diet, your salt consumption should not exceed 1,500 mg per day.
If you want to maintain a healthy, low sodium diabetes diet, the following tips will come in handy.
Key elements in a diabetic diet are fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, making it one of the best eating plans for most everyone.
You can think of your diabetes diet as a healthy-eating plan that will assist you in controlling your blood sugar levels.
A low sodium diabetes diet is as simple as eating the healthiest low sodium diabetic-friendly foods in moderate amounts and adhering to a regular mealtime schedule, as described above.
If you want to maintain a healthy diabetes diet low in sodium, the following suggestions will be helpful.
Also Check: Recipes For Autistic Picky Eaters
How Much Salt Should You Eat In A Day
The FDA suggests that most Americans consume no more than 2,300 mg of sodium per day , while the American Heart Association suggests that ideally, people should eat no more than 1,500 mg of sodium per day.
Additionally, the American Heart Association recommends that people who suffer from health conditions such as hypertension or heart disease should limit their sodium intake to 1,000 mg per day.
People with diabetes need to pay extra close attention to make sure theyre not eating an excess of salt, whether or not they have existing heart disease and/or hypertension, as they are already at an increased risk of those complications by having diabetes.
However, everyones goals may vary, and some people may need to consume more sodium on occasion.
Athletes and people who are consuming large amounts of water may require extra salt , and people who suffer from excessive sweating may need extra salt to balance out their electrolytes.
People who are taking diuretics under their doctors guidance may require extra sodium in their diets, as well as people who eat mostly unprocessed, whole foods .
Always work with your doctor regarding your lifestyle and health goals to determine the appropriate amount of daily sodium that you require.
Carbs Carbs Carbswhat About Them
When it comes to managing diabetes, the carbohydrates, or carbs, you eat play an important role. They impact your blood sugar, so remember that balance is key!
There are three main types of carbohydrates in foodstarches, sugar and fiber. As youll see on the nutrition labels for the food you buy, the term total carbohydrate refers to all three of these types.
When it comes to choosing foods with carbs, the goal is to choose carbs that are nutrient-dense, which means they are rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals, and low in added sugars, sodium and unhealthy fats.
Also Check: Cauliflower Crust For Pizza Recipe
Whats So Bad About Salt
A moderate amount of salt is crucial for the body to function properly.
Humans need a minimum of 500 mg of sodium daily for normal bodily functions, including the balancing of electrolytes, maintaining high enough blood pressure, and ensuring normal nerve and muscle function.
However, excess salt intake can be dangerous for ones health. Eating too much salt not only increases ones blood pressure, but diets higher in sodium content can put you at higher risk for heart disease and stroke, the exact two conditions that people with diabetes are already at increased risk for.
Sodium naturally absorbs water, and when ingested through a high-sodium diet, it draws water into the bloodstream, pumping up ones blood volume and thus increasing ones blood pressure.
High blood pressure can become the health condition known as hypertension if it becomes chronic. When someone lives with hypertension, their heart has to work extra hard to pump blood around their body, which can cause damage to vital organs including the brain, eyes, kidneys, and, of course, the heart.
Over time, people with hypertension are at increased risk for heart attack, stroke, heart failure, kidney disease and failure, and blindness. When combined with a diabetes diagnosis, it can become a potentially fatal combination.
Track Your Sodium Consumption
You first need to determine how much sodium youre eating every day and discover the high-sodium sources in your diet. Most of us eat similar foods every day, says Zumpano. So if you just track the amount of sodium that you eat for two days during the week, plus the weekend, in a food diary, youll get a nice average of your sodium intake.
Once you know how often youre eating salty foods, you can make changes that fit your health goals. For example, you might realize that the can of soup you frequently eat for lunch has half of your daily sodium. You could switch to something lower in salt, like a salad, or look for a lower sodium soup that might cut your sodium in half and make you just as happy.
That one little change can make a big improvement in your overall sodium intake, Zumpano says. But perhaps you want to keep the can of soup because its a convenient choice thats low in calories and high in fiber. You can just lower your salt intake for the rest of the day to keep your salt consumption from going too high.
Also Check: Easy And Delicious Vegetarian Recipes
Homemade And Fresh Is Best
Preparing foods at home gives you more control over what you are eating. Restaurant foods are almost always larger portions with more fat, sugar, and salt added to them.Use the Diabetes Food Hub to get some ideas for healthy foods you can cook at home. It doesnt have to be complicated, and it can save time and cost less, too.
Which Meat Works Best
I tried a few different types of meat while working on this recipe.
The first batch was made with ground chicken, which turned out a bit dry. I moved on to ground turkey, which was much better!
I wanted to try ground pork but could only find a meatball mix of ground beef, pork, and veal. This version turned out a little too greasy for me.
Finally, I used a 50/50 combination of the meatball mix and ground turkey. These were the best in terms of taste, but they were much higher fat than the turkey version.
In the end, I decided to stick with the turkey version. They were very tasty, and I didnt have to worry about a high fat-content.
I do want to try these patties again with ground pork. After all, thats whats used in traditional breakfast sausage. It will be a fun treat every now and then!
Don’t Miss: Barilla Pasta No Boil Lasagna Recipe
Slow Cooker Chicken Noodle Soup
This hearty chicken noodle soup combines skinless chicken breasts, low-sodium chicken broth, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, and a variety of herbs. Plus, it uses zucchini in place of pasta noodles. Because there are no noodles, its low-carb, making it a great option for someone who is watching their carbohydrate intake, Poulson says.
Plus, this chicken vegetable soup is jam-packed with color and nutrients, and brings plenty of flavor as well, Poulson notes.
One-sixth of this recipe from A Sweet Pea Chef offers 226 calories, 5 g of fat , 14 g of carbs, 3 g of fiber, 32 g of protein, and 5 g of sugar.
Avoid Salad Dressing And Condiments
Low Sodium Diabetic Diet Plan Avoid Salad Dressing and Condiments
If you need to add seasoning to your food, you can sparingly. Salad dressings and seasoning are foods with the highest sodium content, so it would be best to avoid them.
Alternate the high sodium seasoning and condiments with herbs and spices.
Recommended Reading: Apple Crisp Recipe No Oats
Healthy General Tsos Chicken
For a healthier version of a popular Chinese takeout dish, try this General Tsos chicken recipe found on the Plated Cravings blog. This homemade version removes the breading and skips the deep frying, both of which make it a healthier option for people with type 2 diabetes, Poulson says.
It starts with a lean protein source and marinades it in a very small amount of cornstarch, salt, and pepper. It then adds a simple stir-fry made of peanut oil, dried chiles, toasted sesame seeds, and chopped scallion. Peanut oil, for one, is a good source of heart-healthy monounsaturated fats, according to the ADA.
Finally, youll pour on a sauce made of ketchup, rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, a touch of brown sugar, and soy sauce .
One-quarter of this recipe packs 207 calories, 10 g of carbs, 12 g of protein, 12 g of fat , and 7 g of sugar. To keep the meal low-carb, serve with a side of sauteed or steamed veggies instead of piling it on a bed of white rice, Poulson says.
Low Sodium Recipes For People With High Blood Pressure
Modified: Oct 30, 2020 by TheDiabetesCouncil Team · This post may contain affiliate links ·
If youve watched just about any cooking show on television, you know that most chefs find salt to be the life source of all flavor in any home cooked dish. While thats all well and good , salt doesnt have to be the only source of flavor, especially if high blood pressure is keeping you on a lower sodium diet. Getting creative with flavors and spices is not only possible, its entirely doable, without even a hint of salt. The easiest place to start is purchasing low sodium ingredients at the grocery store, such as low sodium chicken, beef, and vegetable broth, low sodium diced tomatoes, and low sodium canned beans, to name just a few.
In addition to purchasing low sodium ingredients for cooking, experimenting with spices and seasonings other than salt that you already have in your pantry at home is a great way to bump up the flavors in your dishes. Garlic powder, paprika, black pepper, and lemon pepper seasoning are just a few of the seasonings that punch up the flavor in just about any dish, from blackened fish and tacos to salads and meatloaf. Keep the sodium low but the seasoning sky high with 17 of our favorite low sodium recipes to keep your blood pressure in check without compromising on flavor.
Blackened Tilapia with Mango Avocado Slaw
15 minutes
Don’t Miss: Barbecue Sauce Recipe With Ketchup