Living with type 2 diabetes means eating differently at dinner.
Specific strategies such as portion control…
…and carbohydrate counting are essential…
…to managing weight and lowering your A1C…
…your average blood sugar level over a two- to three-month period.
Nutrition is another factor worth considering, since everyone can benefit from it.
Aiming for a balance of nutrients at meals…
…is my general recommendation, says Amy Kimberlain, RD…
…a certified diabetes care and education specialist (CDCES…)
… and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in Miami.
Adding carbs to a quarter of your plate, lean protein to another quarter…
…and nonstarchy vegetables to the other half.
“Having a balanced plate not only helps in the management…
…of one’s blood sugar levels, but also helps to keep you fuller longer,” Kimberlain notes.
However, flavor does not have to be sacrificed.
You won’t want to do this when you have a family to feed.
These 5 Best Diabetic-Friendly Dinner Ideas are balanced…
…and tasty enough for everyone to enjoy, regardless of whether they have diabetes.
Let’s get started…
Be Mindful of Your Carbohydrate Intake
You should consider the type and amount of carbohydrates …
…when choosing what to eat for dinner (or any meal for that matter)…
…when you have diabetes.
As a result of high blood sugar, diabetics have difficulty…
…metabolizing or processing carbohydrates.
If you eat a high-carb dinner the night before…
…your blood sugar will spike overnight…
…leading to high blood sugar the next morning…
…(here’s more information about what might cause…
…high morning blood sugar levels).
Having persistently high blood sugar levels…
…can lead to a number of long-term complications…
…such as heart disease, nerve damage, kidney damage, and eye damage.
Do you have to completely avoid carbohydrates…
…if you have diabetes? Not exactly-carbohydrates are not bad…
…or completely off-limits to people with diabetes.
It’s more important to be aware of the type of carbohydrates you consume…
…the amount you consume, and how you eat them.
The following information will help you understand…
…carbohydrates and diabetes.
In addition to fruit, vegetables…
…(especially starchy ones like potatoes), grains, and milk…
…carbohydrates can be found in a variety of other foods as well.
Carbohydrate content is often highest in foods…
…made with added sugars and/or refined grains, such as white bread and white rice.
It is ideal for people with diabetes to choose vegetables…
…fruit, and small amounts of whole grains…
…since these foods are higher in fiber and health-promoting nutrients…
…than refined or processed carbohydrates.
Fiber slows the absorption of carbohydrates…
…from food and can prevent blood sugar spikes after eating.
A diet high in fiber can also prevent the absorption of fat…
…and cholesterol from food, which is why eating more fiber…
…has been linked to a lower risk of heart disease…
…a potential complication of diabetes.
Research has also shown that diets high in fruit…
…and vegetables are associated with a decreased incidence of type 2 diabetes…
…probably because of the high fiber, vitamin, mineral…
…and antioxidant content of these foods.
“When you have diabetes, it’s important to keep in mind that regardless of the type of carbohydrates you eat, eating too many carbohydrates in one sitting can cause your blood sugar to go up. Determining the right amount of carbohydrates for you depends on a number of factors, including your body weight, physical activity level, age, and severity of insulin resistance. Working with a registered dietitian or certified diabetes education specialist can help you pinpoint the right amount of carbohydrates to aim for at dinner as well as throughout the day.”
Vanessa Rissetto M.S., RD, CDN – Dietetic Internship Director at New York University
Here’s the main part…
Best Diabetic-Friendly Dinner Ideas
Low-Carb Broccoli Salad
In addition to broccoli, artichoke hearts, sun-dried tomatoes…
…and onions, this salad recipe is loaded with nonstarchy vegetables.
Brittany Poulson, RD, CDCES, and author of Healthy Family Cookbook…
…who lives in Grantsville, Utah, says these foods are high in fiber…
…which will help you feel full for longer.
Healthy fats from olives and olive oil…
…make this a heart-smart choice, too, she says.
According to the American Heart Association (AHA)…
…olives and olive oil are rich sources of monounsaturated fat…
…which reduces your risk of heart disease.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)…
…diabetes doubles your risk of heart disease…
…so it’s important to prioritize monounsaturated fats in your diabetes diet.
The salad’s creamy dressing is made with protein-rich Greek yogurt…
…(25.2 grams per cup) instead of high-fat mayonnaise…
…(10.3 grams of fat; 1.6 grams of saturated fat per tablespoon).
This recipe (1/8 of the total) from the blog Food Faith Fitness…
…contains 182 calories, 14.7 grams of carbs, 5.9 grams of protein…
…12.4 grams of fat, and 3.6 grams of fiber.
Chicken Veggie Stir-Fry
Healthy diabetes dinners are easy to prepare with stir-fries.
In addition to carrots, broccoli, zucchini, and green onions…
…this recipe also features plenty of diabetes-friendly vegetables.
In addition to chicken, it offers lean protein options, Poulson says.
In order to reduce saturated fat and cholesterol…
…the American Diabetes Association (ADA)…
…recommends choosing chicken without the skin.
Instead of salt, this chicken and vegetable dish from Liz’s Healthy Table…
…features garlic, jalapeo, fresh ginger, lime, and low-sodium soy sauce.
Salt’s sodium content raises blood pressure levels…
…increasing heart disease risk, as the U.S. Food and Drug Administration reports.
In one serving of this recipe (1/4 of the total)…
…there are 220 calories, 11 g of carbs, 26 g of protein…
…3 g of sugar, 3 g of fiber, 9 g of fat (1.5 g saturated fat)…
…and 380 milligrams (mg) of sodium.
You can increase your carbs by serving this recipe…
…over brown rice instead of white rice to get more whole grains.
Keeping blood sugar spikes at bay is possible…
…with whole grains, says Poulson.
A 1/2-cup of brown rice will add 150 calories…
…and 33 g of carbs to the recipe…
…according to estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Ground Turkey Sweet Potato Skillet
Try this diabetes-friendly gluten-free recipe…
…from blog Primavera Kitchen for a gluten-free single-pan dinner.
You might think potatoes of any kind are off-limits when managing diabetes…
…but not so fast. Poulson says sweet potatoes…
…still contain fiber and other beneficial nutrients, such as vitamin A.
According to the Mayo Clinic, fiber slows digestion…
…which helps keep blood sugar levels stable.
Eat these starchier root vegetables in moderation.
As for this meal, Poulson says that using extra-lean ground turkey…
…instead of beef is also beneficial…
…as it produces a dish with a lower fat content…
…than traditional skillet recipes – without sacrificing taste or texture.
This recipe (1/4 of the total) contains 306 calories…
…14 g of fat (5 g saturated fat), 20 g of carbs, 3 g of fiber…
…6 g of sugar, and 31 g of protein per serving.
Keep reading…
Vegetarian Lentil Tacos
These meatless tacos from Cooking Classy…
…combine a variety of healthy ingredients, including green lentils…
…vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, green chiles…
…yellow onion, garlic, cilantro, lime, and a variety of spices…
…(cumin, chili powder, ancho chili powder, paprika, cayenne pepper).
According to a study published in April 2018…
…in The Journal of Nutrition, using pulses like lentils…
…instead of rice to make tacos may help slow the digestion of sugar…
…lowering blood sugar levels.
In addition, lentils are rich in protein, fiber, iron…
…and magnesium, according to Poulson.
145 calories, 2 grams of fat, 23 grams of carbohydrates…
…10 grams of fiber, 2 grams of sugar…
…and 8 grams of protein are in one serving (1/9).
Poulson suggests using corn tortillas, whole-wheat tortillas…
…or a large lettuce leaf to wrap your filling.
Healthy General Tso’s Chicken
You can find this recipe for a healthier version…
…of General Tso’s chicken on the Plated Cravings blog.
“This homemade version does not contain breading…
…and it does not require deep frying…
…making it a healthier option for people with type 2 diabetes,” explains Poulson.
A lean protein source (boneless chicken breasts) is marinated…
…in a very small amount of cornstarch, salt, and pepper.
Then it adds a simple stir-fry made with peanut oil…
…dried chiles, toasted sesame seeds, and chopped scallion.
According to the American Dietetic Association…
… peanut oil is a good source of monounsaturated fats.
Last but not least, you’ll pour on a sauce consisting of ketchup…
…rice vinegar, hoisin sauce, brown sugar…
…and soy sauce (look for low-sodium versions of sauces…
…and condiments, as this recipe contains 718 mg of sodium).
One-quarter of this recipe packs 207 calories…
…10 g of carbs, 12 g of protein, 12 g of fat (2 g of saturated 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.
In order to complete your snacking, here is a special tea from Scott Hanson, which can help with reversing type 2 diabetes…
Deep Sleep Diabetes Remedy
The unique tea recipe that was developed…
…by the creators of the system is what makes this system unique.
It is known for offering a lot of assistance…
…when it comes to managing diabetes-related problems.
Scott Hanson creates the drink from herbs…
…and natural ingredients that he studied deeply.
In the course of his research…
…he discovered a strong connection between sleep and diabetes.
The effects of diabetes can be exacerbated…
…as well as strengthened by inadequate sleep patterns and insomnia.
Through the development of this tea…
…he made sure that his users would have a good night’s sleep.
This, in turn, helped them to deal with their diabetic problems.
Several users have cited a variety of benefits from the program.
The solution is tried and tested…
…so many people will be pleased and impressed.
Here are a few words from Jimmy…
I have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about three years ago.
Over the past three years, I have tried to manage it in various ways.
Physical activity, healthier eating, and weight loss have been among them.
I also drink herbal tea for diabetes every day.
Despite these methods working…
…I would still have high blood glucose and would not be cured of diabetes.
Using Deep Sleep Diabetes Remedy, I was able to get my diabetes under control.
Due to lack of sleep, my blood sugar was out of balance.
As a result of my new lifestyle…
…I have been able to eat whatever I want and reverse my type 2 diabetes.
You should also try it!
Sum Up!
If you want to keep your blood sugar under control…
… it’s important to eat a healthy, balanced diet.
To do this, you need to find out what foods are good for you.
It’s all about understanding how different foods affect your body…
… so you can decide which ones you should be eating …
…and which ones you should be avoiding.
These are not the only diabetics-friendly recipes…
…but they are great for people who have diabetes…
…are looking to improve their diet…
…or just want to make sure they’re eating healthy.
This is a quick and easy way to make sure you’re having enough…
…of the right things at each meal, so you can have better blood sugar control.
Conclusion
It is important to keep your blood sugar under control when you have diabetes.
Diabetic-friendly meals can help you manage your condition and stay healthy.
We’ve put together a list of some great diabetic-friendly dinners for you to try.
Whether you’re looking for something easy or difficult, we’ve got you covered!
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