Stay Healthy With Delicious Diabetic Cooking

Diabetic cooking need not be too different from any other type of cooking. A good diet remains the foundation stone of good health both for those with diabetes and those without. Research has resulted in some changes in thinking about diabetes over the years. It is no longer considered necessary to exclude all sugar from the diet although its use should be minimized.

More important is the fact that all carbohydrates convert to sugar (glucose) in the body. Carbohydrates are the best source of energy. Some are digested quickly and are known as high GI (Glycemic Index)foods. These cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. Those that convert more slowly (low GI foods) are to be preferred.

Weight control for a diabetic is very important. It is also important for others, as diabetes is more likely to occur in overweight people especially as they age. By cooking the right types of food, weight gain can be minimized and diabetes kept in check.

Three large meals a day are not conducive to maintaining an even pattern of blood sugar levels. By having three smaller meals and three snacks, a more even distribution of carbohydrates is possible and blood sugar levels are not so likely to peak and fall.

Cooking for a diabetic is all about limiting the fat content and avoiding weight gain. All food groups need to be included in the diet. Fats are a high calorie food and need to be eaten in moderation. Saturated fats should be strictly limited. These occur in animal products such as milk, meat, cheese and butter. Vegetable products such as palm oil and coconut products are also high in saturated fats. Intake of convenience foods, solid cooking fats, and coconut milk and cream should be restricted.

There are ways to avoid too much saturated fat. Stir-fry meat and vegetables. Use a little canola spray and add garlic or chili for flavor. Steamed vegetables can be sprinkled with sesame seeds. Avoid deep fried, battered or crumbed food and cook more by dry roasting, stir frying and grilling. There are also many microwave recipes that use little or no saturated fat.

To add flavor and variety to meals, experiment with herbs and spices. Lemon juice, garlic, vinegar, chili and other seasonings all add taste to a meal. To reduce fat intake as much as possible, remove the skin from chicken and trim fat from meat before cooking. Mayonnaise is high in saturated fats but can be replaced with lemon juice.

Lots of fibre is important in any eating plan. Breads, grains and cereals should be part of every meal. Fruit and most vegetables, especially legumes, are good choices.

Foods encased in pastry are not a good option. Pies, sausage rolls and pastries should be avoided. Creamy soups and sauces have more calories than tomato based sauces. Some fat is important but it should be a mix of polyunsaturated and mono-saturated types.

Low fat options in dairy products are much to be preferred. Milk, cheese, yogurt, ice cream and custard are all available in low fat types. Avoid store-bought cakes, puddings and biscuits. Use a sugar alternative when baking at home. By using a little imagination, diabetic cooking can be delicious and healthy for everyone in the family.


Control Blood Sugar Levels With Delicious Diabetic Cooking

Diabetic cooking is not difficult and very little different from everyday cooking. Good health of both diabetics and others relies on a healthy diet. As a result of recent research, sugar is no longer excluded completely from the diet of someone suffering from diabetes but minimal intake is still recommended.

All carbohydrates are converted to glucose, a form of sugar, in the body. Carbohydrates are essential as an energy source. The rate at which carbohydrates are digested and turned into glucose varies from food to food. Those which are digested rapidly are labelled high GI (Glycemic Index)foods. Being rapidly digested means they cause a rapid rise in blood sugar levels. For those with diabetes, low GI foods are a better option.

Diabetes is more likely to strike an overweight person, particularly as they get older. Weight control is important for a diabetic too. By using the correct cooking methods and paying attention to the choices made, weight gain can be controlled and diabetes managed better.

Because a diabetic's blood sugar levels rise and fall so easily, it may be better for them to have three smaller meals a day and three snacks rather than three large meals. A more even intake of carbohydrates is likely if this plan is followed and there will be a less dramatic rise and fall of blood sugar levels.

It is important to limit the fat component to avoid an increase in weight. All food groups are important. Fats are high in calories and intake, particularly of saturated fats, should be strictly limited. Saturated fats are found in animal products and some vegetable products. Use of products such as milk, meat, butter, cheese, coconut milk and cream and solid cooking fats should all be restricted.

It isn't difficult to avoid saturated fats. Meat and vegetables can be stir-fried in canola oil with additional flavours of garlic or chili added. Add taste to steamed vegetables with sesame seeds. Battered, crumbed and deep fried foods should be avoided. Better methods of cooking are dry roasting, grilling and stir frying. Many dishes cooked in the microwave use very little fat.

Flavor and variety can be added with the addition of herbs and spices. Lemon juice can take the place of mayonnaise as a dressing on salads. Garlic and chili will add flavor and vinegar is another tasty additive. Meat should be trimmed of fat. Removing the skin from chicken will also reduce the amount of fat eaten.

Diabetics, along with the rest of society, need lots of fibre. The easiest sources of fibre are cereals, grains and bread. Other necessary dietary elements are fruit and vegetables. Legumes should be eaten regularly.

Pastry contains a large amount of fat and pastries, pies and sausage rolls are not good food choices. Tomato based sauces are a better choice than creamy sauces and soups. Fats should be a mix of polyunsaturated and mono-saturated types.

When choosing milk, yogurt, ice cream, cheese and custard, opt for low fat types. Instead of buying cakes, biscuits and puddings, make your own using a sugar substitute. With some planning, diabetic cooking will result in healthy and tasty meals for the whole family.


Regulate Your Blood Sugar Levels With Delicious Diabetic Cooking

Diabetic cooking is similar to other types of cooking. Both those with diabetes and others are dependent on what they eat for good health. Recent research has resulted in a change of attitude towards the exclusion of all sugar from the diet of diabetics. While sugar is no longer forbidden, its use should be strictly limited.

Carbohydrates are essential as a source of energy. They convert to sugar (glucose) once consumed. Some carbohydrate foods convert at a more rapid rate than others. The conversion rate is known as the Glycemic Index (GI). High GI foods cause blood sugar levels to rise at a rapid rate. For diabetics, the bulk of their carbohydrates should consist of low GI types.

Because diabetes often manifests in older people who are overweight, weight control is important. Diabetics also need to maintain a sensible weight if they are not to be worried with complications. The correct cooking methods and judicious choice of ingredients will enable a person to maintain a healthy weight and to manage their diabetes more easily.

Blood sugar levels of a diabetic can rise and fall dramatically between meals. For this reason, they sometimes benefit from having three snacks and three smaller meals a day. This will allow a more even level of blood sugar than would be the case if they ate three large main meals and nothing in between.

Because weight gain should be avoided, the fat component of recipes should be reduced as much as possible. This is especially true of saturated fats. Otherwise all food types are necessary for good health. Animal products and some vegetable products are high in saturated fats. Some of the foods that need to be restricted include milk, cheese, butter, meat, and solid cooking fats. Coconut products are also high in saturated fats.

Saturated fats are not hard to avoid or limit. By stir-frying in canola oil and adding chili or garlic, delicious meat and vegetable dishes can be created. The flavor of steamed vegetables can be enhanced by the addition of sesame seeds. Grill, stir fry or dry roast dishes in preference to deep frying. Battered and crumbed foods will be high in saturated fats too. Microwave recipes are generally suitable as they make very little use of fat.

Additional flavorings, seasonings, herbs and spices will pep up dishes to add variety. Lemon juice, vinegar, chili and garlic are some favourites. Meat should have the fat trimmed off before cooking. Chicken should have the skin removed. Salads are better sprinkled with lemon juice rather than mayonnaise.

Fibre is important in everyone's eating plan. Cereals, bread and grains are all good sources of fibre. Plenty of fruit and vegetables are important too. Leguminous vegetables should be a daily part of a diet.

Pies, sausage rolls and other foods involving pastry are best avoided. Creamy sauces and soups will have a higher fat content than tomato based sauces. A mix of mono-saturated and polyunsaturated fats is best but in small quantities.

Low fat dairy products should be chosen. Custard, ice cream, yogurt and milk can all be purchased as low fat nowadays. Use a sugar substitute and bake your own puddings, biscuits and cakes. Diabetic cooking is a chance to create healthier meals for everyone.



