Delicious food swaps for diabetics
Pulses and vegetables are key to prevention and control, writes Andrea Holwegner.
November is Diabetes Awareness Month and since one in every three Canadians have diabetes or pre-diabetes, chances are you have family and friends who are directly affected.
The good news is that having diabetes doesn’t mean you need to eat boring food or toss out your favourite family recipes. And even if one member of your family has diabetes, there are many simple delicious food swaps that will work for everyone.
Here are two key strategies for prevention of Type 2 diabetes and improving blood sugar control if you have diabetes.
PULSE POWER
Pulses (edible dried seeds of legume crops) such as dried peas, beans, lentils and chickpeas are nutritional powerhouses high in protein (double that of quinoa), complex carbohydrates, fibre, iron and more. Canada is one of the world’s largest producers of pulses. This is good news not only for health but also for the health of the planet given they enrich the soil and have a low carbon footprint.
A recent 2016 review by the Canadian Journal of Diabetes Research suggests pulses are lowglycemic, meaning they enter the blood stream slowly and can help improve overall blood sugar management. Pulses also lower blood cholesterol, making them good for heart health. The protein and fibre in pulses improve satiety, which helps with weight management. Swapping out three-quarters to one cup of pulses for starchy foods such as rice or potatoes has been shown in research to slow digestion and the release of sugar in the blood leading to better diabetes control.
VEGETABLE BENEFIT
It is no surprise that one of the most important ways to lower your risk of diabetes and improve blood sugar levels is to add more vegetables to your plate. Most vegetables are very low in calories, low in carbohydrates and are loaded with vitamins, minerals and fibre. The Canadian Diabetes Association suggests when planning a meal, choose as many vegetables as you can hold in both of your hands.
A 2014 article in the British Medical Journal looked at a variety of research and found that higher fruit and green leafy vegetable intake is associated with a significantly reduced risk of Type 2 diabetes. Other research suggests a diet higher in fruits and vegetables had a positive effect on blood sugar for those with diabetes and can provide volume to help with appetite control for weight management. At dinner, shrink the size of your meat, poultry and seafood to the size of your palm, reduce starchy foods (grains, potatoes and corn) to be the size of your fist and have two different types of vegetables that fill half your plate.
FOOD SWAPS AND ADDITIONS
Add double or triple the amount of pulses (such as kidney beans) to your favourite recipe for chili.
Blend half your mashed potatoes with steamed mashed cauliflower.
Make a giant crock pot of baked beans and freeze in individual or family-sized portions for a fast weekday meal you can serve with a tossed salad.
Roast potatoes with a large selection of vegetables such as green beans, asparagus, broccoli, cauliflower and more.
Swap whole or puréed lentils for half of the ground meat or poultry in your spaghetti sauce recipe.
Mix your spaghetti noodles with zucchini noodles (made with a vegetable spiralizer).
Toss canned black beans, split peas, lentils or chickpeas into salads and soups.
Go for hummus and black bean dips more often than creamy veggie dips.
Serve whole grain taco chips instead of potato chips with salsa that includes a can of black beans.
Take the global Pulse Pledge at pulsepledge.com and commit to eating pulses once per week for 10 weeks.
Try Indian dal, Mexican tacos or Mediterranean soups or stews.
Calgary Dietitian Andrea Holwegner “the chocoholic nutritionist” is a corporate wellness expert and professional speaker specializing in workplace health, stress and productivity. She is owner of Health Stand Nutrition Consulting Inc. where she leads a team of Calgary nutritionists specializing in weight loss, eating disorders, heart health, diabetes, digestive issues, sports nutrition, kids nutrition and more. Visit www. healthstandnutrition.com or phone 403-262-3466 for more information and to subscribe to her free monthly e-newsletter or blog. Twitter: @chocoholicRD. Facebook: healthstandnutrition.