Healthful foods for diabetics include high-fiber, low-fat and low to moderate-glycemic index, or GI, foods. Low and moderate GI foods do not cause your blood sugar to rise sharply and typically have more fiber compared to high-GI foods, which raise blood sugar quickly, according to a 2003 article by Stephen Wong, Ph.D., and registered dietitian Susan Chung published in the Health & Fitness Journal. Fiber helps slow the digestion of your food, reducing blood sugar spikes. Low-fat meals should contain primarily unsaturated fats.
Bran Cereal and a Pear
Bran cereals have about 10g of fiber per ½ cup serving and a GI of only 42. A cup of skim milk has a GI of 32. The cereal and milk contain about 1g of fat per serving. Measure 2 cups of skim milk using a portion for your cereal. Include a pear in your breakfast as it has a GI of 38 and 3g of fiber. This low-fat meal has 341 calories and 2g of fat. Five percent of the calories in this combination come from fat.
Cottage Cheese, Almonds and an Apple
Select 1 percent fat cottage cheese for only 3g of fat per ¾ cup serving. Dice a medium apple then sprinkle it over the cottage cheese for 4g of fiber. Top the apples and cottage cheese with 1 tbsp. of sliced almonds for 4g of fiber and 3.5g of monounsaturated fat. The healthy fats from the almonds also help to raise your good cholesterol, or HDL, especially beneficial if your HDL levels are low, according to a 2007 article by registered dietitian Janet Bond Brill published in the Health & Fitness Journal. The total caloric value of this meal is 244 calories, of which about 20 percent of the calories come from fat.
Spaghetti with Marinara Sauce
One cup of cooked, enriched spaghetti sauce has 2g of fiber, about 1g of fat and a GI of 41. Pour ½ cup of marinara sauce over your noodles for another 2g of fiber. Eat a medium orange for dessert as it only has a GI of 44 and 3g of fiber. This pasta meal has 311 calories, of which, 3 percent of the calories come from fat.
Shrimp, Beans and Corn
A serving of black beans has a GI of 30, and a serving of corn has a GI of 55. Mix together ½ cup of beans, ½ cup of sweet corn and ½ tsp. of balsamic vinegar, then set aside. Season 9 oz. of shrimp using your favorite seafood rub then saute or grill till cooked. This low-fat meal has 440 calories, 6g of fat and 10g of fiber. Twelve percent of the calories in this meal are from fat.
References
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Glycemic Index: An Educational Tool for Health and Fitness Professionals; Stephen Wong, Ph.D., and Susan Chung, R.D.N.; November/December 2003
- "ACSM's Health & Fitness Journal"; Eat Like You're in Crete: Teach Your Clients the Benefits of the Mediterranean Diet; Janet Bond Brill, Ph.D., R.D.; September/October 2007
- "The NutriBase Complete Book of Food Counts"; NutriBase; 2001
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