Your diet is an integral part of managing your diabetes. Getting used to a new nutritional approach, however, can be distressing. A focus on plain food can streamline your dietary planning because it simplifies tracking the nutritional content of your meals and snacks. Fruit, vegetables, lean meats, poultry, fish, seafood, reduced-fat dairy products, beans and whole-grain products all have a place in a healthy diabetic diet.
Fruit and Vegetables
Fruit and nonstarchy vegetables are anchor foods in your diabetic diet. They are naturally low in calories and fat, and provide you with a wealth of vitamins, minerals and other plant-derived nutrients. The American Diabetes Association has deemed tomatoes, spinach, kale, collard greens, berries, oranges and other citrus fruit as diabetes "superfoods" because they contain high concentrations of key nutrients. Fruit and vegetables are appetizing plain or in combination with other foods.
In terms of simplicity, raw fruit and vegetables are hard to beat --- just wash and eat them. Steaming, boiling and baking are easy methods for cooking vegetables. The plant fiber in fruit and nonstarchy vegetables slows your digestion, preventing a sharp rise in your blood sugar level.
Meat, Fish, Seafood and Poultry
Protein is an important part of a well-balanced diabetic diet. You can vary your diet but still keep it plain and simple by choosing different high-protein foods throughout the week, such as lean beef, pork, chicken, turkey, fish, crab, scallops, oysters and clams. Easy cooking methods for seafood and fish include grilling, steaming and baking. Lean poultry and meats can be roasted, broiled, boiled or grilled. It is important to choose lean protein sources because diabetes increases your risk of heart disease as does eating too much fat. Lean cuts of beef include top sirloin, brisket and top, eye and bottom round. Pork tenderloin and loin chops are also lean. Remove the skin from poultry to lower the fat content of these foods.
Beans
Dry beans are plain, tasty and nutritious --- so nutritious that they also appear on the Association's diabetes superfood list. Include kidney beans, black-eyed peas, chickpeas, lentils and other beans in your nutrition plan as a main or side dish. Beans provide you with high concentrations of protein, fiber and slow carbohydrates.
Nuts
Nuts are plain but they are a "super" food to include in your diabetic diet. They are rich in protein and heart-healthy, monounsaturated fats, B complex vitamins, potassium, zinc and copper. Nuts are healthy in moderation but watch your portion size to avoid consuming too many calories.
Reduced-Fat Dairy
Low-fat or nonfat milk, yogurt and cheese are plain, healthy foods to include in your diabetes nutrition plan. Milk is rich in protein, vitamin D, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Other reduced-fat dairy products have similar nutrients but may not be fortified with vitamin D.
Whole-Grain Products
Including fiber in your diet helps prevent constipation and may protect your heart by lowering your blood cholesterol level. You have several plain options to choose from, including oatmeal, bran cereal, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, and whole-grain bread and crackers.
References
- American Diabetes Association: Diabetes Meal Plans and a Healthy Diet
- American Diabetes Association: Diabetes Superfoods
- Cattlemen's Beef Board: Get the Skinny of Lean Beef
- Pork Be Inspired: Serving Sizes and Nutritional Profiles of Lean Meats
- Cleveland Clinic; The Whole Truth and Nutting But the Truth; Melissa Stevens, M.S., R.D., L.D.
- USDA: Dairy, Health Benefits and Nutrients
