Cottage cheese makes for a healthy snack or part of a nutritious meal for a diabetic. Cottage cheese is a low-fat, low-calorie and low-carbohydrate food that provides a good source of protein. This combination is beneficial for both controlling hunger and blood sugar.
Carbohydrates
Cottage cheese is a low-carbohydrate food; 1 cup of low fat cottage cheese contains only 6 g of carbohydrates. When you are diabetic, it is common to follow either a glycemic index diet or a carbohydrate counting diet to control your blood glucose. The glycemic index diet bases your food choices on how the food will affect your blood glucose. The higher the glycemic index, the more rapid and greater increase in blood sugar. The combination of fat, protein and carbohydrates that cottage cheese offers keeps its glycemic effect low.
Carbohydrate counting involves eating a consistent amount of carbohydrates at each meal and snack. This method makes the reaction of your blood glucose predictable. Cottage cheese is low in carbohydrates, so it can fit nicely into a carbohydrate counting method of eating.
Fat
The amount of fat you eat is also important. Choosing a low-fat cottage cheese can help keep your fat intake low. When you eat a diet high in fat you increase your chances for high cholesterol which can also contribute to heart disease. One cup of low-fat cottage cheese contains 2 g of fat. The American Diabetes Association considers cottage cheese one of the healthier cheeses for diabetics.
Protein
Each 1 cup of low-fat cottage cheese contains 28 g of protein. This is a high amount of protein for such a small amount of fat and carbohydrates. Eating high-protein snacks and meals can help reduce hunger and increase satiety after a snack or meal. Ending your meal or snack satisfied helps reduce eating which leads to weight control and improved health.
Eating Cottage Cheese
Because cottage cheese is such a beneficial food for a diabetic, you need to keep it healthy when preparing it. When eating it as part of a meal, try incorporating it into a healthy egg dish, such as an egg white omelet or an egg white breakfast burrito. For a healthy snack, pair cottage cheese with some fresh fruit, such as peaches or pineapple.
References
- USDA National Nutrient Database: Low Fat Cottage Cheese, 1 Cup
- American Diabetes Association: Glycemic Index and Diabetes
- American Diabetes Association: Carbohydrate Counting
- GI Listing.com: Low GI Diet
- American Diabetes Association; Ask the Registered Dietitian; Cassie Rico
- "The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; The Satiating Power of Protein -- A Key to Obesity Prevention?; Arne Astrup; July 2005
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