Diabetes requires you to be mindful of the portions and types of food you include in your diet, the American Diabetes Association notes. Do this by dividing your plate into three sections. Fill the largest section with vegetables and use the two smaller sections for your starchy food and meats. Following a specific diet such as the Pinoy diet also helps further focus your food choices. The Pinoy diet includes foods that are good for diabetics such as tomatoes and nuts, SeaSite.Niu.Edu says.
Fish
Fish that contain omega-3 fatty acids are an important food group to include in a diabetic diet. Kinilaw is a Pinoy dish composed primarily of fish and vinegar or lime juice but not cooked over fire, SeaSite.Niu.Edu explains. Combine kinilaw made with tuna or salmon with 1 cup of rice and 1/2 mango as a possible lunch or dinner meal for the day. Another possible Pinoy fish dish to consider is sinigang, the Alberta Health Services notes. This is composed of clear broth, 1 cup of vegetables such as cabbage and 1/2 cup of milkfish.
Dark Green Leafy Vegetables
Diabetics should eat dark green leafy vegetables such as kangkong and alugbati, the American Diabetes Association notes. Kangkong is a type of swamp cabbage that is part of Pinoy cuisine and also contains fiber, SeaSite.Niu.Edu explains. Alugbati is a type of spinach also included in Pinoy cuisine. Boil these vegetables in a broth with tuna or salmon, adding a bit of tamarind and ginger for flavor.
Citrus Fruits
Citrus fruits such as grapefruit and lemons have vitamin C and should be included in your daily meals, the American Diabetes Association explains. Pinoy cuisine includes suha, a kind of grapefruit that you should also include in your daily diet, SeaSite.Niu.Edu notes. Instead of snacking on a slice of cake in the afternoon, consider eating half a suha instead. Aside from suha, kalamansi is a citrus fruit that can be made into a juice.
Sweet Potato, Nuts and Beans
Sweet potatoes, nuts and beans are sources of magnesium, fiber and potassium all essential to your body's nutritional needs. Consider eating sweet potatoes and nuts as part of your afternoon snack. Flavor the dish with some non-fat milk but do not add sugar. Also include kidney beans with dried fish and tomatoes as part of your Pinoy breakfast, Alberta Health Services notes. A cup of skim milk compliments your breakfast nicely without adding to your fat intake. Finish off breakfast with a slice of fresh fruit such as guava or papaya.
References
- Alberta Health Services; Healthy Eating with Type 2 Diabetes (Filipino Food); July 2007
- American Diabetes Association: Create Your Plate
- American Diabetes Association: Diabetes Superfoods
- Diabetes Diet: Create Your Healthy-Eating Plan; November 2010
- SeaSite.Niu.Edu; Filipino Food/Cuisine Glossary; Doreen G. Fernandez
