Simply put, diabetes self-management requires education. Learning how to count carbohydrates is key. Carbohydrates are the nutrients that often have the greatest impact upon blood sugar levels.
For those of you who are taking mealtime insulin, it is crucial to have a complete understanding regarding what nutrients you should be consuming, in order to obtain the correct insulin dose. Additionally, portion control is essential to your meal planning and may be simplified by merely keeping a food journal.
Start by writing down the portions for the foods that you eat often. Secondly, remember to use a measuring cup to ensure you have an adequate portion size and accurate carbohydrate count. This is a helpful and accurate way to help you establish a routine. Remember: diabetes management is a simple process that does not need to be complicated.
Before we get ahead of ourselves, we would like to clarify an important carbohydrate-related question.
Carbohydrates…what are they?
In essence, carbohydrates are a nutrient found in a variety of foods and an important source of fuel for exercise. While bread, rice and pasta may characterise the “obvious”, it is important to recognise that other commonly consumed foods also contain carbohydrates. These may include fruits, starchy vegetables, corn, legumes, sugar, milk, and yoghurt.
Aim to include unprocessed, wholegrain or low GI carbohydrates within your daily diet. These are a rich source of fibre and will leave you feeling fuller for longer.
Low GI foods:
1. Wholegrain bread
2. Pasta
3. Oats
4. Apples
5. Apricots
6. Oranges
7. Yoghurt / Milk
8. Dried beans / Lentils
Keeping this newly acquired carbohydrate knowledge in mind, here is an example of a well-rounded low-GI Carbohydrate meal plan.
Breakfast: Start the day right and stay full until lunch with a ‘Fruity Quinoa Porridge’.
Lunch: Enjoy the benefits of a low-GI Carbs with a ‘Chicken and Pumpkin Soup’.
Dinner: Finish the day with ‘Crisp-Skinned Salmon’.
Stay within the CLEAN loop for all things type 2 related!
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Stay Clean – HH
The Clean Kitchen 