November is National Diabetes Awareness Month!
Follow your diabetes meal plan
Managing diabetes can be worrisome when you start to plan what you are going to eat. Feel assured that you can still eat favorite foods and create healthy menus that meet your needs. The key is variety and enjoying all the food groups. Learn more about the food groups at the U.S. Department of Agriculture ChooseMyPlate website.
What to eat? Try lots of color, fruits and vegetables offer a rainbow of choices; broccoli, carrots, oranges, tomatoes, blueberries the choices are vast. Choose whole grains; whole wheat, brown rice, whole oats, cornmeal and popcorn are some healthier choices that provide your diet with fiber. Go lean! Lower fat choices like lean meats, skinless chicken, fish, eggs, nuts and beans are great protein sources. And, don't forget the low fat dairy; try skim or 1% milk, cheese, yogurts and frozen desserts. Try to limit sugar, salt and fat. Limit fried foods, sweets, sugary beverages and high sodium foods. Drink water and use sugar substitutes in place of sugary beverages, order sugar-free.
Make sure you are aware of time; some people with diabetes need to eat at about the same time each day depending on medications or type of insulin. They also may need to eat the same amount of carbohydrates at the same time each day. Be aware that if you skip or delay a meal, your blood glucose level can drop too low. Ask your health care team about meal times when meal planning.
University of Illinois Extension, Nutrition and Wellness program offers research-based information online at University of Illinois Extension, Your Guide to Diet & Diabetes http://extension.illinois.edu/diabetes2/. Watch for our classes, I on Diabetes and Eating to Reduce the Risk of Diabetes and read the Nutrition Nosh Blog at our local website http://web.extension.illinois.edu/blmp/ to learn more about this chronic disease. For more information on diabetes, please contact Susan Glassman, Extension Educator, Nutrition and Wellness at 815-224-0889.
Try our recipe for Autumn Vegetable Soup from our Recipes for Diabetes
Autumn Vegetable Soup (Printable PDF)
Ingredients
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 1 large onion, finely chopped
- 1 red bell pepper, chopped
- 2 teaspoon dried rosemary
- ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 2 pounds butternut or other hard-shelled squash
- 4 cups low-sodium low fat chicken broth
- 1 – 15 ounce can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
- 1 bunch Swiss chard, tough stems removed, coarsely chopped
Directions
1.Warm oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, bell pepper, rosemary, and pepper flakes. Sauté until the onion and bell pepper are tender, about 12 minutes.
2.Add the squash and cook, stirring frequently, about 2 minutes.
3.Add the 4 cups broth and the beans. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer, stirring occasionally, about 25 minutes.
4.Add the chopped chard and simmer until wilted, about 5 minutes. Thin the soup with more broth if desired.
5.Preparation time: 5-10 minutes
Serves 6
Nutrition Facts: Calories 175, Total Fat 4g, Cholesterol 0g, Sodium 345mg, Carbohydrate 30g, Dietary Fiber 7g, Protein 10g
University of Illinois Extension, Nutrition and Wellness program offers research-based information online at University of Illinois Extension, Your Guide to Diet & Diabetes http://extension.illinois.edu/diabetes2/. Watch for our classes, I on Diabetes and Eating to Reduce the Risk of Diabetes and read the Nutrition Nosh Blog at our local website http://web.extension.illinois.edu/blmp/ to learn more about this chronic disease. For more information on diabetes, please contact Susan Glassman, Extension Educator, Nutrition and Wellness at 815-224-0889.