21 Things You Need to Know About Diabetes and Nutrition. Stephanie A. Dunbar

seasoned with minced garlic and freshly ground pepper. You could also try roasting other vegetables that you like, such as cauliflower, asparagus, or carrots.

      • Steam green beans and top them with a few toasted sliced almonds and trans-fat-free margarine.

      • Lightly stir-fry a medley of frozen vegetables.

      • Grill sliced eggplant or summer squash that has been lightly brushed with olive oil.

      • Lightly sauté your favorite greens with onions and garlic in a little oil. Choose from spinach, kale, or Swiss chard.

      • Keep it simple and dip baby carrots and celery sticks in nonfat ranch dressing.

      Can I Eat Fruit?

      Yes, people with diabetes can still enjoy fruit as part of their daily meal plan. Many people with diabetes are under the impression that they need to avoid fruit because it contains natural sugars. While it does have some carbohydrate from natural sugars, fruit is also high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals, making it a good food choice.

      When buying fruit at the store, the best choices are fresh, frozen, or canned fruit without added sugars. Dried fruit and 100% fruit juice are also options, but the portion sizes for these options are very small and they are not nearly as filling as fresh, canned, or frozen fruit.

      A piece of fruit makes a great snack or side at mealtime. If you are looking for a sweet bite, you could also have fruit to satisfy your craving. It’s a much more nutritious dessert choice than cookies or ice cream!

      Budget-Friendly Tips

      For a budget-friendly alternative to fresh fruits and vegetables, try frozen and canned varieties. They can be just as nutritious!

      For frozen fruits and vegetables—Choose those without added salt, sugar, or sauces.

      For canned vegetables—Opt for reduced-sodium varieties when available and be sure to drain and rinse them. This will remove about 40% of the sodium added in the canning process.

      For canned fruit—Buy fruit canned in juice if possible. If fruit canned in juice is not available or doesn’t fit your budget, buy fruit canned in syrup and drain and rinse it to remove some of the syrup.

      Can I Eat Starchy Foods?

      Starchy foods have a place on your plate in small amounts—about 1/4 of your plate. The best starchy food choices are whole grains, beans, and starchy vegetables without added salt, sugar, or fat. Whole grains, beans, and starchy vegetables all contain carbohydrate, but they are great sources of fiber, vitamins, and minerals.

      Starchy vegetables are higher in carbohydrate and calories than nonstarchy vegetables, but they can still fit into your meal plan. These include: sweet potatoes, winter squash (with the exception of spaghetti squash), corn, green peas, lima beans, pumpkin, parsnips, and plantains.

      Foods such as dried or canned beans, lentils, split peas, black-eyed peas, nonfat refried beans, hummus, and other bean spreads are also good carbohydrate choices. In addition to all the fiber and other nutrients they contain, these foods are also a lean source of protein.

      What Counts as a Whole Grain?

      The grain group can be split into whole grains and refined grains. Both have about the same amount of calories and grams of carbohydrate in a serving. However, whole grains are a much more nutritious choice than refined grains. Wondering what the difference is?

      All grains contain three parts:

      • The Bran is the outer hard shell of the grain. It is the part of the grain that provides the most fiber and most of the B vitamins and minerals.

      • The Endosperm is the soft part in the center of the grain. It contains the starch.

      • The Germ is technically the seed for a new plant within the grain and is packed with nutrients, including healthy fats and vitamin E.

      “Whole grain” means that all three parts of the grain kernel are in the food, so you get all of the nutrients that the grain has to offer. Most refined grains, such as white bread and white rice, have had the most nutritious parts of the kernel (the bran and germ) removed during processing. So you only get the endosperm or the starchy part of the grain, causing you to miss out on a lot of vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

      Some common whole grains are:

      • Bulgur (cracked wheat)

      • Whole-wheat flour

      • Whole oats/oatmeal

      • Whole-grain corn/corn meal/popcorn

      • Quinoa

      • Brown rice and wild rice

      • Whole rye

      • Whole-grain barley

      • Whole farro

      • Buckwheat and buckwheat flour

      How do you tell if your bread, pasta, cereal, and crackers are a good source of whole grains? Some of these foods will say that they are “made with whole grain” on the front of the package, when they actually only contain a small amount. For all cereals and grain products, check the ingredient list and make sure one of the grains above is listed first. Many starchy products in the U.S. are wheat based, so most of the time you’ll be looking for whole-wheat flour.

      Let’s Compare

      When you choose healthy sources of carbohydrate, you get more nutrients for fewer calories. The portions are often larger and higher in fiber, so you feel full for longer when you choose these foods. Think about it:

Instead of this…	Try this…
1 small blueberry muffin (250 calories, 35 g carbohydrate, 0.7 g fiber)	2/3 cup cooked oatmeal + 2 tablespoons raisins + a sprinkle of cinnamon (170 calories, 35 g carbohydrate, 3.7 g fiber)
15 jellybeans (65 calories, 15 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber)	1 cup raspberries (65 calories, 15 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber) OR 1 orange (65 calories, 16 g carbohydrate, 3.6 g fiber)
12-ounce can of soda (150 calories, 40 g carbohydrate, 0 g fiber)	1 peach + 1/2 cup nonfat vanilla Greek yogurt (145 calories, 24 g carbohydrate, 2.3 g fiber)
1.5-ounce bag potato chips (230 calories, 20 g carbohydrate, 1.9 g fiber)	1 cup sugar snap peas + 1/4 cup hummus (165 calories, 17 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber)

Cucumber, Tomato, and Red Onion Salad

       This simple salad makes a great side at dinner and can be a nice change from the traditional salad made with leafy greens.

      Serves: 3 / Serving Size: 1 cup

      1 medium cucumber, peeled and sliced

      2 small tomatoes, sliced

      1/3 cup sliced red onion

      1 tablespoon olive oil

      1 tablespoon red wine vinegar

      Ground black pepper, to taste

      1. In a medium bowl, toss together the cucumber, tomatoes, and red onion.

      2. In another small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, red wine vinegar, and ground black pepper.

      3. Pour the dressing over the vegetables and toss to coat.

      4. Chill the salad in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes and serve cold.

       Nutrition Facts

      Calories 65 Total Fat 4.5 g Saturated Fat 0.7 g Trans Fat 0.0 g Cholesterol