Diabetic Diet Education

Better Lifestyle Tips

• Join a gym
• Eat regularly and on time
• Avoid alcohol
• Sleep 6-8 hours per night
• Reduce stress

Occasional indulgence or a cheat day is okay, don’t have to beat yourself up!

Now let's talk about some diet tips:

Avoid the following which may have many unhealthy benefits and contribute to your diabetes:

• Starches, especially simple starches like bread and alcohol
• Potatoes, Carrots, Peas, Corn (most other vegetables like green beans, cabbage, tomatoes, green pepper and eggplant are ok)
• Butter
• Bananas
• Canned Fruit
• Sweet Tea, Fruit Juices, Soda/Pop
• Salt
• Pastas (macaroni/lasagna/spaghetti)
• White Rice
• Grits
• Cereals
• Sugary Desserts
• Processed/ready to eat foods

PMC recommends the following to be consumed in moderation:

• Low carbohydrate breads (speltz)
• Fresh Fruit
• Sugar Free Jello
• Low Fat Unsweetened Plain Yogurt
• Whole Foods (fresh not processed or pre-packaged)

Below is a Sample Diet recommended by the physicians at Peace Medical Center:

Breakfast

2 eggs — or–
2 turkey sausages –or–
Soy breakfast products –or–
Yogurt (low fat, unsweeten) –or–
Fruit (low starch) –or–
High fiber, low sugar cereal with skim milk

Snack (10am-11am)

Peanuts (palmful) –or–
Almonds (8-12) –or–
1/2 apple, pear, peach, nectarine –or–
Slice of melon (cantaloupe, etc…) –or–
Yogurt (no fat, no sugar) –or–
Cheese (mozzarella stick, not fried) celery sticks –or–
cold meats (small quantity)

Lunch

Salad with cold meats (avoid salad dressing ) — or–
Soup –or–
Sandwich (with low carb bread (spelt)) –or–
Yogurt (no fat, unsweetened, plain) with berries

Snack (2pm-4pm)

Peanuts/Walnuts/Cashews (palmful) –or–
Almonds (8-12) –or–
1/2 apple, pear, peach, nectarine –or–
Slice of melon (cantaloupe, watermelon etc…) –or–
Yogurt (no fat, unsweetened) –or–
Cheese (mozzarella stick, not fried) celery sticks –or–
cold meats (small quantity) –or–
sliced carrots, red/green peppers

Dinner

1 serving (equal in size to a deck of cards) of meat –or–
Protein Equivalent (like soya burger or soya chicken patty)
Lentils, Quinoa, Wild Rice or dried beans
Vegetables (generous serving)
Fresh Fruit

How many servings from each food group is suggested per day?

• Grains, Beans, & Starchy Vegetables : 6 Servings
• Vegetables: 3-5 servings
• Fruit: 2-4 servings
• Dairy: 2-3 Servings
• Protein: 2-3 servings

Examples:
2 slices of spelt bread, broth soups 1 cup, oatmeal 1 cup, soda crackers 4-6
crackers, chickpea/lentil pasta and wild rice 1/3 cup, sweet potato one small or 1/2 cup mashed, cooked vegetables 1/2 cup,
raw vegetables 1 cup, juice 1/2 cup, canned fruit 1/2 cup, fresh fruits 1 cup or one small the size of
a tennis ball, low fat milk 1 cup, plain yogurt 3/4 cup, plain eggs 1 small, fish 1oz, poultry 1oz,
meats, read meat or pork 1 oz, cheese 1 oz

How many calories are in each serving?

• Grains, beans and Starchy Vegetables have 80 calories per serving
• Vegetables have 25 calories
• Fruits have 60 calories per serving
• Proteins and dairy contain 200 calories per serving

What are some suggestions from the food groups that are healthy for diabetics?

• Grains: (whole grain) the following should be the first ingredient listed on the contents of packages of bread, rice, and cereals: Bulgur (cracked wheat), whole-wheat flour, whole oats/oatmeal. Whole grain corn/corn meal, popcorn, brown rice, whole rye, whole grain barley, wild rice, buckwheat, buckwheat flour, triticale, millet, quinoa, sorghum
• Beans: dried beans such as black, lima, and pinto. Lentils and dried peas such as black-eyes, and split. Fat free refried beans, vegetarian baked beans and soy-based “meat” products like meatless “burger” and “chicken nuggets”
• Starchy Vegetables: parsnip, plantain, potato, sweet potato, pumpkin, acorn squash, butternut squash, green peas, corn
• Fiber Sources: beans and legumes (black beans, kidney beans, pinto, chickpeas (garbanzo beans), white beans, and lentils. Fruits and vegetables (those with edible skins: apple and edible seeds such as berries).
• Quinoa/Lentil/Chickpea pasta, whole wheat pasta, whole grain cereals with bran and oats (check the sugar contents on these), whole grain breads with at least 3grams of fiber per slice, spelt bread is always the best choice.
• Nuts: peanuts, walnuts, and almonds but stay with one serving because they are high in fat, in general contain 5 grams of fiber or more per serving
• Vegetables: broccoli, spinach, collards, kale, lettuce, asparagus, and Brussels sprouts
• Fruits: grapefruit, oranges, lemon, limes, small bananas, strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries.
• Dairy: fat free or low fat milk (1%), plain lowfat yogurt, low fat light yogurt without added sugar and unflavored soy milk, almond milk, oat milk (unsweetened)
• Protein: fish and seafood (catfish, cod, flounder, haddock, halibut, herring, orange roughly, salmon, tilapia, trout, tuna, sardines, calms, crab, imitations shellfish, lobster, scallops, shrimp, and o ysters. Poultry without skin (chicken, turkey and Cornish hen). Beef, pork, veal, lamb (lowest fat content possible, check, rib, lamb chop, leaf or roast.
• Organ meat: heart, kidney, and liver.
• Veal loin chop and roast.
• Pork: Canadian bacon, center loin chop, ham and tenderloin.
• Game: buffalo, dove, duck, goose, or pheasant (no skin), ostrich, rabbit,and venison.

What are Unhealthy Fats?

• Saturated Fats: high-fat dairy product (cream cheese, whole milk, 2% milk, and sour cream). High fat meats (ground beef, bologna, hot dogs, sausage, bacon, spareribs). Lard, butter, fatback, salt pork, cream sauces, gravy made with meat drippings, chocolate, palm oil and palm kernel oil, coconut and coconut oil, poultry skin from chicken or turkey.
• Trans Fats: Processed foods, snack crackers and chips, baked goods such as muffins, cookies, and cakes. Margarine, shortening and most fast food.
• Cholesterol: high fat dairy products, whole or 2% milk, cream, ice cream, fall fat cheese, egg yolk, liver and other organ meat, high fat meat and poultry skin

The following are Healthy Fats that can be consumed:

• Avocado, canola oil, nuts like almonds, cashews, pecans and peanuts, olive oil and olives, peanut butter and peanut oil, and sesame seeds
• Polyunsaturated fats: corn oil, cottonseed oil, safflower oil, soybean oil, sunflower oil, walnuts, pumpkin, or sunflower seeds, soft (tub) margarine, mayonnaise, salad dressings
• Omega-3 Fatty acids: albacore tuna, herring, mackerel, rainbow trout, sardines, salmon, tofu and other soybean products, walnuts, flaxseed and flaxseed oil, avocado and avocado oil

Need some meal ideas, here are some examples:

Breakfast :

1 oz (3/4 to 1 cup) unsweetened ready to eat cereal or 1 cup cooked hot cereal with 1/2 cup berries or tablespoon raisins and 1/2 skim milk, 1 slice low carb whole grain wheat toast with teaspoon jam,
coffee or tea
Wedge of cantaloupe or 1/2 cup strawberries, 1 scrambled egg or 2 egg whites cooked in non-
stick skillet with vegetable cooking spray, rolled in one (6inch) low carb wheat flour tortilla, 1 cup skim milk
or 1% milk, coffee or tea
3/4 cup orange or grapefruit juice, 1 low carb wheat English muffin with 1 tablespoon nonfat
cream cheese, 1/2 skim milk or 1% milk

Lunch:

3/4 cup mixed no added sugar vegetable juice, open faced ham and cheese sandwich (2 oz lean ham topped with
2 thin slices 1oz jarlsberg cheese and 1 teaspoon honey mustard on 1 slice low carb wheat bread, 1/2 cup
cucumber slices mixed with 2 teaspoons balsamic or rice wine vinegar, 1 cup skim milk or 1%
Chickpea pasta vegetable salad (1 cup cooked pasta tossed with 1 cup steamed vegetables and 1 tablespoon
low-fat or fat-free vinaigrette) 1 cup nonfat fruit yogurt
1 cup prepared vegetable or lentil soup, 1 oz reduced fat cheese, 1 serving of fresh fruit

Desserts:

1/2 cup low-fat frozen yogurt
1/2 cup fruit sorbet
Plain frozen fruit bar or pop
1/2 cup fruit flavored gelatin
Baked apple topped with 1 tablespoon low-fat vanilla yogurt
2 gingersnaps, vanilla wafers, or graham crackers
1 slice (1-inch) angel food cake topped with 1/2 cup sliced fresh strawberries
1 piece fresh fruit
4 Hershey’s Kisses
2 miniature candy bars
Orange pound cake
Chocolate angel food cake

Snacks:

Less than 150 calories

• 1 oz fat free potato chips
• 8 baked tortilla chips with 2 tablespoons of salsa
• 2 fig filled cookies 2. Less than 100 calories
• 1/2 seltzer or sparkling water mixed with 1/2 cup cranberry juice cocktail
• 3 cups unbuttered air-popped popcorn
• 2 rice cakes with 1 teaspoon jam
• 2 flatbread
• 1/2 cup cantaloupe
• 1 piece fresh fruit (kiwi, apple, berries)
• 1 cup chicken noodle soup
• 3/4 cup prepared sugar-free hot chocolate 3. Less than 50 calories
• 10 baby carrots
• 10 pretzel sticks
• 1 sugar-free frozen pop

Dinners:

Three-Bean Chili topped with fresh shredded cheese; 1 cup mixed green salad 2 teaspoons low-fat or fat-free dressing;
baked tortilla chips

• Grilled Steak fajitas with beans (black, pinto); sliced orange and red onion salad: 1/2 cup oranges layered with rings sprinkled teaspoon fat-free dressing
• Carrot and celery sticks; Pork with apples and cabbage; 1 cup mixed green salad with 2 teaspoon fat-free dressing
• 4 oz skinless, boneless chicken breast, marinated in fat-free Italian dressing and grilled; 1/2 cup cooked bulgur wheat; steamed sugar snap peas or green beans; slice spelt bread
• 3/4 cup mixed-vegetable; 1/4 barbequed, skin removed chicken (homemade or takeout); tossed/side salad (from deli); 1 to 2 slices spelt bread
• 1/4 pound grilled turkey sausages; 1/2 cup cooked chickpea or lentil pasta; sauteed peppers and onions (cook in nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray)
• Chickpea or Lentil Shells/Macaroni with Tuna and Peppers; 1 to 2 slices speltz bread; green salad with lemon wedge
• Carrot and celery sticks; Soy-Ginger Salmon with sesame spinach and quinoa
• Citrus-baked Sea Bass; 1/2 cup cooked quinoa; spinach salad with 2 teaspoons fat-free dressing
• Marinated cucumbers: 2 cucumbers, peeled, seeded and diced; 6 sliced radishes mixed with tablespoons rice wine vinegar, 1 teaspoon each soy sauce; Asian pork and vegetables
• Burger with the works: 4 oz extra lean round, grilled, served on toasted low Carb English muffin topped 1 teaspoon ketchup, 2 lettuce leaves, tomato slices and slice sweet onion; sweet potato fries (air fryer)
• 1 cup prepared vegetable soup; Chef’s salad: 2 cups mixed salad tossed with 1 oz cooked turkey strips, lean ham or roast beef; Jarlsberg cheese assorted cut up vegetables (fresh mushrooms, green
  beans, broccoli, carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, bell peppers) and tablespoon nonfat dressing; two slices Spelt Bread
• 4 oz scrod, flounder or other white fish, broiled with lemon; 1/2 cup wild rice, boiled; 1/2 steamed sliced zucchini green vegetables; 2 slices spelt bread; teaspoon butter or margarine
• Hearty vegetable soup; 2 slices spelt bread with 1 oz reduced fat cheese Chickpea/lentil Rigatoni with vegetables; 2 cups salad greens with 1 tablespoon low-fat or nonfat dressing; 1 slice spelt bread
• Wedge of melon; 1 cup cooked chickpea/lentil pasta topped with 1/2 cup marinara sauce; 2 cups mixed green
  salad with 1 tablespoon fat-free dressing
• Turkey Parmigianino with chickpea spaghetti; 1/2 cup steamed broccoli
• Chicken-vegetable curry with quinoa; 1 cup spinach salad with 2 teaspoons fat-free dressing
• Light Shrimp wild rice and lentil mix; 1 cup mixed green salad with 2 teaspoons low-fat or far-free dressing
• Grilled Steak with sweet potato fries (air fryer) , sliced tomato and cucumber salad