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Sugar Sugar (Dealing with Diabetes )

Many of my friends have diabetes, and my father was a diabetic, so having been asked advice on this subject I have put pen to paper. It is very important that a diabetic seeks medical advice and sees a dietitian when first diagnosed, this is just a guide line to help you along.



People with diabetes can eat the same foods the rest of their family   but reduced portion size of carbohydrates. Choices from each food group provide the highest quality nutrients you can find. In other words, pick foods rich in vitamins, minerals and fiber. 




A Diabetic eating plan includes eating a wide variety of foods including:
  • Vegetables, 
  • Salad vegetables, but restrict parsnips, beets, potatoes sweet potatoes because of the sugar content.
  • Switch to whole grains – brown rice and pasta to increase your fiber.
  • You can eat fruits but restrict you intake   check with your doctor as they contain natural sugar
  • Lean meat,
  • Poultry,
  • Fish
  • Dairy products. Limit due to the high fat content
  • Beans, lentils, pulses.

Carbohydrate counting
One had to reduce the carbohydrates, cut down on bread, potatoes, and as I said earlier switch to  using  whole grain rice and pasta.

Start with allowing about 45-60 grams of carbohydrate at a meal.

Foods that contain carbohydrate or “carbs” are: grains like rice, oatmeal, and barley grain-based foods like bread, cereal, pasta, and crackers starchy vegetables like potatoes, peas and corn fruit and juice milk and yogurt dried beans like pinto beans and soy products like veggie burgers sweets and snack foods like sodas, juice drinks, cake, cookies, candy, and chips .


Vegetarian option
A good friend of mine greatly reduced her sugar levels recently by cutting out all processed foods, and sticking to a dairy and wheat free Vegetarian diet within six weeks there was a vast improvement to her health.
Research supports that following this type of diet can help prevent and manage diabetes. In fact, research on vegan diets has found that Vegan diets are naturally higher in fiber, much lower in saturated fat, carbohydrates and cholesterol than the average diet.


Start your day the correct way
Eating breakfast is imperative for diabetics. Besides providing you with energy, a well-rounded breakfast also helps balance blood glucose levels. Starting out with a solid blood glucose reading makes it easier to maintain good levels throughout the day. The best breakfast foods for diabetics are those that are high in lean protein and whole grains, as these types of foods are the most filling and generally have a low glycemic index.


  • Breakfast shakes, 
  • Eggs on multi- grain toast,  
  • whole grain cereal , 
  • or almonds limited fruit and natural unsweetened yogurt are excellent  ways to start your day.

Don’t skip meals
Eat little and often rather than fasting and eating a large meal , its important to eat regularly ever 3.5- 4 hours.

Main meal ideas
·            Whole meal pasta with a homemade tomato and vegetable sauce.
     Homemade lentil soup, one slice whole meal bread with a fresh salad sprinkled with almond slithers
       Oven baked fish parcels with vegetables, served vegetable noodles
       Oven roasted ratatouille vegetables served on brown rice.
       Lightly sautéed chicken breast with a red pepper   and zucchini salsa
        Red turkey meat, cooked with mushrooms leeks and fresh herbs with polenta.

          Dal with brown rice   and green salad    

         leek carrot , and spinach baked fritters 

This is   just a few ideas , email me for more recipes

Being diagnosed as a diabetic can be scary  

however , if you take charge and not let the disease take charge of you. You will get into an easy routine and be able to deal with meal time with ease.
Good luck 


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