Healthy Eating

An unhealthy diet, which leads to diabetes, can severly affect your health. Below are health issues that can could happen if you have an inadequate diet.

• Eye problems

• Diabetic foot

• Heart attack

• High blood pressure

• Stroke

• Kidney problems

• Nerve damage

• Gum disease

• Skin conditions

• Hearing impairment

• Alzheimer’s Disease

• Depression

• Gallbladder disease

• Sleep apnea

• Irregular periods

• Problems with pregnancy

• Cancer

Having a balanced diet is an essential part of preventing diabetes and maintaining your personal health.

Grains:

Grains are any food that is made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grain. They contain many sources of nutrients like carbohydrates, dietary fiber, B vitamins, and minerals.

Whole Grains:

-Healthy for you because they contain fiber, vitamins, minerals, and starch

-Aim to make half of your gains to be whole grains

-Recommended 3-6 ounces whole grains per day

Refined grains:

-Not as healthy for you since they only contain starch

-Recommended about 2-4 ounces of refined grains per day

Recommended 1 serving per meal

Example serving sizes of grains:

-1 slice of whole grain bread

-1/2 to 3/4 cup dry, unsweetened cereal

1/2 corn on the cob

1/3-1/2 cooked pasta or noodles

1/3 cup brown or white rice

1/4 bagel

Fruits

Eating fruits provide many nutrients that are vital for the health and maintenance of your body.

Recommend 1 serving per meal

Example serving size of fruits:

-1 small fresh fruit

-1 cup cubed melon or raspberries

-1 large kiwi

Dairy

The dairy food group provides ample amounts of calcium, phosphorous, vitamin A, vitamin D, riboflavin, vitamin B-12, protein, potassium, zinc, choline, magnesium, and selenium

Recommended 1 serving per meal

Example serving size of dairy:

-8 ounce cup of fat-free or low-fat milk or fortified unsweetened plain soy milk

-2/3 cup plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt

Proteins

Including proteins in your diet helps your body to repair muscles, make hormones and enzymes, and can also be used as an energy source.

Recommended 1-3 servings per meal

Example serving size of proteins:

-1 ounce of fish, skinless chicken, or lean meat

-1 tablespoon peanut butter

-1 ounce reduced fat cheese

-1/2 cup tofu

-1 egg

Vegetables

Vegetables contains lots of vitamins and minerals as is essential in living a healthy life.

Recommended 1-2 servings per meal

Example serving size of vegetables:

-1 cup raw or 1/2 cup cooked vegetables like:

-tomatoes

-green beans

-salad greens

-peppers

-zucchini

-artichokes

-broccoli

Fats

A small amount of the right fats are needed in a diet to create a healthy and balanced diet.

Recommended 1-2 servings per meal

Example serving size of fats:

-1 teaspoon oil, margarine, mayonnaise, or butter

-1 tablespoon regular dressing

-2 tablespoon reduced-fat dressing

-10 small peanuts

-6 whole almonds

Incorporating healthy foods into your diet is not as hard as it seems! Swapping high calorie snacks for lower calorie snacks and choosing grilled proteins instead of fried proteins will help cut down extra calories.

100 calorie snacks:

13 whole almonds

1 small oatmeal cookie

2 medium kiwis

3 tablespoons hummus

1/2 fat-free yogurt

1 slice raisin bread

1 medium apple

1 orange

1 cup strawberries

2 stick low-fat string cheese

8 baby carrots with one tablespoon of dip

1 mini can of cola

1 cup of blueberries with 2 tablespoons whipped topping

1 block or 3 squares of dark chocolate

1 cup oat cereal

1 cup tomato soup

1 small nonfat blueberry smoothie

1 small sliced avocado

20 pistachios

6 cups microwave popcorn

Breakfast Ideas:

Low fat yogurt sprinkled with low-fat granola

Oatmeal with low-fat or fat-free milk

Slice of whole-wheat toast with a thin spread of peanut butter

Fruit smoothie made with frozen fruit, low fat yogurt, and juice

High-fiber, low-sugar cereal with soy-based beverage or low-fat milk

Lunch/Dinner Ideas:

Bacon and Spinach Pizza

Grilled Chicken and Vegetables

Salad with toppings

Baked Buffalo Chicken

Skillet Chicken with Olives

Lemon garlic pork chops

Pesto pasta and potatoes

Turkey and Apricot wraps

Garlic herbed beef tenderloin

Below are some great links to further your understanding on healthy eating!

• https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/resources/publications/factsheets/nutrition.htm

• https://www.myplate.gov

• https://www.eatingwell.com/gallery/7918302/diabetes-friendly-dinner-recipes-to-make-forever/

• https://www.fda.gov/food/new-nutrition-facts-label/how-understand-and-use-nutrition-facts-label