University Of Idaho Extension - Healthy Diabetes Plate
Starch Group What foods are included? Grains, starchy vegetables, and dry beans and peas make up this food group. What do the Starch Group foods have in common? They consist mainly of carbohydrate. Grains include wheat, oats, rye, barley, and corn meal as well as the foods made from them: bread, cereal, rice, pasta, tortillas, and crackers. Starchy vegetables -- which contain three times as much carbohydrate as non-starchy vegetables -- include potatoes, green peas, corn, and squash. Kidney beans, pinto beans, lima beans, black-eyed peas, and lentils are examples of dry beans and peas. How much should I eat? The Healthy Diabetes Plate recommends eating three servings from the starch group each day—one serving at each meal. This serving will cover a quarter of your 9-inch plate, no more than 1/2 inch high. For grains, one serving is the equivalent of 1 ounce. That's about: one slice of bread 1 cup of ready-to-eat cereal flakes a half of one hamburger bun 1/2 cup of cooked cereal, rice, or pasta For starchy vegetables, one serving equals 1/2 cup or one small- or medium-sized piece: For dry beans and peas, one serving equals 1/2 cup of cooked beans and peas: which foods should I choose? Grains are classified as either whole grains or refined grains. Whole grains—such as whole-wheat bread, brown rice, and oatmeal—contain the entire grain kernel, including the bran, endosperm, and germ. In refined grains—such as white flour, white rice, and corn flakes—the bran and germ have been removed, decreasing the nutritional value of these products. If you have diabetes, you should choose whole grains because they help maintain normal blood sugar levels. For examples of grain foods, view printable tables of whole grains and refined grains. When selecting starchy vegetables, Continue reading >>
7 Health Benefits Of Eating Kidney Beans During Pregnancy
Carrying a healthy baby to full term can be a wonderful experience. If you are one among them, you need to offer extra attention to your health and focus on consuming healthy food items that are rich in proteins, such as the kidney beans. As these beans are rich in antioxidants, iron, fiber and protein, it would help your baby to grow well, both mentally and physically. Proteins play a vital role in pregnancy as it helps in the development of your baby. Often, moms-to-be indulge in kidney beans during their second and third trimesters as it would offer all essential nutrients to the baby and helps the baby to grow at a rapid pace. 7 Benefits Of Eating Kidney Beans During Pregnancy: If you are pregnant, make sure that your shopping cart has some packs of dried kidney beans in it, as it is loaded with many health benefits that are useful both for you and the baby. Also nicknamed as “super food of pregnancy”, this inexpensive bean is a must have food in your everyday diet. You need to consume about 70 grams of protein, which can be obtained by eating one and half cup of kidney beans. Here are some of the most common health benefits of eating red kidney beans during pregnancy: 1. Increases Iron Content: When you are pregnant, your body needs more iron to build red blood cells of your growing baby. Kidney beans can help you by replenishing the levels of hemoglobin in your body. This helps eliminate iron deficiency and promotes the cognitive development of your baby. In addition, iron in kidney beans helps in the development of your fetus, expands the blood volume and helps the placenta to grow. 2. Contains Amino Acids: Kidney beans contain about 8 essential amino acids that can prepare protein in your body. These amino acids are highly helpful for fighting many infection Continue reading >>
Think Twice Before Using Dr Oz Recommended White Kidney Bean Extract
I received an email this week from a client who wanted my input regarding a supplement recommended by Dr Oz. In one of his recent shows, Dr Oz revealed some of his favorite metabolism boosters including the supplement of our discussion, white kidney bean extract. In this post, I’ll explain what white kidney bean extract does in the human body and my position on it as a weight loss aid. Now before we even get into whether or not to consider taking white kidney bean extract, I think it’s interesting that Dr. Oz considers this product a “metabolism booster.” We can debate the effectiveness of the extract, but it by no means has ANY impact on raising metabolic rate. That’s what we’d expect from a “metabolism booster,” right? This supplement has NOTHING to do with metabolic rate and everything to do with blocking the digestion of starches. Here’s the lowdown on how it white kidney bean extract works… When you eat starches, otherwise known as complex carbohydrates, the digestion actually starts in your mouth before the food ever gets to your stomach and then to the small intestine. In fact, starch carbohydrates are mainly digested in the mouth and small intestines. Once the starch enters the stomach, the digestive enzyme used to break it down is destroyed by the high pH levels in the stomach. More on that in a minute. When you start chewing a starch carbohydrate like a potato, pasta, legume, grain, etc, the salivary glands in your mouth secrete the digestive enzyme alpha-amylase (also known as ptyalin), to begin hydrolyzing the starch into simple sugars. This is why if you chew on a piece of bread and leave it in your mouth you’ll get a sweet taste. That’s the starch being broken down to sugar by alpha-amylase. Anyways, you get the picture with digesti Continue reading >>
Can Beans And Rice Work In Your Diabetes Diet?
THURSDAY, April 12, 2012 — White rice and anything made with white flour are big diabetes diet "don'ts." Multiple studies have shown that as you digest these "white" foods, your body essentially treats them like sugar, which can cause a blood-sugar spike in patients with the disease and also increase a person's risk for developing diabetes. (Rice consumption is one reason diabetes rates are high among Asian populations.) Beans, meanwhile, are a complex starch that's thought to be a healthy component to most diets. Beans are high in fiber and protein, and contain essential nutrients, such as iron, zinc, and folate, as well as a compound that can inhibit the blood's ability to absorb sugar. So when you combine the good and the bad, does it add up to a diabetes-friendly dish? That's the question researchers at the Oregon Health and Science University posed in their recent study published in Nutrition Journal as part of an effort to help tailor diabetes care to cultural groups. After examining the blood glucose levels of adults with type 2 diabetes who consumed either pinto beans and white, long grain rice, black beans and white, long grain rice, red kidney beans and white, long grain rice or white, long grain rice alone, researchers found that the pairing of any type of beans with rice can help stop unhealthy blood sugar spikes. In the trial, blood glucose levels were significantly lower for the three bean and rice groups compared to the rice-only group after 90, 120, and 150 minutes. Because beans and rice are a popular food combination in the Caribbean, Latin America, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean, researchers believe this new finding can help people living with type 2 diabetes in those cultures adhere to a diet that will help them better manage their diabetes Continue reading >>
Eat Beans For Better Blood Sugar With Diabetes
Beans sometimes get a bum rap. Truth be told, beans boast an amazing number of health benefits. If you have diabetes, beans, and other legumes can help you maintain better control of your blood sugar. What's a legume, you ask? A legume is a plant whose seeds or fruit are found in a long case, called a pod. Beans, chickpeas and lentils are common legumes. Legumes are a low glycemic index food that won't cause sudden spikes in your blood sugar. The glycemic index looks at how fast a carbohydrate-containing food, like beans, raises your blood sugar (glucose) level compared to a baseline product like white bread. Foods low on the index breakdown slowly in the body, so you don't get a sudden rush of sugar into your bloodstream. High glycemic foods (like white rice), on the other hand, get digested more quickly, which can send your blood sugar soaring. Diabetes Superfood Many diabetes nutrition guidelines recommend beans and legumes as part of a healthy diet. In fact, the American Diabetes Association includes them in their list of Diabetes Superfoods. Here's why beans and legumes are so good for you: They provide slowly digested starch (carbohydrate), which reduces blood sugar spikes. They are full of healthy fiber, so they keep you feeling full longer. They're packed with protein, which your body needs to work properly. They are low in fat. Studies show that adding 1 cup (190 grams) of legumes to your daily diet helps lower hemoglobin A1C levels. (That's your average blood sugar level for the last 2-3 months.) Some research hints that eating legumes at breakfast prevents spikes after that meal and subsequent ones that day. And legumes are also good for your heart. A daily dose of beans and legumes can lower your risk of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and coronary ar Continue reading >>
How Kidney Beans Can Prevent You From Diabetes, Heart Attacks
Editor's note: Okolie Anthony, the NAIJ.com partner blogger, in this article reveals six health benefits of kidney beans and how and when they should be consumed. Okolie is a student blogger, who has flair for writing articles on health and some interesting topics. He is the owner of the Herbal Gang Blog, a blog dedicated to people in search of the healing power of herbs. He is also a Digital Marketer with a great passion for online entrepreneurship. He could be contacted via: www.herbalgang.com or [email protected] More details in NAIJ.com’s step-by-step guide for guest bloggers. What are kidney beans by the way to even start talking about its health benefits? Are red kidney beans high in carbs? If I had some sort of psychic power, I would have read your minds and I can say authoritatively that you must have asked yourselves the above questions. So, it is noteworthy to explain what kidney beans are before stating their health benefits. What are Kidney Beans? Kidney beans are a very popular legume because of its great taste, texture and flavour. They are dark red in color and are kidney-shaped; of course from the name you should know it would be kidney-shaped, right? Kidney beans are full of potassium, magnesium, iron and protein. Hence, this is a good meat substitute for vegetarians. Kidney beans also have several disease-fighting antioxidants that promote a healthy and strong immunity. Having said all these, isn’t it glaring that the health benefits of kidney beans would be amazing? Other names given to kidney beans are ‘Rajma‘in Hindi, ‘Nallachikkudu‘ in Telugu, ‘Sigappu Karamani‘ in Tamil, ‘Capparadavare‘ in Kannada, ‘Barbati Beej‘ in Bengali, ‘Phanasi‘ in Gujarati and ‘Rajma‘ in Punjabi. Please don’t ask me for the name given to Continue reading >>
Diet Tips For People With Diabetes And Kidney Disease
Diet is one of the most important treatments in managing diabetes and kidney disease. If you’ve been diagnosed with kidney disease as a result of diabetes, you’ll need to work with a dietitian to create an eating plan that’s right for you. This plan will help manage your blood glucose levels and reduce the amount of waste and fluid your kidneys process. Which nutrients do I need to regulate? Your dietitian will give you nutritional guidelines that tell you how much protein, fat and carbohydrate you can eat, as well as how much potassium, phosphorus and sodium you can have each day. Because your diet needs to be lower in these minerals, you’ll limit or avoid certain foods, while planning your meals. Portion control is also important. Talk to your dietitian regarding tips for accurately measuring a serving size. What may be measured as one serving on a regular diet may count as three servings on the kidney diet. Your doctor and dietitian will also recommend you eat meals and snacks of the same size and calorie/carbohydrate content at certain times of the day to keep your blood glucose at an even level. .It’s important to check blood glucose levels often and share the results with your doctor. What can I eat? Below is an example of food choices that are usually recommended on a typical renal diabetic diet. This list is based on sodium, potassium, phosphorus and high sugar content of foods included. Ask your dietitian if you can have any of these listed foods and make sure you know what the recommended serving size should be. Carbohydrate Foods Milk and nondairy Recommended Avoid Skim or fat-free milk, non-dairy creamer, plain yogurt, sugar-free yogurt, sugar-free pudding, sugar-free ice cream, sugar-free nondairy frozen desserts* *Portions of dairy products are o Continue reading >>
Are Kidney Beans Bad For A Diabetic?
Kidney beans are part of the plant family Phaseolus vulgaris, otherwise known as common beans. Rich in protein, natural fiber and various vitamins and minerals, kidney beans are a healthful food to include in a diabetic's nutrition plan. In fact, the American Diabetes Association has designated kidney beans as a "super food," due to the fact that they provide you with several nutrients of particular importance when you are living with diabetes mellitus. Video of the Day Kidney beans contain a significant amount of carbohydrates in the form of starch, which breaks down into sugar in your digestive tract. You need not worry about kidney beans causing a sudden jump in your blood sugar level, however, because they contain slow carbohydrates. This means the carbohydrates break down and are absorbed slowly from your intestines, which dampens the effect on your blood sugar level. A cup of cooked kidney beans contains approximately 39 g of carbohydrates and 0.6 g of sugars. Kidney beans are an outstanding source of dietary fiber, with approximately 13 g in a cup of cooked beans. Fiber is an important nutrient for everyone, but it's particularly important for diabetics. Dietary fiber helps lower your blood cholesterol level by binding the fat in your intestines, leading to its excretion in your stool. Additionally, many long-term diabetics develop problems with intestinal slowing due to disease-related nerve damage, often leading to chronic constipation. Eating fiber-rich foods, such as kidney beans, helps keep your bowels moving regularly. Kidney beans are a nearly fat-free source of dietary protein, with approximately 15 g per 1-cup serving. Other protein-rich foods, such as red meat, whole-milk dairy products and eggs, contain cholesterol and saturated fat, which are bad for Continue reading >>
Kidney Beans
Both dried and canned kidney beans are available throughout the year. Dried beans are generally available in prepackaged containers as well as in bulk bins. True to their name, these popular beans are kidney shaped and are especially good in simmered dishes where they absorb the flavors of seasonings and the other foods with which they are cooked. This chart graphically details the %DV that a serving of Kidney beans provides for each of the nutrients of which it is a good, very good, or excellent source according to our Food Rating System. Additional information about the amount of these nutrients provided by Kidney beans can be found in the Food Rating System Chart. A link that takes you to the In-Depth Nutritional Profile for Kidney beans, featuring information over 80 nutrients, can be found under the Food Rating System Chart. Health Benefits Kidney beans are a very good source of cholesterol-lowering fiber, as are most other beans. In addition to lowering cholesterol, kidney beans' high fiber content prevents blood sugar levels from rising too rapidly after a meal, making these beans an especially good choice for individuals with diabetes, insulin resistance or hypoglycemia. When combined with whole grains such as rice, kidney beans provide virtually fat-free high quality protein. But this is far from all kidney beans have to offer. Kidney beans are an excellent source of the trace mineral, molybdenum, an integral component of the enzyme sulfite oxidase, which is responsible for detoxifying sulfites. Sulfites are a type of preservative commonly added to prepared foods like delicatessen salads and salad bars. Persons who are sensitive to sulfites in these foods may experience rapid heartbeat, headache or disorientation if sulfites are unwittingly consumed. If you hav Continue reading >>
Beans Will Rock Your World
I’ve started eating a lot more beans. Why? They are healthy and cheap. They make me feel good, and it turns out they taste great if you prepare them right. Research shows that beans are even better if you have diabetes. A woman in my neighborhood got me started. We were talking about diabetes, and she said she had been diagnosed with Type 2 five years ago. But she now eats beans with every meal, and all her numbers are back to normal, including her glucose tolerance test. I figured I should look into it. Of course the first place to look is always Diabetes Self-Management‘s Amy Campbell. Here’s what she wrote in 2007: “Beans are a rich source of protein. One cup of beans contains about 16 grams of protein, the same as 2 ounces of meat or chicken. People who are vegetarians typically use beans and bean products as their main source of protein. Beans contain no cholesterol…and only about 1 gram of fat (non of it saturated, either).” That’s just the start. Amy says beans “also contains about 15 grams of [mostly-soluble] fiber…which can help lower cholesterol levels and lower the risk of heart disease…Beans are also a great source of iron, calcium, potassium, and magnesium, as well as vitamin A and folate.” That column was from five years ago. Since then, others have been shouting the praises of beans even more loudly. According to Jim Healthy, editor of the Web site My Healing Kitchen, “Beans are best for diabetes,” because “they are loaded with all-important fiber, which slows the breakdown of carbohydrates into sugars in your bloodstream, assists your body’s insulin response to glucose, and helps you burn fat faster.” They will limit the spikes in glucose levels after meals. (See last week’s blog entry “Stop Spiking Those Sugars!”) H Continue reading >>
Sausage, Bean And Quinoa Soup
This Recipe Serves 8 Ingredients 1 Tbsp olive oil 1 onion, diced 1 green pepper, diced 1 clove garlic, minced Nonstick cooking spray 6 oz lean smoked turkey sausage, sliced in half lengthwise and cut into 1-inch pieces 14.5-oz can no-salt-added diced tomatoes 1 cup canned no-salt-added kidney beans, rinsed and drained 16 oz fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth 1/2 tsp ground black pepper 1/2 tsp dried thyme 1 cup quinoa 2 1/2 cups hot water Instructions Add oil to a large soup pot or Dutch oven and heat over medium-high. Add onion and green pepper and sauté over medium-high heat for 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté for 30 seconds. Remove onion and pepper mixture from pot and set aside. Spray pot with cooking spray. Add sausage and sauté for 3-5 minutes until brown. Add onion and peppers back to pot. Add tomatoes, kidney beans, chicken broth, black pepper, cayenne pepper if desired and thyme. Bring to a boil. Add quinoa, reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes. Remove lid and add water. Simmer for 5 more minutes. Dietitian Tip: It’s best to serve this soup on the day it’s made. If left in the refrigerator for longer, the water and broth will be absorbed. MAKE IT GLUTEN-FREE: Buy gluten-free chicken broth and verify that the spices, sausage and beans are gluten-free, and this dish can be made gluten-free. Choices: 1 Starch, 1 Nonstarchy Vegetable, 1 Lean Protein, 1/2 Fat Continue reading >>
Simple, Summery Quinoa Salad With Asparagus, Red Kidney Beans And Capsicum
Serves 4 Ingredients 2 cups of water 1 cup of quinoa 2 bunches of asparagus, chopped to 3 cm lengths Additional boiling water to blanch asparagus 1 large red capsicum, chopped 1 small red onion, chopped finely 400 g tin of red kidney beans ¼ cup of sunflower seeds Fresh herbs, chopped (you choose your favourite herbs e.g. basil, parsley, coriander) 100 g rocket or baby spinach leaves Juice of half a large lemon or two limes 1 tsp olive oil Method Place water and quinoa into a large saucepan, bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until the liquid is absorbed. Transfer to a large bowl and allow quinoa to cool. Place chopped asparagus into boiling water (straight from kettle) for two minutes or until bright green. Drain and place into cold water to stop the asparagus from cooking. Place quinoa, asparagus, red capsicum, sunflower seeds, red onion, kidney beans, fresh herbs and rocket or spinach leaves and lightly toss. To dress salad, squeeze juice of lemon or lime and drizzle olive oil and toss to combine. Per Serve Energy 1392 kJ/ 339 cal Carbohydrate 45 g Fat 7 g Saturated 1 g Fibre 12 g Sodium 339 mg Continue reading >>
Beans & Glycemic Index/glycemic Load
Dietary habits and patterns that promote excess glucose (sugar) in the blood (hyperglycemia), excess insulin in the blood (hyperinsulinemia), and excess body fat also increase the risk for several chronic diseases including type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. How much a food or meal raises blood sugar depends on the glycemic index of the food consumed and the amount of carbohydrate in the food or meal. Here are some definitions that can provide more clarity: Glycemic Index is a ratio of how much blood sugar rises after consuming a standard amount of available carbohydrate compared to a control (usually glucose or white bread). Glycemic Load is calculated by multiplying the glycemic index of a food by the quantity of available carbohydrate eaten in grams. Glycemic Load of a Meal is computed by summing the glycemic loads of all foods consumed. A lot of research has been devoted to studying the impact of consuming foods with a low glycemic index compared to high glycemic index foods. Livesey et al (2008) used meta-analysis and meta-regression to examine data from 45 prospective studies to determine the outcome of substituting low glycemic food for high glycemic foods, as well as the impact of glycemic index and glycemic load on fasting blood sugar and insulin, blood sugar control, and body weight. The following paragraphs provide detailed information on what these researchers discovered. Blood glucose Data was analyzed from 36 studies in the meta-analysis and showed that eating a diet with a low glycemic index significantly reduces fasting blood sugar in proportion to the reduction in glycemic index. Almost all low glycemic index foods are good sources of fiber, and therefore, as the glycemic index of the diet was reduced, the amount of fiber was increased Continue reading >>
Beans: Good For Your Heart - And Blood Sugar
They're foods with big health benefits, yet they're often neglected, relegated to the back of the kitchen cupboard. Legumes - chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, navy beans, lentils - help regulate blood sugar, lower cholesterol and blood pressure, and guard against heart attack and cancer. Now, a new study in the August issue of Diabetologia adds to the growing evidence that beans are good for you, especially if you have diabetes. It seems that adding beans to your diet can improve blood glucose control. More than two million Canadians have diabetes, a number that's expected to rise to three million by the end of 2010. What's more, the incidence of impaired fasting glucose, or pre-diabetes, is also on the rise. (People with impaired fasting glucose have a higher blood sugar level after an eight-to-12-hour fast than is normal, but not high enough to be diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. For people who have diabetes, controlling blood glucose is paramount in preventing long-term complications such as heart disease, nerve damage and kidney disease. For people with pre-diabetes, managing blood glucose levels can prevent a future diagnosis of Type 2 diabetes. Diet is a key to blood sugar management, whether a person is taking diabetes medication or not. When added to a high-fibre diet or a low-glycemic diet (one with complex carbohydrates that allow the slow release of sugar into the bloodstream), legumes have been found to lower fasting blood glucose and insulin readings. Research even suggests that eating legumes can substantially reduce the risk of developing Type 2 diabetes. In the new study, researchers from the Risk Factor Modification Centre at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto analyzed the results of 41 randomized controlled experimental trials to assess the evidence Continue reading >>
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Four-bean Salad
Ingredients 1 can (8.4-ounce) cut green beans, drained 1 can (8.5-ounce) cut wax beans, drained 1 can (8.5-ounce) lima beans, drained 1 can (8.5-ounce) kidney beans, drained ½ cup thinly sliced red onion rings ½ cup chopped celery ¼ cup diced green pepper Dressing 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard 2 tablespoons vinegar ½ teaspoon sugar substitute ½ teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme) ½ teaspoon black pepper 1 clove garlic, crushed or minced ¼ cup olive oil or canola oil Directions In a large mixing bowl, combine all the beans, onion, celery, and green pepper. In a smaller mixing bowl whisk together the mustard, vinegar, sugar substitute, thyme, pepper, and garlic. Whisking continually, add the oil in a slow, thin stream. Whisk until well blended. Pour the dressing over the bean mixture and toss to coat well. Cover and refrigerate 1-2 days before serving. Total time: 36 hours Preparation time: 10 minutes Chill time: 1-2 days Continue reading >>
