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 >>
Diabetes & Diet: 7 Foods That Control Blood Sugar
When you have type 2 diabetes, what you eat can help you control your blood sugar, stave off hunger, and feel full longer. “Diabetes is when your blood sugar or glucose levels are higher than normal. It’s carbohydrate foods like breads, cereals, rice, pasta, fruits, milk, and desserts that can cause this rise," says Maggie Powers, PhD, president-elect of Health Care & Education at the American Diabetes Association. Your eating plan should focus on the amount and type of carbs you put on your plate throughout the day, Powers says. But it’s also important to have foods you enjoy. You want to eat enough so you feel satisfied and avoid overeating and poor choices. Here are seven foods that Powers says can help keep your blood sugar in check and make you happy and healthy to boot. These add color, flavor, and texture to a meal. Choose tasty, low-carb veggies, like mushrooms, onions, eggplant, tomatoes, Brussels sprouts, and low-carb squashes, like zucchini. Try them with dips such as low-fat dressings, hummus, guacamole, and salsa, or roasted with different seasonings such as rosemary, cayenne pepper, or garlic. Go beyond your regular salad and try kale, spinach, and chard. They’re healthy, delicious, and low-carb, Powers says. Roast kale leaves in the oven with olive oil for quick, crunchy chips. You can also mix greens in with roasted veggies to add texture and a different flavor, or serve them with a little protein, like salmon. Plain water is always good, but water infused with fruits and vegetables is more interesting. Cut up a lemon or cucumber and put it in your water, or make ice cubes with some flavoring in them. If you’re not a hot tea drinker, try cold tea with lemon or a cinnamon stick. “Not only are these beverages low-carb, they can also help fill y Continue reading >>
Juicing Green Beans For Diabetics
The one must know ingredient to juice for diabetes Juicing green beans for Diabetics? Yes! I love steamed green beans in a salad, eaten raw dipped in hummus or lightly stir-fried and eaten crunchy. But when I started juicing I’d never, ever thought of juicing them! It all started when I was researching diabetes and what types of foods diabetes sufferers should eat. As most of us know,diabetes sufferers generally have high blood glucose (sugar) levels that come from an inability to produce enough insulin and/or effectively utilize the insulin. Also, many people have insulin resistance which can also be helped by this veggie. Green beans, a type of non-starchy vegetable, are low in calories and carbohydrates yet high in fiber. As Diabetes World states: “Their high fiber content 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 limit the spikes in glucose levels after meals”. It also helps your pancreas. Infact, according toGabriel Cousins (MD),the skins of the pods of green beans contain silica and certain hormone substances that are closely related to insulin. The American Diabetes Association recommends that non-starchy vegetables such as green beans should make up half of all diabetes sufferers’ lunch and dinner meals. Of course, green beans have myriad benefits for non-diabetes sufferers too. They are full of antioxidants that neutralize harmful free radicals, and essential flavonoids, which reduce body fat, improve heart health and can help promote weight loss, cancer, and diabetes. Green beans are an excellent source of Vitamin A and C, which fights infection and results in young looking skin, healthy tendons, connective tissue bone and organs. They’r Continue reading >>
Easy Green And Red Bean Salad
Try using flat-leaf parsley for the dressing. It’s more distinctly flavoured than curly parsley. Tips Dressing the beans well in advance allows them to absorb all the flavours, but if you dress the salad greens too far in advance they become soft and lose their crunch. If you need to display the food in advance, such as for a buffet, you can serve the bean salad in a small dish set among the green leaves. Ingredients 5 oz green beans, trimmed and cut into small pieces (150 g) 1 15-oz (425mL) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained 1 15-oz (425 mL) can flageolet beans or Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained 1 15-oz (425 mL) can chickpeas, rinsed and drained 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley (25 mL) Juice of 1 lemon 2 tbsp white wine vinegar (25 mL) 5 tbsp olive oil (75 mL) Freshly ground black pepper Lettuce leaves to garnish Instructions Lightly steam the green beans over boiling water 5 to 6 minutes or until crisp-tender. Cool in iced water and drain. Place in a large bowl with kidney beans, flageolet beans and chickpeas and mix well. In a jar with a tight-fitting lid, shake together the parsley, lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil and pepper. Pour over the bean mixture and toss lightly to mix. Cover and chill until served. Just before serving, place the lettuce leaves around the edge of a large serving dish. Spoon the bean mixture over the leaves and serve. Makes 6 to 8 side-salad servings. Notes Food Choice Values (per serving) Carbohydrate Choices 2½ Meat & Alternatives 2 Fats 1 This recipe made available with permission by Key Porter Books Ltd. Copyright © 1995 by The British Diabetic Association. The Everyday Diabetes Cookbook is available in stores across Canada. (1/6 of recipe) Calories 397 Total fat 14 g Saturated fat 2 g Cholesterol 0 mg Sodium 9 mg Carbohydra Continue reading >>
The 15 Best Superfoods For Diabetics
beats1/Shutterstock Chocolate is rich in flavonoids, and research shows that these nutrients reduce insulin resistance, improve insulin sensitivity, drop insulin levels and fasting blood glucose, and blunt cravings. But not all chocolate is created equal. In a 2008 study from the University of Copenhagen, people who ate dark chocolate reported that they felt less like eating sweet, salty, or fatty foods compared to volunteers given milk chocolate, with its lower levels of beneficial flavonoids (and, often, more sugar and fat, too). Dark chocolate also cut the amount of pizza that volunteers consumed later in the same day, by 15 percent. The flavonoids in chocolate have also been shown to lower stroke risk, calm blood pressure, and reduce your risk for a heart attack by 2 percent over five years. (Want more delicious, healthy, seasonal foods? Click here.) Jiri Vaclavek/Shutterstock Broccoli is an anti-diabetes superhero. As with other cruciferous veggies, like kale and cauliflower, it contains a compound called sulforaphane, which triggers several anti-inflammatory processes that improve blood sugar control and protect blood vessels from the cardiovascular damage that’s often a consequence of diabetes. (Heart disease is the leading cause of death for people with diabetes, so this protection could be a lifesaver.) Sulforaphane also helps flip on the body’s natural detox mechanisms, coaxing enzymes to turn dangerous cancer-causing chemicals into more innocent forms that the body can easily release. Blueberries funnyangel/Shutterstock Blueberries really stand out: They contain both insoluble fiber (which “flushes” fat out of your system) and soluble fiber (which slows down the emptying of your stomach, and improves blood sugar control). In a study by the USDA, peopl Continue reading >>
Diabeticmealplanning
Blood sugar is under control when I use a balanced carb and protein diet.. and better yet, the meals are tasty, fast, and fun! I have lost over 100 pounds and I'm never tired or hungry. So join me for wonderful recipes, thoughts, and methods for keeping diabetes at bay....Martha According to the folks at the best way to keep your liver from dumping glucose into your bloodstream at night is to eat *GREEN BEANS* right before bedtime. Go ahead, have some butter - just a little - on them, too. The green beans have tryptophan, an amino acid that makes serotonin, which, in turn, keeps the water balance in your body steady. They also have fiber and no carbs. I tried the green beans, and I am happy to report that my fasting blood sugar the next two mornings was under 125 - in the non-diabetic "normal" range. So, my liver wants green beans at bedtime! Hah! Guess I will give it what it wants. And the water cure continues to work well for me, making my post-prandial readings less than 140 on average - again, totally normal. But this assumes that I am eating 5 small meals per day, sticking to my 25gm fat, 100 gm carbs, and 100 gm protein on a daily basis, and taking my alpha lipoic acid and reishi mushroom and a good multivitamin/mineral complex, and 10 gm Omega 3 fats, flax and fish oil. I also eat a protein bar before going for my daily walk (5 gm fat, 15 gm carbs, and 15gm protein) and if I overeat at any time, I have extra water and salt, and walk the extra calories off. Thirty minutes of walking uses up about 150 calories for me, I am 5'9" tall. It is still lots better than taking insulin. And I have half a pancreas to work with, so this means anyone who is just "Type II" can pull this off and avoid the trail of tears that comes from insulin, the resulting increased insulin r Continue reading >>
How To Fight Type 2 Diabetes Through Your Food Choices And Diet Plan
If you have type 2 diabetes — the most common form of diabetes — eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is critical to controlling your weight, blood sugar, blood pressure, and cholesterol. By enriching your diet and creating a meal plan tailored to your personal preferences and lifestyle, you'll be able to enjoy the foods you love while minimizing complications and reducing further risk. Although there isn’t any research that directly supports individual dietary choices in the fight against type 2 diabetes, it doesn’t hurt to maintain a balanced diet. More often than not, the average diet is lacking in these key nutrients: calcium magnesium fiber potassium vitamins A, C, D, and E vitamin B-12 for those on metformin Adding foods rich in these nutrients is often a great first step in diabetes management. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the following are considered to be diabetes superfoods: Fat-free milk and yogurt are both a good source of vitamin D, which promotes strong bones and teeth. Whole grains containing germ and bran are often rich in magnesium, chromium, and folate. Regardless of the type, berries are an excellent source of antioxidants and fiber. Citrus fruits, such as oranges, lemons, and limes, are high in vitamin C. Not only are beans high in fiber, they’re a solid source of potassium and magnesium. Omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce your risk of heart disease, so don’t shy away from salmon dishes. In addition to providing magnesium and fiber, nuts can help with hunger management. Some nuts and seeds also contain omega-3s. Tomatoes contain crucial nutrients such as vitamins C and E. Swap regular potatoes for sweet potatoes, which are chock-full of potassium and vitamin A. Dark green leafy vegetables like collards and kale a Continue reading >>
Best Foods For Type 2 Diabetes
Beans If you’re looking for foods that raise blood-sugar levels slowly and gently like rolling waves, choose high-quality carbohydrates instead of low-quality carbs like refined grains and sugary foods. Whenever possible, you’ll want to couple these carbs with protein and/or healthy fat. Beans (including black, white, navy, lima, pinto, garbanzo, soy, and kidney) are a winning combination of high-quality carbohydrates, lean protein, and soluble fiber that helps stabilize your body’s blood-sugar levels and keeps hunger in check. Beans are also inexpensive, versatile, and virtually fat-free. Continue reading >>
Are Peas Good For Diabetes?
Peas are botanically a fruit, though most of us think of peas as vegetables. They are part of the legume family which also include lentils, chickpeas and black beans. There are many types of peas including: Green peas: These are the most common type and come in a number of different varieties such as spring peas and garden sweet peas. The pod is inedible in most varieties of green peas. Green peas should be cooked before eating. Snow peas: Snow peas have a flat, edible pod and are also known sugar peas. Snow peas can be eaten raw or cooked. Snap peas tend to be the sweetest peas and both the peas and pods can be eaten raw or cooked. The pods tend to be plumper than in other varieties of peas. Nutrition Facts About Peas All the varieties of peas have a similar nutritional profile. Peas have a very low estimated glycemic load of 3. They are low in saturated fat and cholesterol. 1 cup (98 grams) of peas has 41 calories, 4 grams of total sugars and 3 grams of dietary fiber. 73% of the total calories in peas comes from carbohydrates with 23% of the total calories from proteins—only 4% of the calories in peas is derived from fats (primarily omega-6 fats with some omega-3 fats). However, you should notice that a good percentage of the calories in peas do come from carbohydrates—these are mainly complex carbohydrates, but that fact is worth mentioning.[1] Peas are great sources of Vitamin C, and good sources of Vitamin A, K, B vitamins and choline. They also contain minerals including calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, copper, manganese and selenium—and no sodium. Pea Protein There has been a good deal of interest in using pea protein as a source of protein. It is an incomplete protein, meaning that it does not contain all the amino acids needed by the Continue reading >>
Nutritional Value Of Green Beans, For People With Diabetes:
Green beans, aka string beans, or snap bean in the northeastern and western United States are the unripe fruit of various cultivars of the common bean. Green beans are a versatile vegetable that can be grown in many different climates. This helps the plant become such a familiar food. There are two types of green beans: “pole beans” and “bush beans”. Pole beans usually climb vines and require support systems to grow properly. These plants take longer to grow to maturity. Bush beans on the other hand need no support system and are lower to the ground. What makes these beans so unbelievably healthy for you, lets take a closer look! Nutritional Value Of Green Beans: Green beans are good sources of vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin K. Green beans contain beta carotene, which is found in Vitamin A. Vitamin A, a fat soluble antioxidant, helps control night blindness and other eye problems. Folic acid and vitamin B6 present in these beans, regulate the levels of homocysteine in the blood. Homocysteine is an amino acid that is produced, as an intermediate product of the metabolic process. Increased concentration of the homocysteine is seen in heart patients. Significant amounts of magnesium, copper, iron, molybdenum, potassium are also found in green beans. Intake of these individual minerals is essential in our daily diet. Green Beans And Fiber: Green beans are packed with dietary fiber which is beneficial for those who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome. Fiber adds bulk to the stools and enables easy passage during bowel movements. Green beans are good for those with high cholesterol since fiber helps to lower the levels of bad cholesterol in the body. People with diabetes may also include green beans in their diet since it helps to regulate blood sugar levels, alway Continue reading >>
Diabetes Diet: Six Foods That May Help Maintain Healthy Blood Sugar Levels
While there's no substitute for a balanced healthy diet, adding certain foods may help those with diabetes keep sugar levels under control. Coffee and cinnamon have made headlines as foods that might be able to help cut the risk of diabetes or help maintain healthy blood sugar levels. However, don't get the idea that such foods are magic pills for your diabetic diet. It's still important for people with diabetes to eat a balanced healthy diet and exercise to help manage the condition. Nevertheless, some foods, such as white bread, are converted almost immediately to blood sugar, causing a quick spike. Other foods, such as brown rice, are digested more slowly, causing a lower and gentler change in blood sugar. If you are trying to follow a healthy diet for diabetes, here are 6 suggestions that may help to keep your blood sugar in check. Porridge Porridge can help control blood sugar and the charity Diabetes UK recommends it to see you through the morning. Even though porridge is a carbohydrate, it's a very good carbohydrate. Because it's high in soluble fibre, it's slower to digest and it won't raise your blood sugar as much or as quickly. It's going to work better at maintaining a healthy blood sugar level over time. Not only does this high-quality carbohydrate offer a steadier source of energy than white bread, it can also help with weight loss. The soluble fibre in oats helps to keep us feeling fuller longer. That's important for people with type 2 diabetes, who tend to be overweight. If you reduce the weight, you usually significantly improve the glucose control. Barley isn't as popular as oats, but there's some evidence that barley, which is also high in soluble fibre, may also help with blood glucose control. Besides oats and barley, most whole grains are going to Continue reading >>
Is String Bean Juice Good For Diabetes?
Kathryn Gilhuly is a wellness coach based in San Diego. She helps doctors, nurses and other professionals implement lifestyle changes that focus on a healthy diet and exercise. Gilhuly holds a Master of Science in health, nutrition and exercise from North Dakota State University. String bean soup with pastaPhoto Credit: Lilyana Vynogradova/iStock/Getty Images String beans are a type of non-starchy vegetable. Low in calories and carbohydrates, non-starchy vegetables make an excellent choice when you are on a diabetes diet. In fact, according to the American Diabetes Association, non-starchy vegetables should make up half of all of your lunch and dinner meals. In terms of serving size, 1 cup of raw non-starchy vegetables is equivalent to 1/2 cup of vegetable juice. One cup of raw green beans contains approximately 31 calories. In addition to being low in calories, green beans contain very few carbohydrates. Carbohydrates include sugar, starch and fiber. One cup of raw green beans contains 3.26 g of sugar, 0.88 g of starch, and 2.7 g of fiber. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, green beans provide an excellent source of the mineral, potassium. One cup supplies 211 mg. The values for 1 cup of raw green beans should apply to 1/2 cup of string bean juice, but may vary slightly depending on your juicing method. A diabetes diet should include at least 3 to 5 servings of non-starchy vegetables per day. According to the American Diabetes Association, drinking vegetable juice is an acceptable way of fulfilling your daily recommended intake of non-starchy vegetables on a diabetes diet. However, keep in mind that the process of juicing tends to raise the glycemic index -- a measure of the effect of foods on your blood glucose levels -- of fruits and vege Continue reading >>
Green Beans And Type 2 Diabetes
Green beans are one of the few widely accepted non-starchy vegetables that fit extremely well into a low carb diet. While they come from the same family as starchy beans (pinto, kidney, great northern, chickpeas), they are picked earlier while still in their pods and before the starchy insides grow and form, so they end up with less calorie, carbohydrates and protein. Green Beans Nutrition Facts Green beans are low in calories, only 44 calories per cup cooked Green beans are an excellent source of vitamin K Green beans provide 18% DV for manganese Surprisingly green beans are a good source of vitamin C Green beans are low in carbohydrates, only 9 grams per serving, 4 of which are fiber Green beans actually contain a very small amount of omega-3 fatty acids Health Benefits of Green Beans Vitamin K is essential for blood clotting, bone health and heart function Manganese and vitamin C are both important antioxidants that help protect the body from free radical damage Omega-3 fatty acids help with mood stability, brain health and prevention of cognitive conditions such as dementia Fiber is needed for healthy bowel function and helps with blood sugar regulation Research on Green Beans Specific to T2 Diabetes Green beans can help prevent atherosclerosis, the dangerous artery damage that occurs in those with heart disease and which those with diabetes are at risk for. Antioxidants in green beans help protect against free radical damage, which occurs at a higher rate in diabetes. Rats injected with a certain component found in green beans had reduced glucose levels, triglycerides, total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol. Green beans contain chlorophyll, which along with antioxidants, may reduce cancer risk. Folate and omega-3 fatty acids are both proven effective in reducing dep Continue reading >>
What Are Good Foods To Eat On A Diabetic Diet?
Your diabetes-friendly shopping list should include: Vegetables Tip: These nonstarchy veggies can fill the "produce" portion of your plate: Artichokes Asparagus Beets Bell peppers Broccoli Brussels sprouts Cauliflower Carrots Celery Cucumber Eggplant Green beans Jicama Leafy greens Leeks, onions Mushrooms Snow peas Summer squash Tomatoes Zucchini Tip: These starchy veggies can fill the "starch" section of your plate: Corn Green peas Parsnips Potatoes Winter squash Fruit Tip: Opt for fresh, and avoid added sugars if you go with canned or frozen instead. Apples Apricots Berries Bananas Cherries Citrus fruit Grapes Kiwifruit Mangoes Melons Nectarines Peaches Pears Pineapple Plums Seasonings Tip: Research suggests cinnamon, cloves, and allspice may have a stabilizing effect on blood sugar. Fresh herbs (rosemary, basil, mint, cilantro, chives, dill, etc.) Low-sodium spices Vinegars (cider, red wine, rice wine, etc.) For the most part, nutrition guidelines for people with diabetes match what everyone should be doing for their health. You need a balanced diet to get the nutrients you need for good health. (Yes, your mom was right.) Since you have diabetes, this balancing act is even more important -- you need to balance food choices with other parts of your treatment, like your medication and exercise plan. Learning a few basics (like those below) can help you do this. Build a better diet with these 6 basic building blocks: Choose unsaturated fats and oils rather than saturated or trans fats. Include more vegetables and whole fruits in your meals -- they're full of fiber and vitamins. Eat more whole grains like whole-wheat bread, brown rice, and oatmeal. Choose heart-healthy proteins like beans, skinless poultry, and lean meat. Select low-fat dairy products most of the time. L Continue reading >>
Green Beans: Health Benefits, Uses, And Possible Risks
Green beans, string beans, or snap beans are a rich source of vitamins A, C, and K, and of folic acid and fiber. They have similar nutritional benefits to snap peas and okra. Bean farmers harvest green beans while the beans are still in their pod before they have had a chance to mature. This is one of a collection of articles on the health benefits of popular foods . Here are some key points about green beans. More detail and supporting information is in the main article. There are more than 130 varieties of green beans Green beans are a rich source of vitamins A, C, and K It is important to rinse and drain canned beans to reduce sodium content Beans carry with them plenty of health benefits. Consuming fruits and vegetables of all kinds can help reduce the risk of many adverse health conditions. Many studies have suggested that including more plant foods, such as green beans, in the diet decreases the risk of obesity , diabetes , heart disease , and overall mortality. Consumption of fruit and vegetables also promotes a healthy complexion, increased energy, and overall lower weight. According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database, one standard cup of canned snap beans (about 150 grams) contains : However, one cup of drained canned snap beans also contains 362 micrograms of sodium. Consumers should rinse canned beans before use. For the best source of nutrients and lowest sodium, choose fresh or frozen greens beans for cooking. Green beans also contain folate, thiamin, riboflavin, iron, magnesium, and potassium. The nutrients provided can help reduce the risk of a number of health conditions. Green beans contain a high amount of chlorophyll. This may block the carcinogenic effects of heterocyclic amines that are generated when g Continue reading >>
