8 Diabetes-friendly Breakfast Ideas
Starting out the day with a wholesome breakfast can benefit just about anyone. This healthy habit is especially important for people with diabetes. There’s even evidence to suggest that eating a healthy breakfast can support weight loss, which can positively improve blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity. “Some studies find that breakfast eaters are slimmer, have overall diets with greater nutritional quality, and have less insulin resistance,” Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, FAND, told Healthline. Weisenberger is a Virginia-based registered dietitian, certified diabetes educator, and author of “Diabetes Weight Loss Week by Week.” Skipping breakfast may be associated with a significantly increased risk of type 2 diabetes, according to a meta-analysis published in Public Health Nutrition in 2015. Regular breakfast consumption may even be used as a prevention tactic. Everyone with diabetes should know their numbers, or the amount of carbohydrates they should aim to eat at every meal. Because this is so individualized, speak with your doctor if you don’t already know your numbers. Your doctor and dietitian can provide guidance. These target goals may be expressed either as grams of carbohydrates per meal or number of exchanges per meal. Knowing your numbers is important when planning your meals. “Sometimes people with type 2 diabetes are more insulin-resistant in the morning than at other times of the day, but this is not always the case,” said Weisenberger. “[Carb goals are] individualized based on preferences, blood sugar control, blood sugar goals, medications, and more.” Once you know your numbers, stock your kitchen with diabetes-friendly breakfast staples. While breakfast is important, choosing a healthy option when you’re short on time ca Continue reading >>
Cottage Cheese From 15 Best Snack Foods For Diabetics
Cottage Cheese from 15 Best Snack Foods for Diabetics Figuring out the right snack foods in between meals is hard enough for most people, but what if you're one of the 18.8 million people in the United States who have been diagnosed with diabetes? The options may seem even more limited. That's why we've put together a list of 15 diabetic-friendly snacking options based on advice from a few experts. Lori Kenyon, certified nutritional consultant, says that raw almonds and cashews are high in protein and fiber, making them a very satisfying treat. One 1-ounce serving, or 24 to 28 medium-sized nuts, has around 170 calories, 5.5 to 8 grams of carbohydrates, and almost no transfat. Kenyon also recommends jicama to her clients. Jicama is a root vegetable that is super tasty raw or cooked. After peeling, you can slice it into sticks and then refrigerate until cold. Either dash the slices with diced red pepper or hot spices for a kick, dip into salsa or your favorite hummus , or grill or bake it with a little olive oil to make a diabetic-friendly french fry. Eat your fill, since each ounce of jicama has only 11 calories, 2 grams of carbohydrates, and 1 gram of sodium. Edamame are also a favorite of Kenyon's. She says one 1-ounce serving of this tasty snack has only 34 calories, 1 gram of fat, 3 grams of carbohydrates, 2 milligrams of sodium, and 3 grams of protein. You can boil and eat them alone or toss some into a blender or food processor with a little olive oil and seasonings to make a tasty dip or spread to pair with raw veggies. Kenyon says that similar to jicama, zucchini and yellow squash can be sliced like french fries, chilled, and then dipped in salsa or hummus for a tasty treat that satisfies cravings. One cup of yellow squash has 18 calories, 0.2 grams of fat, 3.8 Continue reading >>
11 Healthy Casserole Recipes For Diabetics
Whole-Wheat Mac and Cheese with Spinach Recipe Taste of Home We’ve made this comfort food favorite diabetes-friendly by using whole-wheat pasta, a lightened cheese sauce, and a surprise layer of spinach. Serves 6 Prep time 15 minutes Cook time 45 to 55 minutes • Salt for pasta water, plus 1/4 tsp. for sauce • 1 3/4 cups low-fat (1%) milk, divided • 3 tbsp. flour • 2 cups (6 oz.) grated extra-sharp fat-free cheddar cheese • 1 cup low-fat (1%) cottage cheese • 1⁄8 tsp. nutmeg • Ground pepper to taste • 1 package (10 oz.) frozen spinach • 2 cups (8 oz.) whole-wheat macaroni • 1/4 cup toasted wheat germ 1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Coat an 8-inch-square (2-quart) baking dish with nonstick spray. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil for cooking the macaroni. 2. Whisk 1/4 cup of the milk with the flour in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside. Heat the remaining 1 1/2 cups milk in a heavy medium saucepan over medium heat until steaming. Add the flour mixture and cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce boils and thickens, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from the heat. Add the cheddar cheese, stirring until melted. Stir in the cottage cheese, nutmeg, 1/4 tsp. salt, and pepper. 3. Cook the spinach according to package directions. Drain and press out excess moisture. 4. Cook the macaroni, stirring often, in the boiling water until not quite tender, 4 to 5 minutes. (The macaroni will continue to cook while baking.) Drain, rinse with cold running water, then drain again. 5. Mix the macaroni with the cheese sauce in a large bowl. Spread half of the macaroni mixture in the baking dish. Spoon the spinach on top. Spread the remaining macaroni mixture over the spinach layer. Sprinkle with wheat germ. 6. Bake the casserole until bubbly and golden, 35 to Continue reading >>
Cottage Cheese Casserole
Cottage Cheese Casserole is one of those super budget friendly recipes that we have all tried at one time or another. When my boys were young it was a challenge to make meals that were budget friendly, tasted good and filled three growing children (unless we had visitation then is was 6 kids). This Cottage Cheese Casserole really helped when I had to stretch the budget! Granted I was using whole wheat pasta but for all intents and purposes it worked well for us at the time. Since beginning my Trim Healthy Mama Journey, Ive switched over to using Dreamfields Pasta about once every 2 weeks or so, and Wonder Wrap pasta for dishes like this. I have made this with Sprouted whole wheat pasta for a great E meal. This recipe is so easy to change up and make into any of the Trim Healthy Mama meals, you can check out what those are in the Trim Healthy Mama Plan Book if you arent already following that way of eating. If you are using this outside the THM plan then be mindful that many times pasta will spike your blood sugars and that is really a bad thing. Using an alternative like sprouted whole grain pasta or even just whole wheat pasta in place of the store bought white pastas that are available will really help. And if you follow Keto or a lower carb lifestyle just make some egg wraps and cut them up to replace the pasta all-together. If you are wondering what Wonder Wrap pasta is or where to find that recipe well it is on page 204 of the Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook and I just make the family size recipe and cut them into strips so that they mimic pasta. I do have a Homemade Pasta Dough recipe. But in all honesty I havent tried it in this recipe. I did make notations within the recipe on how to change this from a satisfying S meal into an energizing E meal or a Fuel Pull main Continue reading >>
Is Cheese Safe For People With Diabetes?
Compared with many other foods, cheese is high in fat and calories and may not be an obvious choice for someone with diabetes. Cheese and diabetes can, however, be a healthful combination. Cheese lovers can enjoy a wide variety of cheeses without elevating blood sugar, raising blood pressure, or gaining weight. For diabetes-friendly meals or snacks, people should choose healthful cheeses and serve them with foods that are rich in fiber and low in calories. Can people with diabetes eat cheese? People with diabetes can safely eat cheese as part of a balanced, healthful diet. Just as with other foods, moderation is the key. A diet mainly consisting of cheese is unhealthy for anyone. When selecting cheeses, people with diabetes need to consider a few things: Calories Cheese is very high in calories and fat. Though calorie content varies among cheese varieties, people with diabetes should avoid overindulging in cheese. Type 2 diabetes is linked with obesity, and losing just a few pounds can reduce the risk of diabetes. There are several steps that people with diabetes can take to help them eat cheese without gaining weight: stick to small servings choose lower-calorie cheeses use cheese as a source of flavor rather than as the main course Saturated fat Cheese is high in saturated fat compared with many other foods. In small quantities, saturated fat is harmless and can actually be beneficial to the body. But excessive intake of saturated fats is linked to weight gain, high cholesterol, gallbladder problems, and heart disease. The American Heart Association recommend a diet that contains no more than 5-6 percent saturated fat. That means that in a 2,000 calorie diet, no more than 120 calories or 13 grams (g) should come from saturated fats. Other experts advise no more than 1 Continue reading >>
Cottage Cheese Pancakes, Low Carb And Gluten Free
Cottage Cheese Pancakes, Low Carb and Gluten Free Cottage Cheese Pancakes, Low Carb and Gluten Free Adapted from Food Bridges Cottage Cheese Pancakes. Thats one of the most frequently asked questions we get from our low carb readers. When toast, bagels, fruit, and cereal are all off the breakfast list, whats a low-carber to do? Bacon and eggs 7 days a week? Not for us. While were big fans of breakfast salads , we know most people arent. And theres not always time to prepare a salad in the morning, anyway. Plenty of days after a long run, when I have nothing else, I eat a container of cottage cheese. It fills me up, but its a bit lacking. So when I came across a recipe for cottage cheese pancakes, I was intrigued. A whole new way to eat breakfast! The original recipe calls for flour, but I swapped it for almond flour and made a few adjustments to make it low carb and gluten-free. The result is delicious. And every few days I hear Jess politely suggesting I make cottage cheese pancakes. I cant say I mind. Even if you dont count your carbs, cottage cheese pancakes make an excellent and nutritious breakfast. Continue reading >>
Cottage Cheese-lemon Pancakes
Spray griddle or skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Preheat to medium heat. Combine baking mix and sugar in large mixing bowl. Make well in center of mixture. Add water, egg, oil, cottage cheese, and lemon peel. Stir mixture with wire whisk just until blended. Using 1/4-cup measure or ladle, pour batter onto griddle. Cook pancakes on griddle until golden brown, turning once. Serving suggestion:Serve with plain nonfat yogurt, additional lemon peel, raspberries and mint leaves. Yield: 12 (4-inch) pancakes. Serving size: 3 pancakes per serving. Calories: 245 calories, Carbohydrates: 37 g, Protein: 12 g, Fat: 6 g, Saturated Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 55 mg, Sodium: 547 mg, Fiber: 3 g Exchanges per serving: 2 Bread/Starch, 1 Fat, 1 Meat. Disclaimer Statements: Statements and opinions expressed on this Web site are those of the authors and not necessarily those of the publishers or advertisers. The information provided on this Web site should not be construed as medical instruction. Consult appropriate health-care professionals before taking action based on this information. Continue reading >>
5 Healthy Snacks For People With (or Without!) Diabetes
Yes, you can snack if you have diabetes When your stomach starts to rumble, you need a snack that can curb your hunger without blowing your blood sugar. Just like meals, snacks should be a combination of fat, protein, and carbohydrates. Aim for one that consists of 15 to 30 grams of carbohydrates and 100 to 200 calories (depending on your meal plan and medication). Here are five that typically get a seal of approval from diabetes educators and nutritionists. Whole-grain crackers, grapes, and cottage cheese Nutrient-rich whole grains like cracked wheat, whole wheat, rye, and quinoa can lower blood sugar and cholesterol. The cottage cheese adds protein to stabilize blood sugar, curb hunger pangs, and provide calcium for strong bones. Buy your favorite whole-grain crackers, and make sure that the first ingredient is whole-wheat flour or another whole grain, such as rye. (Even if the ingredient list says "wheat flour," it is not a whole-grain food unless it specifies "whole-wheat flour.") Arrange on a small plate 2 crackers, 1/4 cup nonfat cottage cheese, and 1/4 cup grapes. Serving size: 2 crackers, 1/4 cup cottage cheese, and 1/4 cup grapes. Nutritional information—Calories: 138, Total Carbohydrate: 21.2 g (7%), Dietary Fiber: 1.5 g (6%), Sugars 11.9 g Homemade popcorn Popcorn is high in fiber, and when made from scratch is an all-natural food without additives and artificial flavorings. Pour 1 tablespoon of mild-flavored oil such as canola into a heavy-bottomed medium-large pot. Cover the bottom of the pot with 1/2 cup of popcorn kernels spread in a thin layer. (If the kernels are too crowded, not all of them will pop.) Cover the pot and heat on medium, shaking the pot every minute or so until all of the kernels have popped. Take care not to cook too long, which could Continue reading >>
Low Carb Cottage Cheese Pancakes
Who doesnt like pancakes for breakfast? Or at any other time of the day? With these protein filled Low Carb Cottage CheesePancakes, you can enjoy Americas favorite breakfast without the guilty conscience. One serving of these low carb pancakes has only 200 calories, with 27 gram protein, 18 gram carbs, and 1 gram fat, so I am serious when I say that they are healthy. Theyre not just better than regular pancakes, but actually make a healthy breakfast you could eat every day. Its one of the recipes I always fall back on when I want an easy, healthy, and tasty breakfast (or just really feel like pancakes). Low Carb Cottage Cheese Pancakes arethe perfect healthy breakfast! Cottage cheese and egg whites are great sources of protein and the oats provide the slow-digesting carbs you need to keep your energy levels up until your next meal. We mostly make Low Carb Cottage CheesePancakes for breakfast, but you can also use them as an after workout snack. They are great cold, so you can easily just wrap them up and bring them along to the gym or to work. If you want to add a little sweetness (or turn them into a delicious dessert), spread some sugar-free jam on them and add a few fresh berries. Or you could add a spoonful of peanut butter to get some healthy (and delicious) fat. These low carb pancakes taste just like regular thin pancakes (crepes), so if you dont tell your kids that they are healthy, they will love them too! These low carb pancakes are just as easy to make as regular pancakes. Just blend everything to a smooth consistency to get a batter that looks just like normal pancake batter. Easy peasy. If youd like pancakes that are thicker, with a bit more bite, chop the oats by hand and whisk everything together instead of blending. This gives you a pancake that feels s Continue reading >>
14 Foods That Could Change A Diabetic's Life
Print Font: When you think of managing blood sugar, odds are you obsess over everything you can't have. While it's certainly important to limit no-no ingredients (like white, refined breads and pastas and fried, fatty, processed foods), it's just as crucial to pay attention to what you should eat. We suggest you start here. Numerous nutrition and diabetes experts singled out these power foods because 1) they're packed with the 4 healthy nutrients (fiber, omega-3s, calcium, and vitamin D) that make up Prevention's Diabetes DTOUR Diet, and 2) they're exceptionally versatile, so you can use them in recipes, as add-ons to meals, or stand-alone snacks. 1. Beans Beans have more to boast about than being high in fiber (plant compounds that help you feel full, steady blood sugar, and even lower cholesterol; a half cup of black beans delivers more than 7 grams). They're a not-too-shabby source of calcium, a mineral that research shows can help burn body fat. In ½ cup of white beans, you'll get almost 100 mg of calcium—about 10% of your daily intake. Beans also make an excellent protein source; unlike other proteins Americans commonly eat (such as red meat), beans are low in saturated fat—the kind that gunks up arteries and can lead to heart disease. How to eat them: Add them to salads, soups, chili, and more. There are so many different kinds of beans, you could conceivably have them every day for a week and not eat the same kind twice. 2. Dairy You're not going to find a better source of calcium and vitamin D—a potent diabetes-quelling combination—than in dairy foods like milk, cottage cheese, and yogurt. One study found that women who consumed more than 1,200 mg of calcium and more than 800 IU of vitamin D a day were 33% less likely to develop diabetes than those taki Continue reading >>
14 Fantastically Healthy Foods For Diabetics
When you think of managing blood sugar, odds are you obsess over everything you can't have. While it's certainly important to limit no-no ingredients (like white, refined breads and pastas and fried, fatty, processed foods), it's just as crucial to pay attention to what you should eat. We suggest you start here. Numerous nutrition and diabetes experts singled out these power foods because 1) they're packed with the four healthy nutrients (fiber, omega-3s, calcium, and vitamin D) that make up our Diabetes DTOUR Diet, and 2) they're exceptionally versatile, so you can use them in recipes, as add-ons to meals, or stand-alone snacks. 1. Beans Beans have more to boast about than being high in fiber (plant compounds that help you feel full, steady blood sugar, and even lower cholesterol; a half cup of black beans delivers more than 7 grams). They're a not-too-shabby source of calcium, a mineral that research shows can help burn body fat. In ½ cup of white beans, you'll get almost 100 mg of calcium—about 10% of your daily intake. Beans also make an excellent protein source; unlike other proteins Americans commonly eat (such as red meat), beans are low in saturated fat—the kind that gunks up arteries and can lead to heart disease. How to eat them: Add them to salads, soups, chili, and more. There are so many different kinds of beans, you could conceivably have them every day for a week and not eat the same kind twice. 2. Dairy You're not going to find a better source of calcium and vitamin D—a potent diabetes-quelling combination—than in dairy foods like milk, cottage cheese, and yogurt. One study found that women who consumed more than 1,200 mg of calcium and more than 800 IU of vitamin D a day were 33% less likely to develop diabetes than those taking in less of both Continue reading >>
Sugar-free Cottage Cheese Parfait With Berries
Sugar-free Cottage Cheese Parfait with Berries Berries and cottage cheese come together perfectly in this easy and healthy, no sugar added Cottage Cheese Parfait. Cottage cheese is a wonderful ingredient to use for creamy desserts. Its extremely versatile. Just throw it in the blender with other flavorful ingredients, puree until smooth, and there ya have ita great base for delicious dessert like this Cottage Cheese Parfait. This recipe is super simple. Just toss some low fat cottage cheese into a blender or food processor, add a little cinnamon, some vanilla extract, and liquid stevia to taste (I used 8 drops total). Blend until smooth and chill until you are ready to use it. When you are ready to enjoy this easy treat, divide the creamy cottage cheese mixture into two small bowls and top with your favorite berryor other fruit for that matter! For my Cottage Cheese Parfait, I chose to use blackberries. I find the sweet and tart nature of the nutrient rich blackberries perfectly complements the creamy slightly sweet cottage cheese layer. Blackberries are also a great nutrient rich option, packed with Vitamin C. Another great thing about this dessert is that it lasts. The cottage cheese base stores well in the refrigerator for a few days. You can easily whip together a few batches and have a healthy dessert ready for you anytime you want! Just keep the berries on the side until you are ready to eat it. Although this sugar-free dessert is delightful as is, it would be quite delicious if you wanted to add a little something extra to itlike almonds! If you do add almonds to your parfait, make sure they are toasted and not salted. Either way, Im sure you will enjoy this easy Sugar-free Cottage Cheese Parfait with berries. Continue reading >>
Can A Diabetic Eat Cottage Cheese?
Janet Renee is a clinical dietitian with a special interest in weight management, sports dietetics, medical nutrition therapy and diet trends. She earned her Master of Science in nutrition from the University of Chicago and has contributed to health and wellness magazines, including Prevention, Self, Shape and Cooking Light. Bowl of cottage cheesePhoto Credit: YelenaYemchuk/iStock/Getty Images If you have diabetes, planning your meals around nutrient-dense foods that promote healthy glucose levels is a top priority. Your physician will likely recommend you see a dietitian to help create a meal plan that is right for you. Watching your carbohydrate intake at each meal is crucial. Luckily, cottage cheese is low in carbs and protein-rich, so you can enjoy it as part of a healthy diet. The American Diabetes Association lists cottage cheese as one of the best cheese choices you can make. Portion control plays a dominant role in meal planning for people with diabetes. Two ounces of low-fat or nonfat cottage cheese provides 7 grams of protein, about 2 grams or less of carbohydrates and about 1 gram or less of fat. This amount is listed as a serving on the diabetic exchange list. Lose Weight. Feel Great!Change your life with MyPlate by LIVESTRONG.COM Continue reading >>
Diabetes And Dairy
When it comes to the whole dairy group of foods, it can also be another area you can get stuck if you've got diabetes. Do I eat low fat? Is it okay to eat cheese? And is milk okay? Well, hopefully by the time you're done reading this you'll have a whole new perspective on diabetes and dairy. Low Fat vs. High Fat Compared We've all been so used to choosing low fat options but let's look at some low fat yogurt. Full fat Greek yogurt has far less carbohydrates/ sugar than a low fat option, coming in at around 6 g per serve. As a diabetic, one of the most important things for lowering blood sugar and A1C levels is monitoring carbohydrate intake, so don't exclude monitoring (some) dairy from this list (see more on this below). The Research on Diabetes And Dairy In the past 12 months we have seen new science emerge showing that full fat products are not an issue. As Time magazine clearly puts it: “A recent review published in the European Journal of Nutrition of the existing research on dairy fat came to some surprising conclusions: People who eat full-fat dairy are no more likely to develop cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes than people who stick to low-fat dairy. When it comes to weight gain, full-fat dairy may actually be better for you, the review found.” Keeping fatty red meats in lower proportion is a good idea, but full fat dairy is better than low fat. Quoted from Independent, Dr Ulrika Ericson, from Lund University, Sweden said: “Those who ate the most high-fat dairy products had a 23 percent lower risk of developing type 2 diabetes than those who ate the least.” Ericson's study looked at almost 27,000 people to see what dietary fat food sources might lead to increased rates of type 2 diabetes. What they found was that those consuming more high-fat da Continue reading >>
Diabetes-friendly Recipe: Classic Cheesecake
Diabetes-Friendly Recipe: Classic Cheesecake 1 cup graham cracker crumbs (approximately 8-9 graham crackers) 1 lb low-fat (1%) cottage cheese, drained for 10 hours* Serving Size: 1/16 cake (2 inches, about 3 oz) Preheat the oven to 325F. Position an oven rack to the middle of the oven. Combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, 1/2 tbsp stevia, 1 tbsp sugar, and cinnamon. Press the crumb mixture evenly into the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan. Bake the crust for 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and set on a rack to cool. Increase the oven temperature to 500F. Add the cottage cheese to a food processor and process until very smooth. Add the yogurt and cream cheese and process for another 1-2 minutes until smooth. Add in the stevia, sugar, vanilla, and salt and process until smooth. With the processor running, add the eggs, one at a time and process until incorporated. Add the batter to the prepared crust. Bake the cheesecake for about 8 minutes. Lower the temperature to 200F and bake until the cheesecake is set, about 1 hour. Transfer the cake to a wire rack. Run a paring knife around the edge of the cake to loosen it. Cool completely at room temperature, about 2-3 hours. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Remove the sides of the pan and let the cheesecake come to room temperature for about 30 minutes. Decorate the top with sliced strawberries. Slice and serve. *Instead of draining the cottage cheese for 10 hours, you can absorb the extra moisture with paper towels. Place two layers of paper towels on a plate, place the cottage cheese on top, and place another two layers of paper towel on top of the cottage cheese. Press down on the cottage cheese so the paper towels absorb any extra liquid it may have. Discard the top layers of pa Continue reading >>
