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11/18/15 blog post

healthy eating, low carb style

November 2015 marks the 75th anniversary for the American Diabetes Month. Eat Well, America! is an appropriate theme communicating how healthy eating can be pleasurable and delicious – especially if you have diabetes. Healthy eating helps our bodies feel good and gives us the needed energy to work, learn and play.

Did you know?

  • 30 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes?
  • 86 million Americans have pre-diabetes and are at risk for type 2 diabetes?
  • Counting carbohydrates is key for good blood sugar management?
  • Carbohydrates are found in foods: milk, fruit, breads, pasta, rice, peas, corn and potatoes?
  • Carbohydrates completely change in our body to glucose? And we need insulin to move the blood glucose into our muscles and cells for energy?
  • Those with diabetes have low or no levels of this insulin? And they may rely on an insulin shot every time they eat carbohydrate containing foods?

Eating a variety of foods with limited carbohydrates can be a healthy model of eating. The focus is keeping carbohydrate intake low and supplying lots of vegetables with lean meats, eggs and nuts into your diet. This month, take a look at your meals and snacks your family often eats. How can you change it up?

Quick Low Carb Lunch Meal

Choose: Lean meat (think: ground sirloin prepared into taco meat, tuna fish, rotisserie chicken or tilapia), hard cooked egg or nuts

Add-in fresh low carbohydrate vegetables:

Taco: lettuce, slaw, tomato, cheese, onion, salsa

Tuna or chicken salad: mix equal parts lite mayonnaise with Greek yogurt, celery, green onion, fresh herbs

Mix with: low fat sour cream or plain Greek yogurt (For salads: add a zing with mustard; mix equal parts low fat Greek yogurt with lite mayonnaise)

Wrap it: with dark green leaf lettuce

Boost your meal: one medium sized fruit or fruit cup (packed in its own juices)

Include: low fat/skim milk, water or zero calorie water

For more recipes, check out Dayton Children’s Boards on Pinterest: Insulin Resistant Recipes and Kids Recipes and Nutrition Tips. Also check out the segment from Living Dayton below!