You may have wondered now that I have been diagnosed as a diabetic what foods should I eat? There are several food groups that the American Diabetes Association recommends and that should be included in your diet. Here are some of them.
Beans– Here is the good news you can eat kidney, pinto, black beans or navy they are an excellent source of nutrition and fiber for your diet. They are also excellent sources of magnesium and potassium. One key when eating them is to rinse them to get rid of the extra salt that comes when they are canned.
Dark Green Leafy Vegetables– Oh yes, Popeye’s favorite vegetable spinach is considered a powerhouse food. You can easily add spinach to salad and it is rich in calcium. Other vegetables in this category include collards and kale.
Citrus fruits– Pick the one you want from this category. You can add grapefruit, oranges, lemons, and limes. One of the benefits from this group is vitamin C which many diabetics are lacking in their diet.
Sweet Potatoes– Amazing these now can be purchased as fries, and when cooked in olive oil they still remain healthy. An alternative is to bake them in the oven. They are an excellent source of vitamin A and fiber. The other nice thing is they are an excellent alternative to the traditional baked potatoes.
Berries– It does not matter you can have strawberries, blueberries, or another variety. They are packed with antioxidants, vitamins and fiber. Try adding some Greek yogurt to keep your calorie intake down.
Tomatoes– there is more good news it does not matter how you eat them. You can puree them, eat them raw or add them to a sauce. They are full of vitamin C, iron and vitamin E.
Fish– you need to stay away from breaded and deep fried unless you know what it is fried in. Most fried food is not healthy. You can grill it or pan fry it to keep it healthy and to get the full benefit.
Whole Grains– when you purchase bread make sure it says whole grain on the label. The benefit to you is that whole grains contain magnesium, chromium, and omega 3 fatty acids.
Nuts– there are many benefits to eating nuts. Some may contain magnesium and fiber. Walnuts contain omega 3 fatty acids.
Milk– make sure that you purchase fat free milk. Do not get caught purchasing low fat milk as it will still contain fat. Milk is a great source of calcium and vitamin D. You can also add fat free yogurt to your diet to get the same benefits.
Reference:
Diabetes Super foods. American Diabetes Association. http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/diabetes-superfoods.html
