Nutrition – Fall 2015 Issue | CDiabetes Online Magazine

Natural Ways To Lower Cholesterol

Cdiabetes Staff — Fri, 01 May 2015 15:30:19 +0000

If you have been told you have high?cholesterol, you most likely want to take action. If you are already on medications?to control diabetes, you may be looking for natural options to avoid additional?medications. The good news is that?cholesterol, for many individuals, can be managed through diet and lifestyle changes. ?Although this approach takes some work,?in three to six months, you may be thrilled?with the changes in your cholesterol levels.

Eat Your?Veggies

One of the top ways to help reduce your?cholesterol levels is?by losing weight if?you are above an ideal body weight. Losing just as little?as 5-10% of your?total body weight can?result in improved?total cholesterol,?lower LDL cholesterol levels, and elevated HDL cholesterol.?To help with this,?focus on filling your?plate at each meal?at least halfway with vegetables.?Since vegetables are?loaded with fiber and?contain few calories,?filling your plate with?these allows you to take in less calories?while feeling full?and satisfied. And?they have another health bonus as well. Vegetables are rich in?soluble fiber, a fiber that helps to bind to cholesterol and flush?it from your body. So not only will eating more vegetables help?to shed pounds, but?it will help to further?reduce cholesterol as?well. When preparing vegetables, choose steamed options?over sautéed or?fried varieties to?prevent taking in?additional calories.

Get Moving

Adding daily exercise?is also a terrific?way to improve cholesterol levels as?well as promote a?healthy body weight. Increasing your daily?activity can help to?reduce total cholesterol?and LDL-cholesterol?levels, while raising?the protective?HDL cholesterol.?The general recommendation is to?be physically active?for at least 60 minutes?most days of the week.?However, remember?that any movement is?better than none at all.

Consider Adding?Weider’s Red?Yeast Rice PLUS

Weider Red Yeast Rice

Red yeast rice is?unique, natural?product that has?been used in Chinese medicine for centuries. It contains several ingredients that may help to lower cholesterol, including monacolin K, also known as lovastatin. Research has found red yeast?rice to significantly?lower unhealthy LDL cholesterol?levels. Weider’s Red?Yeast Rice PLUS?has combined the?power of red yeast?rice and added in?both phytosterols?and microalgae.?Phytosterols are steroid compounds?found in plant?cell membranes, which have been found to reduce?cholesterol and?improve heart health.?The combination of phytosterols with?microalgae allows for increased absorption?for even greater?cardiac benefits.

Although red?yeast rice may be an?effective way to lower cholesterol levels, it?may pose some of the same risks as statin medications. For this reason, it may not be a safe alternative for some individuals including those with kidney or liver disease, those that are?pregnant or nursing.?If you are currently taking statins or other cholesterol medication?to lower your overall cholesterol levels?or any drugs that?may suppress your?immune system, red?yeast rice may not?be an appropriate?option for you.

Weider’s Red Yeast?Rice may be an?effective, natural way to?help lower cholesterol?levels in combination?with dietary and?lifestyle changes. As?with any supplement,?it is recommended you?discuss this product?with your physician prior to use.

By Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDE, LDN, CPT

The post Natural Ways To Lower Cholesterol appeared first on Fall 2015 Issue | CDiabetes Online Magazine.

How Water Extracted Cinnamon Can Improve Your Blood Glucose Control

Cdiabetes Staff — Fri, 01 May 2015 15:30:24 +0000

When it comes to controlling your blood glucose, you have probably researched the impact of everything from food, to exercise, to weight control. But have you looked into how spices may impact it? Cinnamon is a spice that doesn’t just add great flavor to foods; it may help to lower blood glucose as well. The best benefit it offers is that it’s all-natural and considered safe for most people with diabetes.

Does it sound too good to be true? In Medieval times, cinnamon was used for medicinal purposes thanks to its high antioxidant properties. Research now shows us that it may be a powerful player in the fight against diabetes.

Cinnamon may help to lower blood glucose levels by decreasing insulin resistance. When your cells become resistant to insulin, the glucose-lowering hormone in your body, they do not allow insulin to carry glucose into your cells. This results in glucose remaining in your bloodstream and rising over time, eventually leading to diabetes. Both whole cinnamon and extracted cinnamon have been shown to lower blood glucose levels. Cinnamon has also been shown to help reduce unhealthy LDL cholesterol levels and blood pressure, both of which are conditions that can increase your risk of heart disease.

One down side is that everything that Mother Nature puts into the cinnamon plant also ends up in the finished product. This includes water soluble as well as fat soluble compounds. Our bodies have no problem processing water soluble compounds, but fat soluble compounds tend to be stubborn for our bodies to digest.

When choosing a form of cinnamon, we suggest you look for a water extracted concentrate without the fat soluble compounds. Water extracted forms can maximize the health benefits, while minimizing the risks of fat soluble buildup. The extraction process allows the beneficial water soluble components of cinnamon to stay, providing you with the same health benefits of whole cinnamon in a much smaller portion.

When looking for water extracted cinnamon, it’s important that you read the label and look specifically for the term “water extracted.” Because it is more concentrated, you can take fewer capsules to get all the health benefits of cinnamon. This may be more practical than trying to incorporate large amounts of whole cinnamon into your meal plan.

CinSulin water-extracted cinnamon is backed by five human clinical studies, all of which are double blind, peer reviewed and published. In addition, UC Davis completed a meta analysis to validate the results of these human clinical studies. They found support that water extracted cinnamon lowered fasting blood glucose an average of 10%.

If you are considering using cinnamon to help control blood glucose levels, make sure you discuss this with your certified diabetes educator or other healthcare provider. If you use cinnamon in combination with other medicines or supplements that also lower glucose levels, you may increase your risk of hypoglycemia. Your healthcare provider can work with you to make sure you incorporate cinnamon into your diabetes treatment plan in a way that works best for you.

By Erin Palinski-Wade RD, LDN, CDE

The post How Water Extracted Cinnamon Can Improve Your Blood Glucose Control appeared first on Fall 2015 Issue | CDiabetes Online Magazine.

Supplementing Your Meal Plan

Janis Roszler, MSFT, RD, CDE, LD/N — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 13:14:46 +0000

YOU MAY NEED TO TAKE SUPPLEMENTS IF YOU DON’T GET YOUR
DAILY NUTRITION REQUIREMENTS FROM FOOD

Our bodies use vitamins and minerals to perform basic functions, such as building bone and muscle. If you eat a variety of healthy foods that include vegetables, fruits, whole grains and low-fat dairy products, you’ll be more likely to meet your body’s needs for vitamins and minerals.

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) doesn’t advise people with diabetes to take specific vitamins or minerals, but you may need to do so if you are unable to get what you need each day from food, or if any of the special needs or concerns in the box to the right apply to you.

3 keys to keep your body healthy

1. Know your meds.?Some prescription?medicines, if taken on?a regular basis, make it?harder for your body to?absorb or use certain?nutrients. The diabetes?medicine metformin,?for example, can?lower your ability?to absorb vitamin?B12. Many blood?pressure and heart?disease medications?can interact with?nutrients, as well.?Ask your healthcare?provider if any of your?medicines affects?your nutritional needs?and if you should be?taking a supplement.

2. Eat a balanced diet to get?all the nutrients you need.?Many people with diabetes cut way?back on their carbohydrate intake. While ?eating fewer carbohydrates may make?it easier to control blood glucose levels,?you may not get enough of the other?important ?nutrients your body needs?for good health. Carbohydrate-rich?foods provide energy as well as many?nutrients, including vitamins, minerals?and phytonutrients. It’s fine to limit the?amount of carbohydrate-rich foods?you eat, such as pasta, fruits, starchy?vegetables, milk and yogurt, but don’t?cut them out altogether. A dietitian can?help you choose healthy, carbohydrate-rich?foods that won’t negatively affect?your blood glucose control. Vegetarians?who don’t eat any animal products may?need to take zinc, calcium, vitamin B12?and vitamin D supplements.

3. Get enough?Vitamin D.?Research shows?that people who?have low levels of?vitamin D are more?at risk for heart?attacks and heart?disease. One way?to increase your?body’s vitamin D?level is to spend 10?minutes in the sun,?three times a week,?without ?sunscreen.?As we age, our?skin has a harder?time producing?vitamin D. If you are?older, you may need?to take vitamin D?supplements.

By Janis Roszler, MS, RD, LD/N, CDE, FAND

The post Supplementing Your Meal Plan appeared first on Fall 2015 Issue | CDiabetes Online Magazine.

Diabetes & Your Bones

Martha Funnell, MS, RN, CDE — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 14:27:23 +0000

HERE ARE SOME EASY WAYS TO PROTECT
YOUR BONE HEALTH AS YOU AGE.

You are probably aware?of possible long-term?complications of diabetes:?heart disease and eye,?kidney and nerve damage.?But you may not be aware?that diabetes can increase?your risk for Osteoporosis?and fractures—especially as?you get older.

Q?WHAT IS OSTEOPOROSIS?

Osteoporosis means?porous bones. Porous?bones are full of pores, or?holes. When the bones?are more porous, which?increases with age, they?are less dense and are more?likely to break.

Your bones grow?throughout your life as?some bone cells die off?and new cells grow to?replace them. You replace?most of your bone matter?every 10 years. If you have?osteoporosis, you lose?bone cells faster than you?can replace them. Over?time, your bones become?more brittle from the loss?in density.

Q HOW CAN I FIND OUT IF I HAVE OSTEOPOROSIS?

Osteoporosis is diagnosed?with a dual-energy X-ray?absorptiometry (DEXA)?scan. Although it sounds?scary, this test is painless?and quick to perform.?You lie on an X-ray?table, and a machine?measures the density of?the bones in your hip,?spine and arm. The usual?recommendation is that?women 65 and older and?men 70 and older have a?DEXA scan. However, if?you have diabetes and are?a postmenopausal woman?or man over 50, ask your?provider if you need to be?screened for osteoporosis.

Q WHAT CAN I DO TO LOWER MY RISK FOR OSTEOPOROSIS?

If you have diabetes,?keeping your blood?glucose and A1C in the?target range can help to?lower your risk for bone?loss. If you are at risk for?osteoporosis, you can?also ask your healthcare?provider the following?questions:

Do I need a?DEXA scan?

Do I need to have?my vitamin D level?checked?

Would taking?a calcium?supplement and/or vitamin D be a?good idea for me?

Should I take?medicine for?osteoporosis, and?if so, which one is?the best for me?to take?

Q WHAT’S THE LINK BETWEEN DIABETES AND BONE HEALTH?

Blood glucose levels can?affect your bone health.

Higher levels of glucose?can weaken bone structure.

Diabetes medications?called TZDs (Avandia and?Actos) increase the risk?for fractures.

Peripheral arterial disease,?nerve damage and?hypoglycemia (low blood?glucose) also may increase?the risk for fractures.

Q WHY DO PEOPLE WITH DIABETES HAVE A HIGHER RISK FOR FRACTURES?

People with type 1 diabetes don’t make insulin, which is needed for the body to build strong bones. Children with type 1 diabetes sometimes have low bone growth, which can result in osteoporosis and a high risk for fractures as they grow up.

Some people with type 2 diabetes have higher than average bone density scores, but are still prone to fractures. This may be due to the fact that bone density measures are less accurate among people who are overweight, and many people with diabetes are overweight.

Q HOW IS OSTEOPOROSIS TREATED?

If you are diagnosed with osteoporosis, one of the most important things you can do is to talk with your healthcare provider about the medicines that can stop bone loss and build up new bones.

WAYS TO
PREVENT
OSTEOPOROSIS
AND MANAGE
YOUR DIABETES

? Weight-bearing
activities, such as
walking, dancing or
aerobics, can help build or
maintain your bones. This
is especially important
if you are trying to lose
weight, because losing
weight may actually lower
bone density.
? Strength-training
exercises can help
build strong bones and
muscles. Strength-training
includes the use of hand
weights, resistance bands,
kettle bells and weight
machines at the gym.
? Calcium and
vitamin D are both
needed for healthy bones.
Dairy products are high
in calcium. Low-fat and
fat-free milk have the
same amount of calcium
as the higher fat products.
Broccoli, tofu and
calcium-fortified orange
juice also provide calcium.
? Smoking cessation.
Talk with your healthcare
provider about ways to cut
down or stop smoking.

By Martha Funnell, MS, RN, CDE

The post Diabetes & Your Bones appeared first on Fall 2015 Issue | CDiabetes Online Magazine.

Meal Replacements Can Help You Manage Diabetes on the Go

Staci Gulbin, MS, MEd, RD, LDN — Fri, 01 May 2015 15:30:49 +0000

Keeping your blood glucose levels under control can be hard to do when you’re busy, especially if you count carbs as part of your balanced meal plan. You may not always have time to count carbs when you have to grab something fast at work, or while running errands. At these times, meal replacements may be just the help you need to keep your blood glucose levels on track.

What is a meal replacement?

The most common types of meal replacement are protein bars and shakes. Over the years, these products have become much better tasting. You can get them in a variety of flavors and forms. Products that are 150 calories or less are considered a snack replacement, while those that have 200 calories or more are considered full meal replacements. Snack replacements can be paired with a veggie or fruit serving to create a small meal. Most meal replacements are low in carbohydrates, and have a healthy amount of fiber and protein.

GLUCERNA? Vanilla Shake

How can meal replacements improve my health?

One of the biggest challenges to leading a healthy lifestyle is not having enough time to make healthy meals and snacks. Meal replacements, which usually require little to no prep time, can provide you with plenty of protein, fat, carbohydrates, and calories to keep you full for a few hours. Having a healthy balance of fiber-rich carbohydrate and protein every three to four hours can help prevent blood glucose highs and lows, and stop you from craving unhealthy foods. Over time, this can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight.

If you are having a hard time keeping up a healthy lifestyle, meal replacements may help you get back on track. Here are some ways you can add meal replacements to your day:

Keep a meal replacement on hand to prevent overeating. Having a filling meal replacement when you are invited on a last minute outing with friends, or when you are craving sweets, can help you avoid giving in to temptation.

Keep a protein bar in your bag. Whether you’re running late, stuck in traffic, or have errands to run and not enough time, a protein bar is a great way to keep your blood glucose balanced. Glucerna makes chocolate chip and peanut chocolate chip meal replacement bars, as well as 80-calorie snack bars in oatmeal raisin, chocolate caramel, and chocolate peanut flavors. The best part? They only have about 11 carbohydrates per serving.

Try a protein-based shake or fruit drink for a quick and refreshing breakfast. Meal replacement shakes and drinks are great breakfast substitutes for those who usually skip breakfast. Glucerna meal replacement shakes are made just for people with diabetes, and come in delicious flavors like vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, and butter pecan. Glucerna shakes are 8 ounces each, and have 190 calories, 23 grams of carbs, 3 grams of fiber, and 10 grams of protein. Glucerna also makes Hunger Smart brand shakes in vanilla and chocolate, which are higher in protein and only 140 calories.

By Staci Gulbin, MS, MEd, RD, LDN

The post Meal Replacements Can Help You Manage Diabetes on the Go appeared first on Fall 2015 Issue | CDiabetes Online Magazine.

Slow Your Eating… And Lose Weight

Amy Campbell MS, RD, LDN, CDE — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 12:08:03 +0000

IF YOU TEND TO POLISH OFF YOUR MEAL IN A MATTER OF MINUTES,
IT’S WORTH THE EFFORT TO SLOW DOWN

Do you stand over?the sink and wolf?down your meal? Do?you grab a sandwich to?go and chomp it down?quickly in your car??Are you a multi-tasker,?eating, working and?watching television all?at the same time? If so,?you’re probably eating?much too fast and?very likely are eating?more than you realize.

Many people in?the United States?eat too fast. It’s part?of our culture. But?there is a price to?pay when racing?through your meals.

slowing it down

Changing your eating?habits can seem hard.?But if you tend to?polish off your meal in?a matter of minutes,?it’s worthwhile making an effort to?slow down. Not only?can you shave off?calories from your?meal, you might feel?full sooner and end?up eating even less.

It takes about?20 minutes from the?time you start eating?for your brain to get the?signal that you’ve had?enough to eat. Insulin, Leptin, Ghrelin and Cortisol are hormones?that are involved in?invoking a sense of?fullness by sending?messages to the brain.?If you gulp your food?down before 20 minutes?is up, you won’t get?the signal that you’re?actually full. And in the?meantime, you may?end up eating more.?Give your hormones a?chance to do their jobs.

You might even find?that slowing down?your eating rate can?help you better manage?your blood glucose?levels, allowing your?diabetes medicine to?work better with the?digestion of your food.

Take the time to enjoy?your food and take?pleasure in eating. In?turn, you’ll feel better?and may just lose weight?in the process.

consequences of
poor eating habits

Bloating and discomfort. When?you eat too quickly, you swallow?more air. This can leave you feeling?bloated, gassy and uncomfortable.

Acid reflux. Also known as?gastro-esophageal reflux or heartburn,?acid reflux can lead to more serious?health problems. A recent study?showed that people who ate too quickly?were more likely to have acid reflux?than people who ate more slowly.

Diabetes risk. Eating too fast may?also raise the risk of type 2 diabetes.?Researchers found that people who?ate quickly were two and a half times?more likely to develop diabetes than?slower eaters. This may be linked?to the fact that fast eaters are more?likely to be overweight which, in?turn, increases diabetes risk.

Weight gain. In one study, 30 average weight?young women were given a?lunch of pasta and tomato sauce on two?separate occasions. The first time, they?were told to eat until they were full, but?to eat as quickly as possible. The second?time, they were asked to eat slowly and?put their fork down between bites. When?they ate quickly, the women consumed?646 calories in nine minutes; when they?ate slowly, they consumed 579 calories?in 29 minutes. The women also reported?that they were less satisfied and felt?hungry when they ate quickly compared?with when they ate slowly. In another?study, researchers discovered that?people who reported eating quickly until?they were full were three times as likely?to be overweight than slower eaters who?stopped eating before they were full.

By Amy Campbell, MS, RD, LDN, CDE

The post Slow Your Eating… And Lose Weight appeared first on Fall 2015 Issue | CDiabetes Online Magazine.

The DASH Diet For People With Diabetes

Toby Smithson, RDN, LDN, CDE — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 13:48:27 +0000

THIS MEAL PLAN HAS BEEN RATED NO. 1 FOUR TIMES.
IS IT RIGHT FOR YOU?

Have you heard?of the DASH diet??DASH stands for?Dietary Approaches?to Stop Hypertension.?Hypertension is?another word for high?blood pressure. Health?experts in the U.S.?News and World Report?ranked the DASH?diet the best overall?diet for the last four?years. The DASH diet?was compared with?20 to 32 of the most?popular diets during?those years. The expert?panel also ranked the?DASH diet as the best?diet for diabetes.

What is the?DASH diet?

The DASH diet was?developed at the?National Institutes?of Health in an effort?to lower high blood?pressure. Researchers?of the ?DASH diet?found that eating?foods that are high in?potassium, calcium?and magnesium and?lower in sodium can?help lower blood?pressure. Better?still, the DASH diet?helps people who?already have high?blood pressure.

The DASH Diet?and diabetes

Besides lowering?blood pressure, the DASH diet can lower?cholesterol and even?help lower fasting?blood glucose and?A1C levels in people?with type 2 diabetes.?Also, the DASH diet?is easily adjusted for?weight loss. The main?benefit of the DASH?diet for people with?diabetes, however, is?its ability to reduce?the risk of heart?attack and stroke.

FOODS THAT ARE PART OF THE DASH DIET
Food	Servings
whole grains	6–8 daily
fruit and vegetables	4-5 daily
low-fat dairy	2-3 daily
nuts, seeds or beans	4-5 per week
lean meat, poultry or fish	6 ounces per meal
sweets or added sugar	5 or fewer per week

What else do?you need to?know about?the DASH diet?

While whole grains,?fruit, milk and yogurt,?starchy vegetables?and beans are healthy,?they also contain?carbohydrates.?Therefore, it’s important to plan?your DASH diet?with your diabetes?menu in mind. Your?dietitian can help?make sure you get?the right amount of carbohydrates?while following the?DASH eating plan.?You can reap the?benefits of the best?diet for high blood?pressure and diabetes?at the same time.

Two-out-of-three people
with diabetes have high
blood pressure, or take a
blood pressure medicine.
— The American
Diabetes Association

The post The DASH Diet For People With Diabetes appeared first on Fall 2015 Issue | CDiabetes Online Magazine.

Enjoy The Taste Of Eating Right

Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, FAND — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 15:24:57 +0000

A FEW SIMPLE FOOD SWAPS TO KEEP YOUR CALORIES,
FAT AND CARBOHYDRATES IN CHECK

You don’t have to say?goodbye to good taste just?because you have diabetes.?Try some of these swaps to?make the foods you love?more diabetes-friendly.

USE WHOLE GRAINS

Whole grains?are loaded with?nutrition and may?even help you avoid?heart disease.

Make spaghetti and?meatballs with wholewheat?pasta.
Make sandwiches with?whole-grain bread.
Serve your family?your favorite stirfry?with brown?rice instead of?white rice.
You can even mix?the two kinds of?rice together.
For breakfast,?choose whole?grain grits, or?whole, steelcut?oats. Oats?and barley both?contain the fiber?beta-glucan,?which lowers?cholesterol?and helps your?body’s insulin?work better.
Mix oats into?lean ground?beef when you?make meatballs?or meatloaf.
If you have a?recipe for pasta?salad you enjoy,?use barley?instead of pasta.?It’s delicious.

UP THE VEGGIES

There’s a whole?world of great?tasting, low-calorie,?low-carbohydrate?vegetables out?there. Add loads?of veggies to your?favorite comfort?foods to boost?nutrition and?trim both calories?and carbs.

DITCH SOLID FATS IN FAVOR OF SOFT FATS AND OILS

Solid fats like butter,?stick margarine,?lard and shortening?have a lot of calories?and are unhealthy?for your heart. To?help cut back, cook,?spread and bake?with lower-calorie?soft tub margarine?and a variety of?heart-healthy?cooking and salad?oils, such as olive oil.

TIPS FOR PORTION CONTROL

If you won’t?be happy with?anything but a high-calorie,?carb-heavy?and saturated fatrich?food, keep your?portions in check:

Serve your?steak on a small?plate and mini?brownie sundaes?in tiny glasses.
Double up on?veggies, and cut?your lasagna?portion in half.
Eat one fried?chicken leg?instead of two.
Cut back elsewhere?in the same meal,?so you stay on?target with your?carbohydrates,?calories and?saturated fats.
Try to keep?splurges to just?now and then.

Take a look below for some easy swaps you
can make to cut down on fat and calories.

easy ways to
eat more veggies

? Replace some
of the pasta in your
pasta salad with
colorful veggies like
cherry tomatoes,
chopped red onion,
diced carrots and
artichoke hearts.

? Layer thinly sliced
zucchini in place of
some of the noodles
in your lasagna.

? Slip sliced
tomatoes and
sweet bell peppers
into your grilled
cheese sandwich.

? Stuff your
sandwich with
more veggies than
meat and cheese.

? Sauté mushrooms
and onions for
spaghetti sauce.

? Make rice pilaf
with equal amounts
of rice and veggies.

? Add steamed
cauliflower to
macaroni and
cheese and diced
broccoli to lasagna.

By Jill Weisenberger, MS, RDN, CDE, FAND

The post Enjoy The Taste Of Eating Right appeared first on Fall 2015 Issue | CDiabetes Online Magazine.

5 Foods You May Think Are Unhealthy For Diabetes–But Aren’t

Lorena Drago, MS, RD, CDN, CDE — Thu, 17 Sep 2015 16:12:36 +0000

OF COURSE, SOME FOODS ARE BETTER FOR YOU THAN OTHERS,
BUT HERE WE DISPEL MYTHS AND LAY OUT THE FACTS

If you have diabetes, you may have heard that some foods are good for you and some are not. While these tips may help you choose healthier options such as vegetables, and limit added sugars, you may also be avoiding foods that you think are bad for your condition but are really not.

The following are five foods many people say you should avoid, but you actually don’t have to: sugar, beets, carrots, grapes and rice.

1 SUGAR

Sugar is one type of carbohydrate. Although sugar doesn’t have important nutrients, you can include small amounts in your meal plan as long as it fits into your carbohydrate budget. The American Diabetes Association (ADA) meal plans include breakfast, lunch, dinner and two snacks. Each meal has about 45–60 grams of carbohydrate. A teaspoon of sugar contains only 4 grams of carbohydrate. That small amount can fit into your meals easily. Here’s how:

Total	51 g
Food	Carbs
1 cup of cooked broccoli	10 g
? cup of cooked pasta	22 g
? grilled chicken breast	0 g
1 small apple	15 g
cup of tea with 1 tsp of sugar	4 g

Carbohydrates
break down
into glucose
in the body.

2&3 CARROTS AND BEETS

Carrots and beets are sweeter than many other vegetables, like spinach and broccoli, so many people think of them as being higher in sugar. But sweeter doesn’t always mean higher in carbohydrates. Carrots and beets are also great, natural sources of essential vitamins.

Compare the Carbohydrate Content of Carrots and Beets with Other Foods

Food Item	Weight	Volume	Carbs
Carrots	100 g	2/3 cup	8 g
Beets	100 g	2/3 cup	10 g
White boiled potato	100 g	2 baby potatoes	20 g
White rice cooked	100 g	2/3 cup	28 g
Cooked broccoli	100g	1 cup florets	7 g
Corn	100 g	2/3 cup	24 g

4 GRAPES

Grapes are a fast, portable snack. They are also a good source of potassium. But are grapes diabetes-friendly? Yes, they are. The calorie and carbohydrate content of grapes, like any other food, depends on the portion size.

A bunch of 15-17 grapes
have about 60 calories and
15 grams of carbohydrate.

A small orange, apple and peach each have approximately 60 calories and 15 grams of carbohydrate. Enjoy your grapes, as long as you count them.

5 RICE

Rice is a staple in Asia and in many Latin American countries. People with diabetes often mention that one of the first foods they cut out of their diet is rice. They do this because they heard that rice will make them fat, is “bad” for diabetes, and will cause them to have high blood glucose levels. Let’s tackle some of these rumors:

White rice vs. Brown rice

One cup of cooked white rice has the same amount of carbohydrates (45 g) as 1 cup of cooked of brown rice.

Why do healthcare experts urge people to choose brown rice over white rice if the calorie and carbohydrate contents are the same? Brown rice has more fiber, magnesium and zinc, and slightly fewer calories. A cup of cooked rice has about 240 calories.

Is Rice Worse Than Pasta?

One cup of cooked pasta has the same amount of carbohydrates as 1 cup of cooked rice. If you like rice, choose brown rice. It’s the best option and provides the most health value. But, don’t forget to measure your portion. The amount of rice you eat matters, whether you choose brown or white.

VEGGIE
FACTS

1. All vegetables have carbohydrates.

2. A single serving of vegetable is ? cup cooked or 1 cup raw.

3. Non-starchy vegetables, such as leafy greens, asparagus, and summer squash, contain about 5 g of carbohydrate per serving.

4. Starchy vegetables like corn, peas, winter squash, cassava, yams, taro, and potatoes have three times the amount of carbohydrate (15 g) as non-starchy vegetables.

5. A serving of a starchy vegetable, such as ? cup corn, has the same amount of carbohydrate as 1 slice of bread (15 g of carbohydrate).

6. Salad greens like chicory, endive, lettuce, romaine, spinach, and arugula are free foods that you can enjoy in any amount.

7. For lunch and dinner, fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables.

By Lorena Drago, MS, RD, CDN, CDE

The post 5 Foods You May Think Are Unhealthy For Diabetes–But Aren’t appeared first on Fall 2015 Issue | CDiabetes Online Magazine.