With the availability of so much local produce in summertime, healthy eating should be a breeze at this time of year. It is also a season, though, for vacations and socializing—backyard barbecues, eating out, and road trips. Plus, many summertime favourites are packed with carbohydrates, which can make it difficult to maintain healthy blood sugar levels. But with some simple changes, you can still enjoy your seasonal faves.
“Having diabetes doesn't mean giving up all the great tastes of summer,” says Joanne Lewis, healthy eating and nutrition programming director at Diabetes Canada (who is also a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator). “Sometimes it’s a matter of being aware of the amount of carbs available at an event and being selective as to where you use up your carb quota.”
What's on the menu?
Lewis says it can be easy to go overboard on typical favourites such as starch-based salads, such as potato and pasta salads; large buns for burgers and hot dogs; corn on the cob; and local fresh fruits, such as peaches and cherries.“Decide what you can live without,” she says. “You may decide that you really want the burger with the bun, but can go with a green salad instead of the starchy salad. Or maybe try substituting carb-rich ingredients with low-carb or no-carb options. For example, large leaves of lettuce make a great substitute for burger buns, pita bread [for souvlaki], and tortilla wraps [for burritos].”
Here are some other easy ways to reduce your carbs:
• Increase the amount of low-carb vegetables (such as peppers, onions, and tomatoes) that you use in starchy potato, pasta, or grain salads. That will also boost the nutritional value and add a variety of flavours.
• Give burritos a makeover by skipping the rice while keeping the higher-fibre beans and low-carb vegetables. (Beans win out nutritionally even over brown rice.) Use salsas and hot sauces for flavour.
• Hollow out some of the bready centre in sturdy buns. (Do not try this with soft buns, though; they will not hold together when they are scooped). This gives you more room to pile on the vegetable garnishes.
• If you are serving pre-dinner dips and spreads, stick to low-carb vegetables (such as celery, cucumber, cauliflower florets, and zucchini spears) instead of crackers and chips.
• The amount of sugar in beverages can be deceptive. Skip drinks that use fruit juice or sugar-sweetened soft drinks as mixers, and go for lower-calorie selections such as tomato juice or sugar-free varieties. Do not be fooled by bitter- or sour-tasting mixers, such as tonic water, which can contain as much sugar as sweeter-tasting ones. In summertime especially, it is easy to get dehydrated—drink lots of water throughout the day so you never feel thirsty enough to grab whatever beverage is available.
If you are not preparing the food, contact your host or the restaurant in advance to find out what is being served. This way you can be more prepared, especially if you have another condition, such as celiac disease. If it is a house party, offer to bring a dish that is low-carb (or gluten-free, if necessary).
Planning ahead also helps you avoid mindless eating at the event. That can easily happen when you are having great conversations with friends or family—if you are not paying attention, you can end up munching on lots of high-carbohydrate options, such as potato or tortilla chips, while you are listening. Fortify yourself with a plateful of healthy choices such as veggie sticks and a healthy dip. Also consider stationing yourself away from the food so you cannot just reach over and grab something but have to make an effort.
https://www.diabetes.ca/publications-newsletters/diabetes-dialogue/summer-2018/nutrition-matters/summer-meal-makeovers
• Increase the amount of low-carb vegetables (such as peppers, onions, and tomatoes) that you use in starchy potato, pasta, or grain salads. That will also boost the nutritional value and add a variety of flavours.
• Give burritos a makeover by skipping the rice while keeping the higher-fibre beans and low-carb vegetables. (Beans win out nutritionally even over brown rice.) Use salsas and hot sauces for flavour.
• Hollow out some of the bready centre in sturdy buns. (Do not try this with soft buns, though; they will not hold together when they are scooped). This gives you more room to pile on the vegetable garnishes.
• If you are serving pre-dinner dips and spreads, stick to low-carb vegetables (such as celery, cucumber, cauliflower florets, and zucchini spears) instead of crackers and chips.
• The amount of sugar in beverages can be deceptive. Skip drinks that use fruit juice or sugar-sweetened soft drinks as mixers, and go for lower-calorie selections such as tomato juice or sugar-free varieties. Do not be fooled by bitter- or sour-tasting mixers, such as tonic water, which can contain as much sugar as sweeter-tasting ones. In summertime especially, it is easy to get dehydrated—drink lots of water throughout the day so you never feel thirsty enough to grab whatever beverage is available.
If you are not preparing the food, contact your host or the restaurant in advance to find out what is being served. This way you can be more prepared, especially if you have another condition, such as celiac disease. If it is a house party, offer to bring a dish that is low-carb (or gluten-free, if necessary).
Planning ahead also helps you avoid mindless eating at the event. That can easily happen when you are having great conversations with friends or family—if you are not paying attention, you can end up munching on lots of high-carbohydrate options, such as potato or tortilla chips, while you are listening. Fortify yourself with a plateful of healthy choices such as veggie sticks and a healthy dip. Also consider stationing yourself away from the food so you cannot just reach over and grab something but have to make an effort.
How sweet it is
Large portions of summertime fruit can send your blood sugar levels soaring. Even though fruits may offer fewer carbs and more nutrients than a regular dessert, they still contain sugar, making it important to keep portions in check. Satisfy your taste buds with a small serving of delicious fruit, and then have another dishful later on if you want—this will spread out your sugar intake throughout the day and help keep your blood sugar levels stable.https://www.diabetes.ca/publications-newsletters/diabetes-dialogue/summer-2018/nutrition-matters/summer-meal-makeovers
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