"Best and Worst Meals for Diabetes-Savvy Dining" Review
Introduction
Are you prediabetic or diabetic and attempting to lose weight? Here are three examples you can remember while dining out (from the Webmd article "Best and Worst Meals for Diabetes-Savvy Dining”).
The List of Best and Worst Meals for Diabetes
The WORSt Meal #1: FARM BREAKFAST
The count: 2,060 calories, 276 g carbs
The ingredients: 3 pancakes, 2 sausage links, 1 hash brown patty, and 2 scrambled eggs
No food is off-limits with diabetes, but this brunch will quickly blow your carb and calorie budget. Experts suggest that meals for people with diabetes should have 45-75 grams of carbohydrates, depending on individual goals. Your body weight, activity, and medications all matter. This meal packs enough carbs for four to five meals.The BEst Meal #1: NEW AMERICAN BREAKFAST
The count: 294 calories, 40 g carbs
The ingredients: Oatmeal with blueberries and scrambled eggs with spinach and light cheese
This quick meal delivers protein in a scrambled egg, and just 40 carbs, mostly from fiber-rich oatmeal and blueberries. Fiber slows digestion to help prevent blood sugar spikes. People with diabetes must watch all carbs: cereal, bread, rice, pasta, starchy veggies, sweets, fruit, milk, and yogurt. Could you spread your total carbs across the day?
Personal Trainer Wisdom: While I think your philosophy should be figuring out what you can get away with when it comes to eating, you have to be careful if you’re prediabetic or diabetic. In many cases, a meal overloaded with carbs can send you into a coma (a concern that shouldn’t be taken lightly….something I learned firsthand when a loved one passed several years ago). With this being said, you need to be mindful of your choices. If a meal is made on the farm, it must be healthy, right? I wish (although I love my visits to the Ray Farm in southern Indiana every summer). Although the farm breakfast is a favorite go-to, a whopping 276 g of carbs will send your blood sugar levels to the moon. Pancakes, potatoes, and syrup, oh my! Settle for WebMD's better combination of complex carbs and protein. Don’t kid yourself, though: Most dairy products contain carbs. Choose unsweetened almond or coconut milk with oatmeal to please your favorite personal trainer. And, by the way, WebMD, some foods SHOULD be off-limits….but that’s another conversation.
The Worst Meal #2: CHIPS, SALSA, BURRITO
The count: 1,760 calories, 183 g carbs
The ingredients: Chips, salsa, and everything you imagine on the burrito
Before one bite of burrito, you can get 98 grams of carbs and 810 calories in a basket of chips and salsa. If you're trying to slim down and eat less sodium, like many people with diabetes, the burrito adds 950 calories. You also get way more than a whole day's worth of sodium.The BEst Meal #2: BEEF AND BEAN ENCHILADA
The count: 443 calories, 48 g carbs
The ingredients: Beef and beans, and veggies in a corn tortilla shell topped with salsa and light sour cream (with a side of guacamole and chips)
Lean beef and black beans make this Mexican dish a good option for a diabetic diet. The fiber in the beans can help lower blood cholesterol and control blood sugar. Go heavy on the veggies and light on the cheese. Enjoy ten small corn chips (1 ounce) with guacamole.
Personal Trainer Wisdom: I love Mexican food. Please believe me when I say that it can be healthy. Of course, this isn’t true when you have something with the name “basket” in it (as well as “burrito as big as your head”). We want carbs…but the good carbs (think: veggies, beans, legumes, etc.). Anything with corn or flour will push you beyond your limits. If you need a tortilla shell, choose a non-GMO corn tortilla shell and cut down on the size. An enchilada may be a smaller option right up your alley. Still, be mindful of your calorie/fat, which increases your cheese consumption.
The WORSt Meal #3: SOUTHERN RIB PLATE
The count: 2,510 calories, 83 g carbs
The ingredients: Ribs, macaroni and cheese, and corn on the cob
This classic Southern meal loads too many splurge foods onto one plate. Fatty pork ribs are dripping in sugary barbecue sauce and flanked by macaroni and cheese and corn on the cob. Corn is a high-carb vegetable, with about 19 grams of carbs in one medium ear. It's just too much all around.The BEst Meal #3: PORK TENDERLOIN MEAL
The count: 360 calories, 42 g carbs
The ingredients: Pork tenderloin, broccoli, and pureed cauliflower
Pork tenderloin is one of the leanest and most versatile cuts of meat. Here, it's prepared in a Dijon mustard glaze and served with steamed broccoli and mock mashed potatoes. Pureed cauliflower beautifully substitutes for carb-heavy white potatoes. Round out the meal with a whole wheat dinner roll.
Personal Trainer Wisdom: I will admit that this isn’t a fair tradeoff, WebMD. Most people won’t say, “I, really, really want ribs with the mac and cheese, but I guess I’ll have the alternative: Pork tenderloin.” Since you’re in the mood for a treat, I recommend the following instead: A well-done portion of ribs without the BBQ sauce (cook off the fat and remove the carbs from the sauce), collard greens with minimal oil and no bacon, and corn on the cob. Less fat, calories, and carbs! Sorry, no mac and cheese, gang.
Photo Credit:
Andrea Woo Wordpress.com–Will this dish put you in a diabetic coma?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: MICHAEL MOODY, PERSONAL TRAINER
As an author, a personal trainer in Denver, and podcast host, Michael Moody has helped personal training clients achieve new fitness heights and incredible weight loss transformations since 2005. He also produces the wellness podcast "The Elements of Being" and has been featured on NBC, WGN Radio, and PBS.
Michael offers personal training to Denver residents who want to meet at the 2460 W 26th Ave studio….or in their homes throughout LoHi (80206), LoDo (80202), RiNo (80216), Washington Park (80209), Cherry Creek (80206, 80209, 80243, 80246, 80231), and Highlands (80202, 80211, 80212). Michael also offers experiences with a personal trainer in Jefferson Park (80211) and Sloan's Lake (80204, 80212).
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