Low Fat Milk and Snacks – Four Healthy Cooking Tips For Diabetics
Are you looking for some healthy cooking tips for diabetics? The best advice is to start eating healthy and cooking at home. That’s easier said than done when you’re already on a strict diabetic diet. But it doesn’t have to be difficult. With some proven, healthy cooking techniques, you can make tasty and nutritious meals without having to eat pre-packaged meals from the grocery store.
For example, did you know that many pre-packaged foods contain high levels of saturated fat? Most of these foods are also deep fried, which is a major source of unhealthy fat. While it is possible to eat lots of low fat dairy products, there’s no substitute for real, fresh, home-cooked food. And the healthier the food is, the better it will be for your diet. Here are a few healthy cooking tips for diabetics that will help you get more out of the foods you eat.
1.Low Fat Sour Cream
Low fat sour cream is a great alternative to yogurt. If you don’t like to make your own sour cream, try using low fat or skim milk instead. Low fat sour cream is milder and healthier than regular sour cream. It’s also great for low carbohydrate diets since it contains vitamins A, D, and E. Cottage cheese is another good option when preparing meals, especially low carbohydrate yogurt.
2. Olive Oil
Olive oil is a healthy cooking ingredient, too. Many people cut the olive oil used to cook with in half when they switch to a healthy cooking plan. Olive oil is full of antioxidants, which help ward off free radicals that cause disease. If you’re not used to cooking with olive oil, try using skim milk instead. You can still enjoy the healthy benefits of olive oil. Try sprinkling some cheese over the top instead of the olive oil.
3. Lemon Juice and Cottage Cheese
Lemon juice and cottage cheese are low in calories and are great sources of protein. Use lemon juice to flavor your baked chicken. Or use lemon juice to give your pasta extra zest. Alternatively, use low fat milk or yogurt instead of cottage cheese in your breads and other pasta dishes. In fact, you can actually use coconut oil or olive oil as a substitute for olive oil in many of your pasta recipes if you prefer a healthier alternative.
4. Fenugreek Leaves and Cardamom Seeds
Fenugreek leaves and cardamom seeds are traditional ingredients in many Indian recipes. Unfortunately, these healthy spices can also cause problems for diabetics. If you have diabetes, or if you are thinking about starting to eat more diabetes-friendly foods, make sure that you check with your doctor before you add any of these to your diet. Fenugreek leaves and cardamom seeds are known to cause high blood pressure, so be sure to include them in your diabetic meal plans only after your doctor advises. Also, be aware that these two spices, when combined, create garam masala, which is very potent.
5. Carrot Snacks
If you don’t like vegetables, but are on a diet plan, you can still include them in your diet. Surprisingly, adding carrots to your diet plan can help. Carrots are low in fats, so they are a good snack whole wheat substitute. To prepare the carrot snack whole wheat, simply cut off the tips of the root. You can mash them up with some garlic or a little bit of oil to make your own garlic butter. If you are worried about cholesterol levels, eat a handful of carrots after each meal to keep your blood sugar level steady throughout the day.
As you can see, there are many healthy cooking tips for diabetics that you can consider to make meal planning easier and stay on track with your diet plan. The most important thing to remember is to keep things interesting in order to keep your mind off your diabetes. Don’t forget to reward yourself!
