We’ve all heard the old saying “the devil is in the details.” For diet planning with diabetes, those details are the snacks between meals. Those seemingly innocent handfuls of goodies can tilt your blood sugar, unbalance your calorie intake, and wreck your waistline. You don’t need to abstain from snacks, just look for some low-calorie, low-GL options. In fact, your blood sugar will remain much more constant if you smartly snack between meals.
This summer, try these four snacks on for size—and you may find yourself dropping a size or two.
Low-fat mozzarella sticks. Snacks low in carbs and moderate in fat are rare, indeed. But these sticks fit the bill. They’re a bit pricier than buying blocks of cheese, but the one-ounce, single-serving packaging is worth the nutritional investment.
No-salt almonds. Researchers have found that those who eat nuts about five times a week were 20 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those who didn’t. Nuts blend protein and good fats, and almonds are an excellent source of vitamin E, an antioxidant that may protect against kidney damage and eye and nerve complications.
Low-fat frozen fudge bars. Cool off and get your ice cream and chocolate fix all at once. These bars are lower in carbs, fat, and calories than many similar summery treats. Look for ones with less than 100 calories and one gram of fat each.
Granola bars. A good on-the-go snack whether you’re hiking on a trail or driving on vacation, granola bars provide a pick-me-up boost of energy. But (and this is a big but) you have to check the labels. Some granola bars have so much sugar and fat, they should be in the candy aisle. Look for bars with no more than 150 calories and at least five grams of protein.
Featured Recipe
Asian Pork & Cabbage RollsCrunchy water chestnuts combine with ground pork, soy sauce, fresh ginger, and five-spice powder to make a flavorful, Asian-style filling for green cabbage leaves. The rolls are steamed in a reduced-sodium broth, making them moist and tender. Serve with steamed brown rice and a simple romaine lettuce, red pepper, and onion salad for a quick family meal.
Serves 4
Ingredients:
1 pound extra-lean ground pork
1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
2 teaspoons five-spice powder
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
2 scallions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 egg, beaten
8 large green cabbage leaves
2 cups hot low-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons flour
1 teaspoon chili sauce, or to taste (optional)
Curled strips of scallion for garnish
1 pound extra-lean ground pork
1 can (8 ounces) water chestnuts, drained and finely chopped
2 teaspoons five-spice powder
1 tablespoon finely grated fresh ginger
2 scallions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 egg, beaten
8 large green cabbage leaves
2 cups hot low-fat, reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 teaspoons flour
1 teaspoon chili sauce, or to taste (optional)
Curled strips of scallion for garnish
Preparation:
1 Place pork in a bowl and add the water chestnuts, five-spice powder, ginger, scallions, soy sauce, garlic, and egg. Mix thoroughly with your hands or a fork until the ingredients are well blended, then divide into eight equal portions.
2 Cut the tough stalk from the base of each cabbage leaf with a sharp knife. Place a portion of the pork mixture in the center of each cabbage leaf, then wrap the leaf around the filling to enclose it.
3 Pour the broth into the bottom section of a large steamer. Arrange the cabbage rolls, joint side down, in one layer in the top section. Cover and steam for 15 minutes or until the cabbage is tender and the rolls are firm when pressed. Remove the top section from the steamer and keep the cabbage rolls hot.
4 Mix the flour with 2 tablespoons water, then stir this mixture into the broth in the bottom of the steamer. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Add the chili sauce, if desired.
5 Serve the cabbage rolls with the sauce spooned over and sprinkled with curls of scallion.
1 Place pork in a bowl and add the water chestnuts, five-spice powder, ginger, scallions, soy sauce, garlic, and egg. Mix thoroughly with your hands or a fork until the ingredients are well blended, then divide into eight equal portions.
2 Cut the tough stalk from the base of each cabbage leaf with a sharp knife. Place a portion of the pork mixture in the center of each cabbage leaf, then wrap the leaf around the filling to enclose it.
3 Pour the broth into the bottom section of a large steamer. Arrange the cabbage rolls, joint side down, in one layer in the top section. Cover and steam for 15 minutes or until the cabbage is tender and the rolls are firm when pressed. Remove the top section from the steamer and keep the cabbage rolls hot.
4 Mix the flour with 2 tablespoons water, then stir this mixture into the broth in the bottom of the steamer. Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened. Add the chili sauce, if desired.
5 Serve the cabbage rolls with the sauce spooned over and sprinkled with curls of scallion.
Per serving (two rolls): 225 cal, 5 g fat (2 g sat), 15 g carbs, 29 g protein, 4 g fiber, 127 mg chol, 854 mg sodium
Great Ideas
Great Ideas
Discover the Healthier Side of Chinese Cuisine
Whether you’re dining out at your local Asian place or whipping up some moo goo gai pan at home, Chinese food has such a vast variety of flavors and textures that it’s no wonder folks want more an hour later. Here’s the thing, though: Nowadays, the usual Chinese restaurant glops loads of sauces on often-greasy meats. Even the poor veggies are doused with the fatty sauce. Return to the traditional, healthier Chinese diet with lots of vegetables with small chunks of meat, fish, and soy foods, and follow these eight tips.
Opt for brown rice. Many restaurants give you the option, and at home, you should have already purged the higher-GL white stuff from your shelf. Remember, white rice is a blood-sugar disaster waiting to happen. And don’t eat the whole bowl or container of rice. Spoon a half-cup onto your plate and leave the rest. Or do as a native Chinese would: Put a small amount in a small bowl and hold the bowl up, using your chopsticks (or fork) to eat a little rice in between bites of your main dish. Or be bold and don’t eat any rice at all.
Start with soup. Order or make wonton or egg drop soup to begin your Asian dining experience. This will take the edge off your hunger without a lot of calories (but avoid soups with coconut milk). If you want a ravioli-type appetizer, order steamed vegetable dumplings, not fried.
Steam ahead. Fried or steamed? That’s the question for making or ordering almost any Chinese dish. Always, always, always go for steamed. Good entrées include steamed chicken and vegetables and moo goo gai pan—chicken with mushrooms.
Make a request. When ordering, ask the waitperson to have your food prepared with less oil and more veggies, and get the sauce on the side. Dab just a little bit of the sauce on each bite instead of having it slathered all over your meal.
Pile on the veggies. If you really want to make the meal healthier, opt for a plate of steamed vegetables and add them to other dishes. Or ask for sautéed vegetables or Szechuan-style string beans.
Go big for bean curd (tofu). Ordering family-style? Include a heart-healthy, low-fat dish like bean curd with sautéed Chinese mixed vegetables (like other dishes, not deep-fried).
Plan on leftovers. Portions are often large. Think of about one cup of a dish (without rice) as a serving. And ask for a take-out container right away, so you can store the rest out of sight.
Opt for brown rice. Many restaurants give you the option, and at home, you should have already purged the higher-GL white stuff from your shelf. Remember, white rice is a blood-sugar disaster waiting to happen. And don’t eat the whole bowl or container of rice. Spoon a half-cup onto your plate and leave the rest. Or do as a native Chinese would: Put a small amount in a small bowl and hold the bowl up, using your chopsticks (or fork) to eat a little rice in between bites of your main dish. Or be bold and don’t eat any rice at all.
Start with soup. Order or make wonton or egg drop soup to begin your Asian dining experience. This will take the edge off your hunger without a lot of calories (but avoid soups with coconut milk). If you want a ravioli-type appetizer, order steamed vegetable dumplings, not fried.
Steam ahead. Fried or steamed? That’s the question for making or ordering almost any Chinese dish. Always, always, always go for steamed. Good entrées include steamed chicken and vegetables and moo goo gai pan—chicken with mushrooms.
Make a request. When ordering, ask the waitperson to have your food prepared with less oil and more veggies, and get the sauce on the side. Dab just a little bit of the sauce on each bite instead of having it slathered all over your meal.
Pile on the veggies. If you really want to make the meal healthier, opt for a plate of steamed vegetables and add them to other dishes. Or ask for sautéed vegetables or Szechuan-style string beans.
Go big for bean curd (tofu). Ordering family-style? Include a heart-healthy, low-fat dish like bean curd with sautéed Chinese mixed vegetables (like other dishes, not deep-fried).
Plan on leftovers. Portions are often large. Think of about one cup of a dish (without rice) as a serving. And ask for a take-out container right away, so you can store the rest out of sight.
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