Amidst the flurry of concerns a new diabetes diagnosis can bring, what to cook for dinner can seem like a huge hurdle. Simple everyday tasks like packing lunch or entertaining friends brings a new set of challenges.
Receiving the news that you have prediabetes or diabetes is a food lover’s nightmare. The kind that wakes you up in the middle of the night in cold sweats from watching all your favorite meals being taken away. Diabetes is not a death sentence for fine dining; rather, it is an opportunity to explore cuisines, ingredients, and cooking techniques that are naturally good for blood glucose and health.
Setting up a diabetes-friendly kitchen and learning to cook well puts you back in control when diabetes threatens your sense of well-being. Preparing your own meals makes it easier to manage your blood glucose and health. A diabetes-friendly kitchen helps you create meals that can prevent pre-diabetes from becoming a full-blown case and improves your blood glucose and health if you have diabetes. Everyone, even family and friends with no health concerns can enjoy the food that comes out of your kitchen, since diabetes-friendly cooking is no different than good cooking of any kind.
Diabetes-friendly meals provide a consistent and controlled amount of calories and carbohydrates. They emphasize carbohydrates from whole grains and minimally processed, fiber-rich foods, along with heart healthy fats in amounts that keep the meals satisfying without providing too many calories. Modest portions of lean proteins from fish, chicken, eggs, red meats, tofu, and legumes help make the meals more sustaining.
Generous portions of vegetables are also important to help you stay within your personal calorie and carbohydrate budget. Look for recipes for flavorful and interesting vegetable side dishes that are naturally low in carbohydrates and calories to help you meet your goals while still enjoying variety in your meals and portion sizes that will satisfy you. Focus on fresh and minimally processed ingredients that are naturally lower in sodium and provide flavor without having to be seasoned with large amounts of salt.
Finally, flavor enhancement techniques such as searing, reducing, infusing, and marinating with top quality ingredients coaxes the maximum amount of flavor and enjoyment from the food.
When meals taste really good, it is easier to embrace them and a diabetes-friendly lifestyle. We want you to share these meals with others who have a passion for good food and good health. Food, health, life—savor it all.
Here are some of our favorite Diabetes-Friendly recipes, developed by a registered dietician nutritionist (RDN) and chef.
Edamame with Tarragon Dipping Sauce
Fennel Salad With Blood Orange Vinaigrette
Black Bean Cakes With Tomato Salsa
Fish Poached In Fennel-Orange Broth
Halibut with Summer Vegetables
Sausage & Barley-Stuffed Peppers
Tomato, Chicken, and Feta Cheese with Whole Wheat Fettuccine