Question: I was diagnosed as having pre-diabetes earlier this year. Since then I have completely changed my eating habits and become a vegetarian. I’ve lost weight but want to lose more. Can you tell me which fruits have a high sugar content? I am wondering about apples, raisins, bananas, and strawberries. I already know I need to avoid orange juice. Thanks for your help!
Answer: Congratulations on making positive changes to your eating habits. Sugar is one form of carbohydrate. All carbohydrate breaks down into glucose when digested. Instead of focusing on sugar content of foods, I encourage my patients to look at total carbohydrate content.
All fruit is carbohydrate and will have an effect on blood sugars. The amount of carbohydrate really depends more on portion than the type of fruit. To give you an idea, a small 4 oz. apple, 1 cup berries, and 1/2 large banana all have ~15g carb. Even juice can be included in a healthy meal plan as long as you are careful with the portion. 4 oz. (1/2 cup) of orange juice has ~15g carb.
Be cautious with larger pieces of fruit. Some apples may weigh close to 16 oz. and contain up to 60g carb. Weigh and measure your fruits if you question the portion and carb content of what you are consuming.
Fruit shrinks when dried. We tend to consume more of it since it is smaller in size than fresh fruit. Be cautious with dried fruits, including raisins, as 1/4 cup contains ~30g carb.
Remember, it is still recommended to aim for the recommended 2-3 servings per day of fruits since they provide us with lots of healthy antioxidants and phytochemicals. Just be more cautious of the portion you are consuming and what other carbs you are consuming at each particular meal or snack.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Prediabetes and weight loss
Question: I was recently diagnosed with pre-diabetes and was prescribed medication. I have been following a diet to lose weight but unfortunately in the past few weeks, I have actually gained a few pounds. When I was eating whatever I wanted without the medication, I stayed the same weight. In the past, I have exercised at least 3 days a week but after a year of doing this I only lost about 10 pounds. Do you have any suggestions?
Answer: 10# in the past year is 10# in the right direction - don't be too hard on yourself! It is possible that the medication you were started on may have weight gain as a side effect even if it is helping to lower your blood sugar - check with your doctor or the pharmacist to see if this may be the case. It may also be helpful to consult a registered dietitian and/or a personal trainer to help you to achieve better results with weight loss if that is what you are hoping for.
Answer: 10# in the past year is 10# in the right direction - don't be too hard on yourself! It is possible that the medication you were started on may have weight gain as a side effect even if it is helping to lower your blood sugar - check with your doctor or the pharmacist to see if this may be the case. It may also be helpful to consult a registered dietitian and/or a personal trainer to help you to achieve better results with weight loss if that is what you are hoping for.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Prediabetes and sugar
Question: I was recently diagnosed with Pre-Diabetes and was wondering how strict my diet really needs to be? Does every meal and snack need to be completely sugar and carb free?
Answer: The best thing to do if you have pre-diabetes is to eat small, frequent meals, make mostly healthy food choices, and step up your daily activity.
I actually encourage all of my patients with prediabetes, type 1 or type 2 diabetes to make sure they are having some carb everytime they eat. I have patients focus on total carbohydrate content at meals and snacks. Sugar is part of the total carb so it does not need to be taken into separate consideration - JUST FOCUS ON TOTAL CARBS. General guidelines for carbs are 45-60g per meal and 15-30g carb per snack. Individual needs may vary - it is recommended that you meet with a dietitian to figure out what amounts are best for you.
Is is nearly impossible to have a "sugar-free" diet as even many healthy foods contain natural sugars. Just try to stick with more healthy food choices like whole grains, fruits, veggies, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein choices. Save the unhealthy carbs like chips, snack foods, and sweets for special occasions.
Answer: The best thing to do if you have pre-diabetes is to eat small, frequent meals, make mostly healthy food choices, and step up your daily activity.
I actually encourage all of my patients with prediabetes, type 1 or type 2 diabetes to make sure they are having some carb everytime they eat. I have patients focus on total carbohydrate content at meals and snacks. Sugar is part of the total carb so it does not need to be taken into separate consideration - JUST FOCUS ON TOTAL CARBS. General guidelines for carbs are 45-60g per meal and 15-30g carb per snack. Individual needs may vary - it is recommended that you meet with a dietitian to figure out what amounts are best for you.
Is is nearly impossible to have a "sugar-free" diet as even many healthy foods contain natural sugars. Just try to stick with more healthy food choices like whole grains, fruits, veggies, low-fat dairy products, and lean protein choices. Save the unhealthy carbs like chips, snack foods, and sweets for special occasions.
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Eating out
Question: On my lunch breaks I go to a sandwich shop. I usually get a large deluxe sandwich with a side of potato salad or coleslaw. Now that I have diabetes, I'm trying to modify my lunch order. Can you make some suggestions of what to order?
Many of the whole sandwiches at sandwich shops these days are 800-1,000 calories by themselves. The best bet is to order a smaller size sandwich or eat 1/2 of the large deluxe sandwich. If the portion of potato salad or coleslaw is small it's probably ok to have with the smaller sandwich. Healthier alternatives might be to have a small side of fruit or a side salad with lowfat dressing.
Try not to eat out too often as healthy choices are often limited and it's easy to overeat.
Many of the whole sandwiches at sandwich shops these days are 800-1,000 calories by themselves. The best bet is to order a smaller size sandwich or eat 1/2 of the large deluxe sandwich. If the portion of potato salad or coleslaw is small it's probably ok to have with the smaller sandwich. Healthier alternatives might be to have a small side of fruit or a side salad with lowfat dressing.
Try not to eat out too often as healthy choices are often limited and it's easy to overeat.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Diabetes and juice
Question: I have heard I should avoid fruit juice since I have diabetes. What about vegetable juices? Can I have tomato juice and other vegetable juices?
Answer: Both fruit and vegetable juices are okay to have if you have diabetes. You need to be more careful with the portion and frequency of fruit juice because it has more carbs than the vegetable juice. 4 oz of fruit juice has ~15g carb and 8 oz. vegetable juice has ~10-15g carb. Many vegetable juices are higher in sodium, so still be careful of the portion and frequency. Try to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables to get all the phytochemicals, antioxidants, nutrients, and fiber they provide.
If you are going to drink fruit juice try to stick with unsweetened juices, 100% juice, or consider trying light juices which have sweeteners added to them in place of sugar to lower the carb content some.
Always check the food label for carb content!
Answer: Both fruit and vegetable juices are okay to have if you have diabetes. You need to be more careful with the portion and frequency of fruit juice because it has more carbs than the vegetable juice. 4 oz of fruit juice has ~15g carb and 8 oz. vegetable juice has ~10-15g carb. Many vegetable juices are higher in sodium, so still be careful of the portion and frequency. Try to eat more fresh fruits and vegetables to get all the phytochemicals, antioxidants, nutrients, and fiber they provide.
If you are going to drink fruit juice try to stick with unsweetened juices, 100% juice, or consider trying light juices which have sweeteners added to them in place of sugar to lower the carb content some.
Always check the food label for carb content!
Saturday, March 26, 2011
Diabetes and milk
Question: I have type 2 diabetes and cannot tolerate milk. What may I substitute for my recommended two milk servings per day? Would I substitute a carbohydrate or a protein?
Answer: If you cannot tolerate milk due to lactose-intolerance, consider lactaid milk as a substitute or try using lactase enzyme supplements to help you tolerate foods with lactose better. Some people who are lactose-intolerant with milk may still tolerate other dairy products such as yogurt - 6-8 oz. yogurt could subsitute for a serving of milk since it has similar carb and protein content and also provides you with a large amount of your daily calcium needs. Soymilk would also be a good substitute for regular milk as it has a similar amount of carb and protein, and often can be found with calcium added.
If you do not tolerate any milk products due to severe intolerance, milk allergy, or choose not to consume dairy for moral or religious reasons, substitute your milk servings with soy milk or another form of healthy carbohydrate (healthy starches, fruit, or beans). Look for foods that have ~15g carb (1 carb choice or 1 bread/starch/fruit serving) and ~7g protein. Since dairy products continue to be the best bioavailable source of calcium and vitamin D in the diet, it is also very important in this case to make sure you are getting adequate calcium from other sources in your diet and/or from supplements.
Answer: If you cannot tolerate milk due to lactose-intolerance, consider lactaid milk as a substitute or try using lactase enzyme supplements to help you tolerate foods with lactose better. Some people who are lactose-intolerant with milk may still tolerate other dairy products such as yogurt - 6-8 oz. yogurt could subsitute for a serving of milk since it has similar carb and protein content and also provides you with a large amount of your daily calcium needs. Soymilk would also be a good substitute for regular milk as it has a similar amount of carb and protein, and often can be found with calcium added.
If you do not tolerate any milk products due to severe intolerance, milk allergy, or choose not to consume dairy for moral or religious reasons, substitute your milk servings with soy milk or another form of healthy carbohydrate (healthy starches, fruit, or beans). Look for foods that have ~15g carb (1 carb choice or 1 bread/starch/fruit serving) and ~7g protein. Since dairy products continue to be the best bioavailable source of calcium and vitamin D in the diet, it is also very important in this case to make sure you are getting adequate calcium from other sources in your diet and/or from supplements.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
diabetes and vegetables
Questions: I have a very big issue when it comes to having diabetes and that is I do not eat vegetables. I have tried. I want control my diabetes and be around to raise my young children. What suggestions do you have to add vegetables to my diet?
Answer: While it is not an absolute necessity to eat tons of vegetables if you have diabetes, I'm sure all health professionals (including myself) would highly encourage it. Vegetables are low in calories and provide us with many disease-fighting antioxidants and phytochemicals, as well as a good dose of fiber which is good for cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Non-starchy vegetables can also act as a free filler at meals and snacks to help fill you up without adding many extra calories or carbs.
Usually when I show people who claim to not like a vegetables a list of non-starchy veggies, they can usually pick out at least a few that they are willing to eat. I like to keep bagged salad mixes and precut/prewashed veggies like carrots, celery, tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower on hand to add quick salads to lunch and/or dinner. Maybe consider adding extra veggies into things like pastas, stews, soups, or sandwiches to "hide" the flavor of the veggies with other ingredients. If it's been a while since you've tried certain veggies, consider retrying them as our tastes do change as we get older.
If you are absolutely opposed to all veggies you can still get some of their nutritional value, antioxidants, and phytochemicals out of vegetable or fruit/vegetable juice combinations and possibly out of dietary supplements.
Answer: While it is not an absolute necessity to eat tons of vegetables if you have diabetes, I'm sure all health professionals (including myself) would highly encourage it. Vegetables are low in calories and provide us with many disease-fighting antioxidants and phytochemicals, as well as a good dose of fiber which is good for cholesterol and blood sugar levels. Non-starchy vegetables can also act as a free filler at meals and snacks to help fill you up without adding many extra calories or carbs.
Usually when I show people who claim to not like a vegetables a list of non-starchy veggies, they can usually pick out at least a few that they are willing to eat. I like to keep bagged salad mixes and precut/prewashed veggies like carrots, celery, tomatoes, broccoli and cauliflower on hand to add quick salads to lunch and/or dinner. Maybe consider adding extra veggies into things like pastas, stews, soups, or sandwiches to "hide" the flavor of the veggies with other ingredients. If it's been a while since you've tried certain veggies, consider retrying them as our tastes do change as we get older.
If you are absolutely opposed to all veggies you can still get some of their nutritional value, antioxidants, and phytochemicals out of vegetable or fruit/vegetable juice combinations and possibly out of dietary supplements.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)