Making the Right Choices: 

Healthy Foods for Diabetics

When it comes to developing a diet that is healthy and beneficial for an individual living with diabetes, the best choice that a person can make is to select foods that are highly nutritious, yet low in sugar.  This however, does not mean that diabetics have to sacrifice taste or flavor in their diet, since today, they can choose from a variety of foods that are both tasty and healthy.  Convenience also need not be sacrificed, since most grocery stores now carry microwave and frozen foods that are actually quite healthy.  Products made by Healthy Choice and Weight Watchers are low in salt and sugar, and still very healthy.  The pre-portioned meals also eliminate overeating.

Besides a very well stocked healthy frozen food section, most supermarkets now offer relatively extensive sugar-free sections.  Everything from  candy and ice cream, to cookies and energy bars can be found in the sugar-free section. This is yet another way that diabetics can control the amount of sugar they eat.

Although diabetics should also include several servings of fruits as part of their diet, they should be careful to note that some fruits contain high amounts of sugar.  Fruits are highly nutritious, but care should be exercised when including them in any diabetic healthy cooking diet.

What indicator can a diabetic use to determine the benefits associated with a certain piece of fruit?  The color of certain fruits and vegetables can actually offer quite a bit of information about its nutritional content. The best plan for any diabetic healthy cooking diet is to make it colorful by including a different colored fruit with every meal of the day.

At the end of the day, a diabetic should focus on developing a nutritionally balanced diet, which should include vegetables, fruit, lean meats, dairy, and whole grains. 

In terms of vegetables, experts recommend several servings of carrots, cabbage, tomatoes, peppers, and broccoli, all of which contribute something extremely beneficial to the diet of a diabetic.  Diabetics should be careful to avoid vegetables like cucumbers and iceberg lettuce, since they are difficult to digest and low in nutritional value, respectively.

Adding yogurt to a diet can also be beneficial, since yogurt contains calcium.  However like other foods, diabetics should be careful to select a yogurt that is low in sugar.  To avoid this, some diabetics purchase plain yogurt and add berries and fruit to it for flavor.

A diabetic diet does not have to be tasteless.  With a little effort at the supermarket, as well as a little nutritional creativity, even the most restrictive diabetic diet can be made flavorful.