Exactly What To Eat To Reduce Your Diabetes Symptoms
Ever since Jennifer Ross was diagnosed with diabetes, she's had to avoid the temptation of Halloween candy, melt-in-your-mouth Krispy Kreme doughnuts, and even orange juice. But the Manhattan native has discovered she feels best when she doesn't indulge in carby, sugary junk—and focuses instead on protein-rich foods such as hard-boiled eggs for breakfast, sushi for lunch, and meatballs for dinner. "When I eat more protein, my blood sugar stays balanced and I don't get headaches while I'm sitting in a meeting," says Ross, 29, cofounder of Be-Mixed, a zero-calorie, zero-sugar cocktail mixer.
A recent study suggests that Ross's personal strategy is actually smart science. The research, presented at the European Association for the Study of Diabetes, shows that a high-protein diet improves blood sugar control and decreases liver fat in people with type 2 diabetes, without harming the kidneys. And it doesn't seem to matter whether the protein comes from plant or animal sources, as long as it makes up 30% of your diet (the USDA recommends 10 to 35%).
In the study, conducted at the German Institute of Human Nutrition in Berlin, men and women were divided into two groups eating protein-rich diets: One ate animal-based protein from meat and dairy, and the other ate plant-based protein from sources such as lentils and chickpeas. Both groups got the rest of their nutrition from 40% carbohydrates and 30% dietary fat (the same ratios as in the Zone Diet). After 6 weeks, all participants had improved glucose metabolism and reduced liver fat, but the animal-protein group also showed better insulin sensitivity, and the plant-protein group showed better kidney function. (Find out what a perfect day of eating enough protein looks like.)
These results don't surprise J. Michael Gonzalez-Campoy, MD, who sees the power of healthy eating every day as medical director and CEO of the Minnesota Center for Obesity, Metabolism and Endocrinology (MNCOME). Here's how it works: "The normal trigger for insulin release is a rise in plasma glucose," he explains, "which happens after eating carbohydrates that have a high glycemic index—they turn to glucose in the blood readily—such as potatoes, beans, rice, pasta, and sweets." Eat these foods in abundance and you could develop chronic insulin stimulation. In turn, a high insulin level over time has many effects in the body, including the birth of new fat cells (to accommodate the excess energy) and more fat storage in existing fat cells. At some point, the body has to start stashing fat in other organs, including the liver.
By contrast, when you fill your plate with protein instead of soluble carbohydrates (foods high on the glycemic index), the body secretes less insulin and this whole process is reversed. "Intake of foods lower on the glycemic index improves metabolic function over time," says Gonzalez-Campoy, "and this leads to improved cardiovascular disease risk factors and weight loss maintenance." (Diet is just one piece of your plan to reverse your diabetes diagnosis; Rodale's new book The Natural Way To Beat Diabetes, shows you exactly what you need to do to get your life back.)
As far as Gonzalez-Campoy is concerned, the higher-protein, lower-carb meal plan used in the study validates the recommendations issued by the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists and the Obesity Society in their Healthy Eating Clinical Practice Guideline. "All adults, and especially those with diabetes, prediabetes, insulin resistance, overweight, or obesity—and even those who do not have any of these problems—can benefit from healthy eating," he says. "The meal plan in this study is a healthy plan that would benefit anyone."
Bringing It Home
We asked two registered dieticians who specialize in diabetes to devise a typical day's menu on a "30% protein, 40% carbohydrates, and 30% fat" meal plan—the same ratio of macronutrients as those used in the German study. Gonzalez-Campoy stresses that however you mix it up, 10 to 35% of your daily calories should come from protein.
We asked two registered dieticians who specialize in diabetes to devise a typical day's menu on a "30% protein, 40% carbohydrates, and 30% fat" meal plan—the same ratio of macronutrients as those used in the German study. Gonzalez-Campoy stresses that however you mix it up, 10 to 35% of your daily calories should come from protein.
From Veronica Salsberg, MS, RD, LDN, a dietitian in clinical research at the Joslin Diabetes Center, which is affiliated with Harvard Medical School:
DAY 1
Breakfast: ½ whole wheat English muffin with 1 Tbsp trans fat–free margarine spread, 1 hard-boiled egg, and 1¼ cup strawberries
Breakfast: ½ whole wheat English muffin with 1 Tbsp trans fat–free margarine spread, 1 hard-boiled egg, and 1¼ cup strawberries
Snack:
5 to 6 oz nonfat fruit-flavored Greek yogurt with 1 Tbsp chopped nuts
Lunch: Roast beef sandwich made with 1 small (1-oz) whole wheat pita bread, 3 oz low-sodium lean roast beef, 2 slices red onion, and lettuce; plus ¾ cup carrots and ⅓ cup hummus
Snack: ⅓ cup cut pineapple with 1 cup low-fat cottage cheese (Check out these 10 portable high-protein snacks.)
Dinner:
Chicken and vegetable stir-fry made with 8 oz raw chicken breast strips, ½ cup snow peas, ½ cup water chestnut slices, ¼ cup chopped green onion, and ½ cup mandarin oranges (canned in juice), stir-fried in 1 Tbsp peanut or canola oil, 1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce, and a minced garlic clove. Served over 1 cup cooked brown rice.
From Toby Smithson, MS, RDN, CDE, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics and author of Diabetes Meal Planning and Nutrition for Dummies, who also has diabetes:
DAY 2
Breakfast: Frittata made with 1 cup liquid egg whites, ⅛ cup shredded cheese and veggies; plus Greek vanilla yogurt (5 oz)
Breakfast: Frittata made with 1 cup liquid egg whites, ⅛ cup shredded cheese and veggies; plus Greek vanilla yogurt (5 oz)
Lunch:
Tuna nicoise salad (using 4 oz tuna) with a low-calorie Italian dressing; 10 whole grain crackers; 1 cup fresh berries topped with frozen whipped topping
Snack: Peanut butter and banana sushi (spread 2 Tbsp peanut butter on a low-carb tortilla and lay a small banana on top, roll tortilla and slice into bite-size pieces)
Dinner: 4 oz grilled chicken with a squeeze of lemon, ¾ cup rice pilaf with currants, steamed green beans with roasted red pepper, 1 small whole grain roll, 1 tsp butter or buttery spread
Snack: 25 pistachio nuts
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