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Ideal Dinner for Diabetics
April 19, 2008, last updated May 18, 2016
By Susan M. Callahan, Associate Editor and Featured Columnist
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Now that researchers have discovered some ideal breakfast
foods for diabetics, many are asking the question "What should
someone with diabetes eat for dinner?" In other words, is
there really an ideal dinner for someone with diabetes?"
Researchers have determined that those who eat the right
grains (whole grain barley and whole grain rye work best) for
breakfast have lower, well-regulated blood sugar throughout
the day, even up to and beyond dinner.
These grains have such a beneficial, long-lasting effect on
blood sugar because they are so indigestible. Because they are
indigestible, the grains ferment in the large intestine.
When grains ferment in your intestines, they release acetate.
Scientists recently have discovered that the release of acetate
helps to regulate insulin, appetite and blood sugar. This
bacterial process proved to have a beneficial effect on a
number of risk factors for metabolic syndrome, such as
markers for inflammation and level of insulin efficiency. The
process also makes you feel fuller longer. (Read more about
foods such as artichoke which have fermented carbohydrates
that slow appetite.)
Importantly, the beneficial effect of eating these particular
grains is experienced when you eat them for breakfast-- in
which case the effect can last up to 10 hours.
What You Should Eat at Night to Lower Your Fasting Blood
Sugar the Next Morning
Now, a new study has found that what works in the mornings
can also help diabetics at night. A 2010 study from Lund
University in Sweden led by Dr. Liza Rosen has found that an
evening meal of indigestible carbohydrates, in particular barley,
can lower your blood sugar the next morning.
Thus, eating a dinner which includes these powerful
sugar-regulating grains can set you up for 24-hour blood sugar
control. Along with these grains, what is the complete ideal
dinner for someone with diabetes?
Protein
In addition to the special grains, dinner should include protein,
fiber, the "right" heart-healthy oils and liquids.
Fish is the best overall choice for the protein at dinner. Why?
Fish is high in protein, which has a zero glycemic index value,
meaning it does not raise your blood sugar. Cold-water fish
also has omega-3s, which have linked in research to lower
cholesterol and inflammation levels. Also, protein keeps you
feeling fuller longer. That sated feeling will help to keep you on
your diet and achieve or maintain your ideal wait size or body
weight, both of which are important in controlling diabetes.
Although it is not traditionally a Western dinner food, egg
whites are also an excellent choice for protein at dinner. There
is a list of the protein and other components of egg white at
the end of the article here.
Vegetables
Green and leafy vegetables (such as spinach, cabbage, kale,
broccoli, string beans) are high in fiber, low in carbohydrates
and have chemical components which have been linked to
lower incidence of heart disease, diabetes and stroke.
Dark green vegetables such as zucchini (courgettes) are
particularly high in magnesium, a mineral that studies have
linked with decreased incidence of Type 2 diabetes. The
Recommended Daily Allowance of magnesium according to the
United States Department of Agriculture is 320 milligrams for a
women over age 31 and 420 milligrams for a man older than
31. One cup of cooked zucchini (about 180 mg of the
vegetable) contains 34 milligrams of magnesium. So, that
about 10% of your Recommended Daily Allowance in just one
cup.
One tasty way to incorporate more zucchini in your diet is to
prepare a soup at the start of the week. Here is my recipe:
-slice 3 medium sized zucchini (each about 8 to 10 inches long)
into medallions.
-slice one or two carrots
-slice 4 stalks of celery
-slice 2 large onions and 4 cloves of garlic
-roast 3 to 4 legs of chicken with one cup of chopped onions,
skin removed until browned
-mix in the vegetables with the chicken in a soup pot
add water enough water to barely cover the
vegetabe/chiecken mix
-cover with a top and leave on medium heat for 90 minutes
-add ground pepper to taste
-add garlic powder or salt substitute to taste
This soup will serve two people a bowl each for 3 days.
If you have a cup or bowl of this soup before you eat your
main meal, you'll find that you eat considerably less.
Artichokes
Artichokes should be a key vegetable in your diet at dinner.
Artichokes contain a fermentable fiber called "inulin". When
inulin reaches your intestines, it is fermented, and acetate is
released. The release of acetate turns off your appetite and it
helps to regulate your blood sugar for hours to come. If you're
experiencing high blood sugar in the mornings, add artichoke
to your diet at night. (Read more about artichokes.)
Consider adding a vinegar dressing on your salads. Studies
have found that vinegar blunts the rise of blood sugar after a
meal eaten by diabetics.
If You Must Eat Starches, Eat Leftovers
Leftover starches --those that have been heated after they
have been cooled --actually are "resistant starches". Resistant
starches behave like fiber, resisting digestion until they reach
your larger colon. Resistant starches act to improve glycemic
control, scientists have discovered.
So, if you feel the urge to eat pasta, go ahead. Just make sure
it's second day leftovers.
Update:
And, when you do eat starches, you should eat them after you
eat your protein, vegetables and oil. Eating your carbs last
makes your blood sugar levels rise much more slowly or not at
all, according to new studies.
Related:
Type 2 Diabetes -Causes and Top 10 Natural Remedies
Ideal Breakfast for Diabetics
Why Am I Always Hungry?-Causes and Cures
Break Through Your Diet Plateau
How Many Calories Do I Burn
Quinoa-The New Superfood?
Break Through Your Diet Plateau
How Many Calories Do I Burn
Quinoa-The New Superfood?
| Sample Ideal Dinner Recipe for Diabetics Try salmon, grilled, with black pepper. A side of red,green and yellow bell peppers sliced vertically, an sauteed in extra virgin olive oil. A side of cooked barley. A second side of sauteed spinach or bok choi. This is a low-glycemic index meal that is also delicious. |
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| A simple dinner of salmon and plenty of greens or whole grains is ideal for controlling blood sugar. |
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| Pan grilled salmon, seasoned with paprika and black pepper. Grilled in extra virgin olive oil. |