Diabetes Thanksgiving dinner preparation

by I Dance With Diabetes | Nov 23, 2022 | Uncategorized

Let’s have some fun.

With the holidays coming up we need some pointers on what to eat for Thanksgiving. Diabetes Thanksgiving dinner preparation is where we’ll start. Now before we dive into what foods we should eat, let’s look at something to avoid. Then we can go for the good stuff(ing), get it :), So here are things you shouldn’t be eating during the Thanksgiving holiday. This way when we switch to the good stuff(ing), couldn’t help myself, we’ll end up on a positive note.

Here are ten things you shouldn’t be eating during the Thanksgiving holiday

Number one, sugar! Stay away from all those candies. You can have sugarplums dancing in your dreams, but not on your plate, in the candy dish next to you, in your hand, etc. Let old uncle Al eat it, he can eat anything.

Number two, well if you’re going to avoid the candy dish best to avoid the sweeter sugary drinks. They are loaded with high fructose corn syrup.

Number three, trans fats, may be listed as partially hydrogenated oil, these don’t directly raise your blood sugar, but they do increase your risk for heart disease. Heart disease is a compilation of type 2 diabetes. So if you’re adding to the reasons to develop heart disease by eating trans fats.

Number four, white bread, pasta, and rice. for me, this is a challenge. I love all those types of bread. I don’t think there’s a roll I haven’t liked. The thing here is the processed flour used to make the bread. Most of the fiber is removed in the processing of the flour. Fiber helps to slow the absorption of sugar into your blood.

Number five is fruit-flavored yogurt, I’m not a yogurt fan. If you are, then stick with plain, whole-milk yogurt that has no sugar. Do you see a trend here, sugar? Also processed foods. When we process the food we lose the fiber and add sugar. No wonder we are dealing with a type 2 diabetic epidemic.

Number six, sweetened breakfast kinds of cereal. First, these are processed, very processed, so there are lots of carbs. sweetened should also give you a cure the what’s in them, yep more sugar. Stay away from sugar.

Number seven, flavored coffee drinks. we can very easily point back to number five. The same rule of thumb applies, stick with plain old coffee. It’s the flavoring is that makes it bad.

Pushing on to number eight. this is sort of a surprise. Avoid honey, agave nectar, and maple syrup. These aren’t highly processed, but nature gave them a lot of carbs naturally, bummer.

Number nine, dried fruit. You would think fruit should be good for you. Why is dried fruit on the avoid list? When dried, you remove the water and concentrate the nutrients. This means the sugars are also concentrated. You can’t win, can you?

Number ten, packaged snack foods. I love potato chips. We have a local brand to die for. All of these types of snacks are made with refined flour and very little in nutrients. They may taste good but really aren’t good for you. You would do better staying with nuts or some low-carb veggies.

Now let’s get to the good things to eat for Thanksgiving

The good news is turkey is great to eat.

Turkey breast is an excellent source of lean protein and has a very low glycemic index, making it a great choice for those watching their carbohydrate intake. Turkey breast is also a good source of selenium, phosphorus, potassium, and zinc. Turkey meat is an excellent source of protein that is low in calories, containing only 0.06 grams of carbohydrates per 100 grams. The high levels of niacin and selenium found in turkey meat may help to regulate blood sugar levels.

One challenge to eating turkey is you shouldn’t eat the skin. Stick with the lean meat without the skin. Well, suppose a little bit of skin is OK. Just be sure to chew it slowly and enjoy each crunch of the skin. Maybe even close your eyes as you taste the juices and flavor. Whew, I’m going to have to take a cold shower just thinking about it.

Brussels sprouts are an excellent source of fiber and nutrients. Just one cup of cooked Brussels sprouts provides 137% of your daily recommended intake of vitamin K, 81% of vitamin C, and 12% of vitamin A and folate. As a bonus, Brussels spouts only have 28 calories each.

Be sure to add some roasted veggies to your Thanksgiving meal. Here’s a list of good veggies to roast for Thanksgiving dinner; roasted potatoes, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans, and asparagus all make great, healthy Thanksgiving sides. You can have fresh cranberries, normally cranberries have a lot of sugar. For Thanksgiving, you can add a little sugar, but add apples to help manage the GI, orange zest, and a splash of orange juice, and throw in some toasted pecans or walnuts. Got to love those walnuts.

Everyone loves mashed potatoes, however, potatoes aren’t a good choice. You may have heard of mock mashed potatoes. Instead of potatoes, you use cauliflower. You can also use many other veggies to make mock mashed potatoes. Here are some other choices: parsnips, turnips, butternut squash, mashed carrots, mashed rutabaga, mashed celery root, mashed acorn squash, mashed Brussels sprouts, and mashed sweet potato. Even though it’s a potato, it’s a lot better choice. It has much more fiber.

The end is near

This isn’t a complete list of foods. It covers many of the more common food we may have heard of. Feel free to share some of your favorite foods and recipes for your diabetes Thanksgiving dinner preparation.

One important thing to remember is you are not the one that has to eat everything left over. You know your condition and eat accordingly. One last thought. Foods, with high protein, will help satisfy your hunger. If you’re going to fill up on anything look to an extra portion of turnkey, of course, without the skin.

Please join our Facebook group, Dancing with Diabetes, and the other articles on our blog pages.

Read more: Healthline

What are the names of sugar?

by I Dance With Diabetes | Nov 14, 2022 | Uncategorized

What comes to mind when you think of sugar? If you’re like me you think of the white crystally stuff you sprinkle on cereal. What makes that piece of candy sweet? What are the names of sugar? Outside of sugar, how many words of sugar can you name? This article is one of several discussing many, if not all, of the names of sugar you will find in the products you buy at the grocery store.

Manufacturers have come up with many product names to hide the white crystally stuff. Our food is more processed and sweetened than ever before. It only makes sense to see that the more sugar you eat, the greater chance your blood sugar will rise. The greater opportunity you will begin to move into type 2 diabetes. Studies have shown type 2 diabetes in the world has risen with the levels of processed foods. One of the items in food that is processed is sugar products.

If you aren’t up to date on the various products that are sugar based, you may not realize the amount of sugar in a product. So to make your life a little easier this article will give you a brief summary of the product names that ultimately find their way into your food products. So here we go.

Agave nectar – This sounds like something that is for the Gods. Agave is a plant found in the southwestern states and Mexico. It is used to make tequila, it can’t be all that bad then, is it? It is said the plant can provide health benefits. When It is in processing into agave nectar, also known as agave syrup, it loses the healthy benefits. It is high in fructose.

The effects of sugar in general have less to do with the symptoms of the glycemic index than with the large amounts of fructose and Agave. A lot of people think that the glycemic index is what causes sugar-related issues when in reality it’s more about fructose and agave. Although agave sugar may appear to be a healthier alternative to regular sugar, research has shown that it is actually the least healthy sweetener in the world. Agave sugar is high in fructose, which can lead to health problems such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

Barley malt – isn’t the worst type of sugar, but it is still sugar and delivers glucose into the blood. Its GI is 40 which is half of white sugar. Barley malt is roughly half as sweet as white sugar. The good news and bad news are, you may be included to double the amount of barley malt to make your baked goods as sweet as if you used white sugar. The bottom line it is still sugar and you should limit barley malt.

Beet sugar – ingesting too much sugar of any kind can have deleterious effects on your health. Therefore, you should be discerning about how much sugar you consume, regardless of its source. Excess sugar intake can lead to problems such as obesity, Type II diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, among others. So it’s important to be mindful of your sugar consumption and make sure that you are getting a healthy mix of nutrients in your diet.

Brown sugar – Nutritionists and health professionals have long understood the impact of sugary foods on blood sugar levels. However, few realize that both brown and white sugar can cause these spikes. Sucrose, or table sugar, is made up of two types of simple sugars – fructose and glucose. Because of this, it has a high rating on the diabetic glycemic index. This means that just like some carbs, too much sugar can quickly raise your blood sugar levels.

Cane juice – Although sugarcane juice has some health benefits to offer, such as being a good source of vitamins and minerals, it may not be the best choice for someone struggling with diabetes. This is because sugarcane juice is also high in natural sugars, which can cause blood sugar levels to spike. Sugar cane is composed of mostly water, however, approximately 15% of sugar cane is made up of natural sugar called sucrose as well as fiber.

Caramel – Caramel is burnt sugar. Caramel is often seen as a healthier alternative to sugar, but in reality, it is just as bad for you. Caramel is basically empty calories, it has no nutritional value whatsoever. The same problems as sugar exist with caramel, such as the potential to cause weight gain, cavities, and diabetes.

Carob syrup – Carob is a sweet, healthy choice for people with diabetes or who are trying to reduce sugar in their diet. Carob does not have the same effect on blood sugar as chocolate does, making it a healthier option for those trying to cut down on sugar. Although carob does have some sugar, it contains a much lower amount of sugar than other sweets and snacks. In addition, research has shown that the glycemic index for carob is very low. Therefore, carob poses less of a threat to people with diabetes.

Castor sugar – Caster sugar, also sometimes called simply granulated sugar, is a type of fine-grained sugar that is widely available in the United Kingdom. It is often used in baking because it dissolves more quickly than other types of sugar, making it ideal for use in custards and other desserts where a smooth texture is desired. It is still sugar based and best to look for a sugar substitute.

This is a short list of sugar ingredients you can find in processed products and recipes. As a diabetic watching for sugars needs to be part of your due diligence when purchasing foods and or making recipes. The more you can learn about sugars the better you will be able to control your blood sugar. One key comment I found while researching “What are the names of sugar” was to be aware of how you react when trying new foods and recipes. That is the best way to know how your blood sugar reacts.

Please join our Facebook group, Dancing with Diabetes, and check out the other articles on our blog pages.

Read more: Healthy Home, Healthline, WebMD