Can you imagine how much the average American would lose if they had
no animal products, desserts, pretzels, crackers, cookies, sugary drinks, bagels, sub rolls, or frozen desserts like ice cream? No wonder that most individuals can control their blood sugars better when they have type II diabetes if they are on an unrefined vegetarian diet. It is not for everyone, but for people who want to put effort into their food preparation, it is an effective method.What this all says to this diabetes sufferer is that reducing the consumption of meat and dairy products — even in part — should go a long way toward improving health and living a longer, healthier life. Sounds good to me.
With Thanksgiving coming soon, I thought it would be helpful to offer holiday-themed, diabetic-friendly meatless recipes:
Corn Pudding
(obviously, not vegan-friendly, though there are meatless replacements for the egg, margarine, and milk)
Ingredients:
16 oz Can of corn or 2 cups fresh corn kernels
1 Egg or 1/4 cup Egg Substitute
2 tbsps finely chopped onion
1 tbsp finely chopped red bell
1 tbsp finely chopped green bell pepper
1 tbsp Margarine
1 tsp Sugar replacement
3/4 cup Skim Milk
1/4 teaspoon ground mace
Salt to taste
Fresh ground white pepper
Vegetable cooking spray
Instructions: Combine all ingredients, except vegetable cooking spray. Pour into baking dish coated with vegetable cooking spray. Bake at 325 degrees F for 35 to 40 minutes, or until firm.
55 calories per serving; serves six
Exchanges: 1-1/2 Starch; 1/2 Milk; 1/2 Fat
Source: The Complete Diabetic Cookbook by Mary Jane Finsand; I have reworked the recipe, of course
Sweet Potato Biscuits
Ingredients:
1-1/4 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup unbleached white flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsps margarine
1/3 cup apple juice
1 cup well-mashed, cooked sweet potato
3 tbsps honey
Instructions: Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
In a mixing bowl, sift together the flours, baking powder & salt. Work the margarine in with a pastry blender or the tines of a fork until the mixture resembles a coarse meal. Add the apple juice, sweet potato, honey & nuts and work them in to form a soft dough. Turn the dough out onto a well-floured board and knead in just enough extra flour to make the dough lose its stickiness.
With floured hands, divide the dough into 16 equal parts. Shape into small balls and arrange on a lightly oiled cookie sheet, patting them down a bit to flatten. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one tests clean. Transfer the biscuits to a plate and serve hot.
Article comments
1 - Eric Olsen
Thanks Nat, another great one! Have added it to the master post, which is still accessible through the Diabetes Advocate logo on the front page.
2 - Pete Nelson
Great article, Natalie.
I have a friend that is vegetarian. Of course, she's in excellent health, and is always bugging me to eat right, exercise more and lose weight.
I've thought a few times about being vegetarian, but I know I couldn't do it. I just like meat too much.
But I have more seriously thought about the Adkins-type low-carb diets. I was really skeptical about them, but the studies I've seen recently from quite reputable researchers say that it works - people not only lose weight, but their cholesterol levels decrease, too. I don't understand how it's possible, but there you are. Some articles I've seen seem to say that the low-card diets are good for diabetics, as well, which does make sense to me.
Have you heard anything about that?