Live Well - July 2008

Eat Right for Diabetes

Healthy eating is important for everyone. But it’s central for diabetics, who need to keep close tabs on blood sugar. That means eating a lot of fruits and vegetables, whole grains, nonfat dairy products and lean meats, poultry, and fish. It also means keeping portion sizes reasonable and limiting your intake of unhealthy fats, processed foods and alcohol.

For many diabetics, healthy eating involves carbohydrate counting. This popular dietary technique for controlling blood sugars requires that you keep track of your carb intake. Almost all the glucose in your blood after a meal comes from carbohydrates, a major food group that includes fruits and vegetables, pasta, grains, breads, popcorn, cakes and cookies.

Carb counting is especially helpful to people who use insulin to manage diabetes. Once you figure out how many carbs you’re going to eat, you can adjust your insulin or medication accordingly. Try it with the breakfast recipe to the right.

Apple-Topped Pancake

Pancake:
1 cup fat-free milk
3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
2 egg whites
1 whole egg
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

Apple topping:
1 large apple, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 400 F. Spray an 8- or 10-inch ovenproof skillet with nonstick cooking spray. Blend pancake ingredients in blender or food processor until smooth. Pour mixture into skillet. Bake until pancake is puffed and browned, about 20 minutes.

While pancake bakes, spray a small skillet with cooking spray. Add the apple, lemon juice, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Sauté on low heat for 10 minutes, until the apples are soft and slightly caramelized. Spoon mixture over the pancake. Serve immediately. Serves 6.

Nutrition information per serving: 177 calories, 5 g total fat, 1 g saturated fat, 36 mg cholesterol, 18 g carbohydrate

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