Suitable Foods for Diabetics

 Diabetic Foods, Lifestyle of Diabetes, My Diabetes Experiences, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes  No Responses »
Nov 302011
 

Q: What are suitable foods for diabetics?

Suitable Foods for DiabeticsA: Today there are a lot more food choices for diabetics then 25 years ago. But the suitable foods that I want to address are foods that are good for diabetics. Foods that are higher is calcium, fiber, potassium and vitamins A, C and E. Yes, you can get nutrition in supplements and multivitamins, but natural food are much better for our bodies!

My top 10 suitable foods for diabetics include:

  1. Fat-free yogurt
  2. Any type of berry (strawberry, blueberry, raspberry, etc…)
  3. Nuts (preferably cashews, almonds or walnuts)
  4. Skim Milk
  5. Whole grains (note the ingredients and make sure the first ingredient states “whole” (like whole wheat)
  6. Fish (high in Omega 3)
  7. Beans (I like kidney and pinto!)
  8. Dark leafy greens
  9. Citrus fruit
  10. Sweet Potato

Try to eat some of these foods on a daily basis. Not only are these foods suitable for diabetics but they are also good for anyone.  There is humor in that, don’t you think? :)  Eat healthier and choose better options to eat and you will see beneficial results in how you feel. Your health is important to you!

Do you know of other suitable foods for diabetics? Let me know your thoughts and write a comment to me today!

Carbs in Candy

 Diabetic Foods, Insulin Pump, Lifestyle of Diabetes, Type 1 Diabetes  No Responses »
Nov 092011
 

With the holidays around the corner, sweets are everywhere! Halloween, now Thanksgiving,  Christmas and New Years! What’s a diabetic supposed to do with all of these sweets?

Having an insulin pump, I find that knowing my carbs in candy can be very helpful to keep my glucose levels stable. There are lots of desserts and recipe variations which complicate how much insulin a diabetic needs to give. A diabetic can have a hard time giving insulin without knowing how many carbs are in food. But an easy way to enjoy some sweet chocolate candy is simple and easy to do once you know the carbs in candy. Don’t you agree? :)

carbs in candy

With the upcoming holidays in mind, I found a great table you might want to use for a quick reference. If you are like me, I try to keep my sugar levels stable and don’t have to think twice if I can just figure out the carbohydrates in the food I want to eat!

If you are a type 1 or type 2 diabetic, I’d like to hear how you handle these sweet holidays! Do you avoid  desserts and candy? Do you search for carb counts? Do you eat these high carb food and let your sugar levels get out of control? I’m curious how other diabetics handle this time of year. Comment and let me know!

100 Grand 15
3 Musketeers 1 bar 2.13 oz 46
3 Musketeers fun size 15 gm 12
3 Musketeers Miniature 4
ABC Fruit Chomps, 7 pcs 32
Air Heads 15
Almond Joy 12
Aero 7.5g 5
Atomic Fireballs, 1 9
Baby Ruth 1 bar, 2 oz. 37
Baby Ruth fun size, 22 gm 12
Bazooka Pop 11
Bit-O-Honey 6
Blow Pop Sucker, 1 13
Blo Pop, 1 17
Bottle Caps 7
Bubble Yum 6
Butterfinger 1 bar, 2 oz 41
Butterfinger fun size, 22 gm 15
Candy Corn (10 pieces) 13
Caramilk 11g 7
Charleston Chew 9
Charm Pop 5
Coffee Crisp 16g 11
Dots 20
Double Bubble gums 5.5g 5
Dum Dum Sucker, 1 5
Fruit Mania 13g 11
Fruit Rollup 9
Fuzzy Peaches 13g 11
Gobstoppers 8
Goldfish Crackers 9
Green Apple Caramel Candy sucker 17
Gummi Savers 14
Gummy Bears 11 pieces 30
Heath Bar 1 bar 1.4 oz 25
Hershey Kisses 6 pieces 16
Hershey’s Assorted Miniatures 5
Hersheys almond 1 bar 1.45 oz. 20
Hersheys almond 3 minis 24 gm 15
Hersheys cookie/cream 10g 6
Hershey’s Marshmallow Pumpkin 20
Hershey’s Milk Chocolate 10g 6
Hershey’s Nugget 5
Hot Tamales 18
Joe Blo Bubble Gum 4
Jolly Rancher, 1 pc 6
Jolly Rancher Lollipop 16
Jolly Rancher Mini Stix, 1 9
Juicy Fruits 9
Kit Kat 1 package 1.5 oz 26
KitKat mini 16g 10
Laffy Taffy 7
Licorice 3-6″ twizzlers 2.2
oz		 15
Life Saver Five Flavor Candy, 4 16
Life Saver Gummi Savers, 2 rls 27
Life Saver Pops, 1 10
M and Ms peanut 1 bag 1.74 oz 30
M and Ms peanut 1 bag 1.69 oz 27
M and Ms plain 1 bag 1.69 oz 34
M&M’s Mini Box 10
M&M’s (peanut) 13
M&M’s (plain) 15
M&M’s 13g 9
Mars 13g 9
Mary Jane Peanut Butter Kisses, 6
pcs		 33
Mega Warheads (soft gum-filled) 11
Mega Warheads (sour candies) 3
Mike & Ike 42g 38
Milk Duds 7
Milky Way Bar 1 bar 2.15 oz 43
Milky Way Bar fun size 20 gm 14
Milky Way Miniature 6
Mounds 11
Mr Big 12g 8
Necco Wafers 13
Nerds 13g 12
Nestle Crunch 1.5 oz 28
Nestle’s Crunch mini 7
Nibs 18g 14
Now & Later, 3 mini bars 34
Nut Roll 10
NutRageous 9
Oreos 9
Peter Pan Peanut Butter Cups, 4
pcs		 21
Reese’s Bites 15g 8
Reese’s Cup 15g 8
Reese’s Cup 2 reg. size cups 1
oz.		 18
Reese’s Miniature Cup 4
Reese’s Sticks 9
Rice Krispie Treat 9
Rockets 7.5g 7
Runts 18g 17
Scooby-Doo Fruit Snack 10
Shock Tarts 11
Skittles 17
Skittles 15 pieces 14
Smarties 12g 9
Snickers 1 bar 2.07 oz 36
Snickers fun size 20 gm 12
Sourpatch kids 13g 11
Sour Punch Twist 7
Sprees 7
Starburst (1pkt or 2pcs) 10g 8
Starburst Fruit Chews 33
Sugar Babies 24
Sugar Daddy Pops, 3 34
Swedish Berries 13g 11
Sweetherats (Necco), 1-1/8 oz
box		 31
Sweet Tarts 7g 6
Sweet Tarts Mini Packs, 5 packs 13
Tootsie Hot Chocolate Pops, 1 17
Tootsie Roll Bar 12
Tootsie Roll Midget 6
Tootsie Roll Pop 16
Twix 10g 6
Twix 2 cookies 2 oz. 37
Twizzler 6
Twizzlers 18g 14
Twizzlers Pull-n-Peel Cherry Candy,
3 pcs		 28
Warheads, 5 13
Whoppers 8 pieces 15
Whoppers, 1 small pouch 13
Wonka Nerds Gumballs, 1 11
Wonka Pixie Stix, each 6″lg 2
Wonka Shock Tarts Gumball, 1 8
Wrigley’s Chewing Gum, 1 pc 2
Wunderbar 12g 7
Zours 12
HOLIDAY CANDIES
Fudge with nuts 1 oz piece 20
Gelt 1 oz. chocolate coin 18
Peppermint candy 1 candy or small candy cane 5-8
Sugar cookie 3″ 15
Sugar free Trident for kids, 1 piece 1

 

This carbs in candy table has been provided by Insulin Pumpers. This carb list can be viewed on their site in addition to adding candy to the list by emailing the editor at: Editor@insulin-pumpers.org. 

Are Beans Good for Diabetics?

 Diabetic Foods, Lifestyle of Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes  No Responses »
Sep 212011
 

Q. Are beans good for diabetics?

Are beans good for diabetics?A.  Beans are a great food to eat! Beans and lentils are edible seeds that grow in a pod on a plant. Lentils, kidney, pinto and navy beans all provide a great source of protein, fiber and lots of healthy vitamins!  Keeping your blood sugar stable for type one or type two diabetics can be hard to do.  Beans are a good carbohydrates that will help you keep your hunger down and not overeat. Beans are a much better choice of food then other side dishes such as pasta, rice or potatoes.

So how can you eat beans? Here are a few ways I like to eat beans!

  • Beans alone–add a little salt and heat them up!
  • Rice and Beans – watch the carb count with this dish!
  • Chili
  • Baked Beans
  • Navy Bean Soup
  • Tortillas with Re-fried Beans
  • Taco Salad with Beans
Adding beans to your diet and will improve your health by increasing your fiber and protein levels.  Because of their fiber content, beans have a slower impact on your blood sugar than high-carbohydrate processed foods.

Help your body out and eat smart! :)

Probiotics and Diabetes

 Diabetic Foods, My Diabetes Experiences, Type 1 Diabetes, Type 2 Diabetes  No Responses »
Aug 252011
 

probiotics and diabetesProbiotics is a popular word today.  If you don’t know what it is, it can be simplified as being called a good bacteria that your body needs. The word probiotic means “for life.” So what about probiotics and diabetes?

Probiotics have a lot of benefits for the diabetic. You can say that probiotics are our friends! Here are just a few good reasons:

  • Aids in digestion (many diabetics have digestion problems due to frayed intestines)
  • Reduces bloating
  • Prevents urinary tract infections (many diabetics are prone to this type of infection)
  • Boosts the immune system
  • Counteracts antibiotics (when people with diabetes get sick and need antibiotics, probiotics helps your body get re-aligned and balanced)
  • Fights irritable bowl syndrome
  • Alleviates lactose intolerance

Probiotics and diabetes are a good combination! So how do you add probiotics to your diet? The most common source is found in yogurt. I eat a 4-6 ounce serving every day and sometimes eat more if I have some of the above mentioned complications.

Make sure the yogurt has “live and active cultures.” The official words are called: Lactibacillus buulgaricus and Streptococcus thermophilus bacteria. You will see this written on yogurt containers.  (Some yogurts that may be heat-treated will actually kill the probiotics and not have the beneficial bacteria.)

Cottage cheese, Kefir, and sour cream are also some secondary options with probiotics/active culture .  Although some of these do have small amount of cholesterol or fat. Diabetes tends to produce high cholesterol. So cottage cheese is definately a secondary choice for probiotics and diabetes.

I am increasing my probiotics in my diet. It’s not an instant change but you will see benefits in your lab work after a minimum of 12 days eating yogurt. I also recommend eating yogurt that is low fat and low sugar for the sake of your diabetes. Find yogurts that have a low carb count. I recommend 25 carbs or less.   (If you do eat fruit with yogurt, make sure to add in those carbohydrates!)

Eat smart, exercise, and get your sleep. You too can live a good healthy life with probiotics and diabetes!

Probiotics do have some concerns for children, elderly and pregnant women.  People who need to compromise their immune systems must check with their Doctors before making any adjustments to their diet.

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