9 Top Super Foods to include in your Type 11 Diabetes Diet.

If you find yourself in the pre-diabetes category, (which is basically, higher than normal blood glucose levels, but not high enough to be classed as Diabetes type 2), and want to clean up your type 11 diabetes diet, you are going to have to make some pretty serious changes in your life to prevent the condition from blowing out into full diabetes. I am very much into healing the body with natural remedies, diet and regular exercise so today I’m going to share my “9 top Superfoods” that you should try and include into your diabetes diet on a regular basis, to get you well on the way to a healthier you!

BLUEBERRIES

Blueberries are one of my favorites – they are one of the few foods that are naturally colored blue! They are high in vitamin K and vitamin C, fiber and manganese (vital for maintaining healthy bones and skin)

Blueberries are also high in antioxidants, and studies have shown that they may help reduce the risks of cancers, depression and anxiety – great addition to your type 11 diabetic diet.

1 cup of blueberries is equal to:

1.1 gram protein
0.5gram total fat
0.0 saturated fat
21.5grams carbs
3.6 grams fiber

And only 84 CALORIES

2. ROLLED OATS

This is my favorite breakfast cereal! – especially in the colder months. It’s full of soluble fiber, which slows down the absorption of glucose and as a result, helps with keeping your blood sugar levels under control. Evidence from a review published in ‘Nutrition Reviews’ showed oats to help reduce cholesterol and has good antioxidant, anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects. It’s also a great source of manganese, protein, thiamine, iron, copper and zinc…..and potassium! So much goodness!

½ cup of oats is equal to:

5.3 grams protein
2.6 grams total fat
0.5 grams saturated fat
27.4 grams carbs
4.1 grams fiber

And only 153 CALORIES

3. ALMONDS

Almonds are a great snack between meals, if you are desperate for one! Make sure you eat the unsalted, raw nut. Almonds are high in vitamin E, protein, fiber, manganese, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, niacin, calcium…the list goes on! Almonds also improve blood lipid levels (that’s blood fat levels). Don’t go wild…just a small handful for a snack is perfect! Awesome addition to your Type 11 diabetic diet plan.

1 ounce is equal to:

6.3 grams protein
15 grams total fat
1.2 grams saturated fat
5.5 grams carbs
3.3 grams fiber

And only 169 CALORIES

4. NON FAT YOGURT

Nonfat yogurt, is an essential part of anyone’s diet – more so for people following a type 2 diabetes diet. In a recent 11 year study in the eastern country of Norfolk, results concluded that people who included nonfat yogurts and low fat cottage cheese, were 24% less likely to develop diabetes, compared to the people who didn’t.

I love the Greek yogurt – it’s actually more beneficial to your health than some of the other brands, as it has twice as much protein. Whichever you prefer, just make sure that it states it contains ‘live cultures’.

There are many health benefits of non or low fat yogurt – many of them are related to the GIT (gastrointestinal tract) in particular, the colon. Yogurt is a high in B6, B12, protein, calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, contains the friendly bacteria (probiotics) and once again, the list goes on!

1 cup is equal to:

12.9 grams protein
3.8 grams total fat
2.5 grams saturated fat
17.3 grams carbs
0.0 grams fiber

And only 154 CALORIES

5. QUINOA (pronounced keen-wa)

I love quinoa! It’s so versatile. I make salads with it, use it in place of rice when making curries and stews. It’s gluten free, so that’s a plus with all the gluten intolerance around these days. Makes a great breakfast, sprinkled with ground cinnamon, or stewed blueberries. It contains a great source of B6, Protein, fiber, Manganese, Magnesium, Phosphorus, copper, iron and zinc (just to name a few!)

1 cup is equal to:

8.1 grams protein
3.6 grams total fa
0.0 grams saturated fat
39.4 grams carbs
5.2 grams fiber

And only 222 CALORIES

6. FISH

Fresh fish have loads of great health benefits especially for diabetics, however the oily fish is the most beneficial, (like mackerel, salmon, pilchards and sardines) are so rich in omega-3 fatty acids. When cooking with sardines and pilchards, I buy the canned ones, generally combine them with some mashed sweet potato and finely chopped onion and garlic, 1 lightly beaten egg and heaps of fresh herbs (I put fresh herbs in almost everything I make!) They’re even great cold, for lunch the next day.

Oily fish is an excellent source of B6, B12, E, C, protein, niacin, thiamine, selenium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, riboflavin, and of course, omega 3.

I’ll use pilchards as an example:

3.75oz / 92 grams is equal to:

19.1 grams protein
9.6 grams total fat
2.1 grams saturated fat
0.0 grams carbs
0.0 grams fiber

And only 168 CALORIES

7. KALE

Surely we’ve all heard of Kale by now – it’s everywhere! It contains twice as many antioxidants as any other green leafy vegies. This is one reason why Kale is known to be effective in helping prevent cancer and heart disease.

Kale also has a high level of lutein and zeaxanthin which has been associated with helping prevent diseases of the eyes, such as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration. Another plus for Kale, is it’s high level of sulphoraphane, confirmed by a 2012 study in Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry showing kale reduces the growth of colon cancer cells!

1 cup is equal to:

2.5 grams protein
0.5 grams total fat
0.1 grams saturated fat
7.3 grams carbs
2.6 grams fiber

And only 36 CALORIES!

8. BEANS

Beans are a great, cheap food to include in a type 11 diabetes diet, that can be added to so many dishes, quite simply! They are Low GI (glycemic index), they contain a high level of high quality carbohydrates, protein and soluble fiber and are excellent for helping to stabilize blood glucose levels.

You can purchase canned beans, chick peas, soya beans etc for convenience, or you can purchase the dry variety from a health food store or drugstore and start from scratch. It requires soaking overnight or at least 5 hours, so you need to be a little more prepared.

To be honest, I tend to go for the canned varieties of beans – as I’m usually pushed for time. Canned beans, still hold all their nutrients, however they may contain additional sodium or salt, so you must be aware of that if you are also following a low sodium diet.

I’ll use cooked black beans as an example

1 cup is equal to:

15.2 grams protein
0.9 grams total fat
0.0 grams saturated fat
40.8 grams carbs
15.0 grams fiber

And only 227 CALORIES

9. AVOCADO

Wow! How would I cope without avocados in my life! I find myself preparing them for one thing or another, every single day! Dips – salads – my favorite raw avocado chocolate pie! (Yum) Among others benefits, avocados are an excellent source of Vitamin B6, E, K, C, fiber Potassium, Manganese, copper, magnesium. They are stacked full of antioxidants, healthy fatty acids and have definite anticancer properties, especially concerning the prostate. Great addition to your Type 2 diabetes diet menu!

1 cup is equal to:

3 grams protein
22 grams total fat
3.2 grams saturated fat
12.8 grams carbs
10.0 grams fiber

And only 240 CALORIES

So there you have it! 9 of my favorite Super Foods to include in your type 11 diabetes diet.

What is the best type 11 diabetes diet?

What is the Best type 11 diabetes diet?

The perfect type 11 diabetes diet, is really going to vary from one person to the next.

We are all going to require a slightly different structure in out diets, depending on a few factors, such as

age
weight and
exercise and activity levels.

well these are the main ones. To find out more about your specific requirements, it it best to visit your nutritionist or dietitian and they will help you plan the best diet for your needs.

Maintaining a healthy diet is vital! Especially for diabetes sufferers. It’s important not to skip meals – have 3 ‘well spaced out’ meals a day. This is going to help greatly to control you blood glucose levels and your appetite!

Carbohydrates and Type 11 Diabetes Diet

There are two main types of carbohydrates – There’s Starchy carbohydrates and sugar carbohydrates. When planning your meals, it’s important to incorporate some starchy carbohydrates into each meal. These may include:

Cereals
Potatoes
Breads
Rice
Pasta

Always try and include the lower GI (glycaemic index) carbs, as they help to keep your glucose levels down.

Some examples of Lower GI foods to include in your type 11 diabetes diet would be:

Soy Products
Some Fruits
Milk
Pasta
Grainy Breads

All carbohydrates are a very important part of a type 11 diabetes diet. Glucose from carbs is also essential to the body’s well being – especially the brain. Carbs high in fibre, like in fruit and wholegrains, are important for maintaining a healthy gut and digestive system.

Important’ Fat Facts’ for a type 11 diabetes diet.

It’s also important, to try and limit the amounts of fat you eat especially saturated fats. Fats contain the most calories, so if you try and eat less fat, it will allow you to lose more weight if you are overweight.

Try and cut out butter, margarine and cheese from your diet – or really try hard to limit the amount you have. (I know for some people that’s hard. Butter is one of my biggest downfalls).

Choose low fat dairy products, like yogurts and milks, reduced fat spreads and cheeses.

There’s actually great news for yogurt lovers, with results from a recent study over an 11 year period, showing those people who loved and ate low-fat fermented dairy products like low-fat yogurts and cheese, were 24% less likely to develop diabetes, compared to those people who ate none. How good is that!

It’s very important to include fish in your diet. At least 2 servings a week is OK, more if you’re a fish lover like me! The oily fish is best, as it is high in omega 3 (polyunsaturated fat) which is great for your ‘heart health’. Best fish to eat are sardines, mackerel, pilchards and salmon.

3 Popular meal ideas for Type 11 Diabetes Diet

Breakfast

Whisk up an egg with a little low fat milk and sprinkle with a bit of finely grated garlic and cracked black pepper. Cook in microwave for around 1 minute – until the egg is cooked through. Place on top of a slice of wholegrain toast (no butter) and top with a slice of avocado. Yum!
A small bowl of oats (porridge) cooked with water or unsweetened almond or soy milk in the microwave – toss in a generous sprinkle of cinnamon for taste or top with a small serve of berries.
Try this one – Mix half a cup of low fat Greek yogurt with about the same amount of un-toasted, natural muesli. Top with some berries or a little sliced mango. My whole family love this!

Lunch

Cook up some quinoa, and throw in a few veggies, like chopped capsicum, some finely chopped beans, red onion and tomato, actually whatever is in your fridge – I often use red cabbage, celery and even a few grapes or strawberries, just to add a little sweetness and interest. Mix in a good squeeze of lemon and a little olive oil. Top this with some canned salmon, or tuna and a good sprinkle of chopped parsley. Keeps me going and gives me heaps of energy!
Whole wheat wraps – spread with a little hummus, top with some chopped grilled chicken breast – (no skin remember) some sundried tomatoes, feta cheese and a heap of leafy greens.
For something lighter, just try some whole wheat crackers, add some hummus or a little tahini (this is a sesame seed spread – tastes like peanut butter!) add some tomato and cucumber, topped with canned tuna and some cracked black pepper.

Dinner

1. Bake some sweet potato in the oven with just a quick spray of olive oil, once cooled, add to some leafy greens, feta cheese, toasted pine nuts and grilled chicken. A nice squeeze of lemon juice over the top, will add a nice ‘tang’ to this meal.

2. Grilled veggie stack with (capsicum, eggplant, red onion, ) and a nice serving of good quality steak, just seared to your liking in a little olive oil.

3. Wholemeal pasta with basil pesto – Boil up some pasta in a saucepan with water and a tiny splash of olive oil. (This prevents it from sticking together) Then mix up together (in a kitchen wiz) a nice bunch of fresh basil, a quarter cup of pine nuts, 2 cloves of garlic and a good soaking of olive oil. I also add some lemon juice for that extra tang. Combine this with a nice piece of grilled fish or chicken. This is always a quick and easy favorite of mine, and what’s left over, you can always have for lunch the next day. Too easy!

If you want to control your diabetes and even reverse it, fad diets are not the answer. You will have to adapt to a good healthy eating plan, for the rest of your life. Include some of these type 11 diabetes diet suggestions with plenty of exercise and you’re well on the way!