Week 2: Healthy Eating: It's More Than Just Carbs…
Having diabetes doesn't mean you have to avoid your favorite foods. You simply have
to eat less of certain foods and more of others. It's all about moderation and making
healthy choices. Knowing the carbohydrates (carbs) and calories in the foods you
eat is one way to make sure you're eating healthy.
One carb serving is equal to 15 grams of carbohydrates.
Most men can set a goal of 4 to 5 carb servings per meal, and most women can aim
for 3 to 4 carb servings per meal, but ask your healthcare team what your goal should
be. Choose foods rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber instead of processed foods,
and include foods you have a passion for, so you don't feel like you're depriving
yourself and can enjoy food that's good for you.
While the focus is on choosing between carb and calorie foods here, remember that
it's important to have a well-balanced diet. For help making more informed meal
planning decisions, please click here to get started.
Let's start with the most important meal of the day: breakfast.
Which is the lower carb/
lower calorie choice?
One cup of
Bran Flakes
with 1 cup of skim milk
vs
One
Poached Egg
with one slice of
whole wheat bread
Egg with Bread
As healthy as bran flakes and skim or low-fat milk may be, this breakfast option
has over 1¼ times more calories than the egg with whole wheat bread, as well
as 2½ times as many carbs. Both have a similar amount of protein.
For low-calorie beverages, coffee and tea are good choices with 0 calories and 0
carbs.
But today you want something else. Which has fewer carbs and calories?
Low-fat Milk
Low-fat milk has more protein, fewer calories,
and fewer carbs than orange juice.
At a Chinese restaurant, you ordered steamed
chicken and broccoli as your main course. Good for you!
Which of these side dishes is lower in carbs?
Egg Roll
While both the egg roll and fried rice are rich in calories, a cup of
fried rice has almost twice as many carbohydrates.
You scooped out two tablespoons of peanut butter to make a sandwich.
Which has fewer carbs and calories?
English Muffin
An English muffin has 120 calories vs. 289 for the bagel.
It also has less than half as many carbs.
Which of these dairy products
has the lower carb count?
One cup of low-fat
Cottage Cheese
vs
One cup of low-fat
Yogurt
Cottage Cheese
A cup of plain yogurt has twice as many carbs (16 g) as a
cup of cottage cheese (8 g). A fruit-flavored yogurt (43 g) has more
than 5 times the carb count of the cottage cheese!
Skinless chicken and salmon filets are both healthy dinner choices, but
which would you choose?
Both are good options!
That was a trick question; both choices have 0 carbs,
and both are great choices. The chicken, however, has about
70% fewer calories than the salmon. On the other hand, the
salmon has all those good omega-3 fatty acids.
Which vegetable would you choose
to add to your chicken or salmon dinner to keep
the carbs and calories lower?
Broccoli
Choosing the broccoli (6 g) instead of the peas (24 g)
saves both carbs and calories. A cup of cooked broccoli has
1/3 the calories of a cup of cooked peas.
Dessert doesn't always have to be a piece of fruit.
Which of these options has
about 1 carb serving?
½ cup of
Vanilla
Ice Cream
vs
½ cup of
Chocolate
Pudding
1/2 cup Vanilla Ice Cream
The reduced fat ice cream has almost half
the carbs of pudding (15 g vs 28 g).
Here's a bonus question about condiments.
Which of these choices will add the fewest
carbs and calories to your hamburger?
Ketchup
Stick with the ketchup. It not only has 60% less calories
but it has just ¼ the amount of carbs.
Congratulations! You've Completed the challenge. Making informed choices takes practice
but once you get the hang of it you'll enjoy the rewards.
Do not take Lantus® if you are allergic to insulin or any of the
inactive ingredients in Lantus®.
You must test your blood sugar levels while using insulin, such as Lantus®.
Do not make any changes to your dose or type of insulin without talking to your
healthcare provider. Any change of insulin should be made cautiously and only under
medical supervision.
Do NOT dilute or mix Lantus® with any other insulin or solution.
It will not work as intended and you may lose blood sugar control, which could be
serious. Lantus® must only be used if the solution is clear and colorless
with no particles visible. Do not share needles, insulin pens or syringes with
others.
The most common side effect of insulin, including Lantus®, is
low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), which may be serious. Some people may
experience symptoms such as shaking, sweating, fast heartbeat, and blurred vision.
Severe hypoglycemia may be serious and life-threatening. It may cause harm to your
heart or brain. Other possible side effects may include injection site reactions,
including changes in fat tissue at the injection site, and allergic reactions, including
itching and rash. In rare cases, some allergic reactions may be life-threatening.
Tell your doctor about other medicines and supplements you are taking because they
can change the way insulin works. Before starting Lantus®, tell your
doctor about all your medical conditions including if you have liver or kidney problems,
are pregnant or planning to become pregnant, or are breast-feeding or planning to
breast-feed.
Lantus® SoloSTAR® is a disposable prefilled insulin
pen. Please talk to your healthcare provider about proper injection technique and
follow instructions in the Instruction Leaflet that accompanies the pen.
Click here for Full Prescribing Information for Lantus®.
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The health information contained herein is provided for general educational purposes
only. Your healthcare professional is the single best source of information regarding
your health. Please consult your healthcare professional if you have any questions
about your health or treatment.