Eat to Lose Weight

The day-by-day eating plan in Prevention's Diabetes Diet Cookbook offers delicious, healthy recipes for you and your family. This is not a bland diabetic diet, but a new way of cooking based on recent breakthroughs in diabetes nutrition. Eating whole foods for diabetes satisfies hunger better than diet foods and offers more fiber, a key nutrient for weight loss and control that may even reverse the symptoms of diabetes.

The Fiber-Full meal plans and recipes in the Diabetes Diet Cookbook are structured in two easy-to-follow phases.

Explanation of Phase 1 Meal Plans

-Meal plans are between 1,400 and 1,600 calories, approximately 40 percent carbohydrate (not less than 130 grams of carbohydrate total/day), 20 to 30 percent lean protein, and 30 to 35 percent predominantly healthy fats. Each plan includes three meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and three snacks.

-Goal for fiber: a minimum of 20 grams/day

Explanation of Phase 2 Meal Plans

-Meal plans are between 1,400 and 1,600 calories, approximately 45 to 60 percent carbohydrate, 15 to 25 percent protein, and 25 to 35 percent predominantly healthy fats, and include three meals (breakfast, lunch, dinner) and three snacks.

-Goal for fiber: a minimum of 30 grams/day

In addition to being fiber-rich, the meals in the menus in this book are designed to help you better control your sodium intake, which can help lower blood pressure. People with diabetes can lower their risk of heart diseaseand stroke by up to 50 percent by keeping their blood pressure under control; the risk of microvascular complications (eye, kidney, and nerve diseases) lowers as well, by approximately 33 percent. In general, for every 10 mm Hg reduction in systolic blood pressure, the risk for any complication related to diabetes is reduced by 12 percent.

Excerpt from Prevention's Diabetes Diet Cookbook reprinted with permission by Rodale, Inc. Copyright 2007 by Rodale.

Phase 1: Meal Plans and Sample Menu

WEEK 1 / MONDAY

Breakfast

½ cup cooked rolled oats with 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
½ cup sliced peaches topped with ¼ cup low-fat cottage cheese

Snack

2 pieces whole grain crispbread with 1 teaspoon almond butter

Lunch

1 serving Fresh Pea Soup with Mint
1 ounce Swiss cheese with ½ medium pear

Snack

1 ½ servings Peanut Butter and Raisin Porcupines

Dinner

1 serving Orange-Soy Salmon with Vegetables
1/3 cup cooked brown rice
Mixed greens with 1 tablespoon Homemade Salad Dressing

Snack

½ serving whole grain crackers with 1 tablespoon cream cheese

DAILY ANALYSIS

Calories: 1,484
Carbohydrate: 153 grams
Protein: 92 grams
Fat: 56 grams
Saturated Fat: 14 grams
Cholesterol: 140 milligrams
Sodium: 1,403 milligrams
Fiber: 31 grams

CARBOHYDRATE CHOICES

10

DIETARY EXCHANGES

Starch: 7
Fruit: 2
Milk: 0
Vegetable: 3
Meat: 9
Fat: 5

Phase 2: Meal Plans and Sample Menu

WEEK 3 / THURSDAY

Breakfast

2 slices whole grain toast with 1 teaspoon Better Butter and 1 teaspoon jam or all-fruit spread

Snack

1 cup plain low-fat yogurt with 4 chopped dried apricots

Lunch

1 serving Farmers' Market Pasta Salad
1 cup strawberries

Snack

1 serving Candied Spiced Nuts

Dinner

1 serving Kidney Beans and Beef Chili
1 small whole grain roll with 1 teaspoon Better Butter
Chiffonade-cut savoy cabbage with 1 tablespoon Homemade Salad Dressing

Snack

1 cup honeydew melon topped with 1 tablespoon plain low-fat yogurt

DAILY ANALYSIS

Calories: 1,447
Carbohydrate: 183 grams
Protein: 64 grams
Fat: 51 grams
Saturated Fat: 12 grams
Cholesterol: 64 milligrams
Sodium: 1,486 milligrams
Fiber: 30 grams

CARBOHYDRATE CHOICES

12

DIETARY EXCHANGES

Starch: 6
Fruit: 3
Milk: 1
Vegetable: 6
Meat: 3
Fat: 7

By the Editors of Prevention

Prevention