The more overweight one is the greater the risk of contracting type 2 diabetes. Only a combination of regular exercise and a healthy diet can help a person keep diabetes in check. And when it comes to dietary control, eating a nutritious meal at dinnertime is very important.
Healthy dinner for type 2 diabetes
If you are just starting out trying to establish dietary control over your dinnertime meal, it is advisable that you don’t make any drastic changes. Try to adjust the existing meals you eat to be more diabetic-friendly. This includes reducing the quantity of salt in the meal, adding extra vegetables, cutting down portion size, avoiding too much fat, and so on. Doing so will go a long way in helping you control your type 2 diabetes during the initial days after diagnosis.
“Your favourite recipes and meals can usually be adapted to be healthier without you noticing too much difference. Making any of these changes would certainly help, but there is no need to go over the top and radically change everything in the early days after your diabetes diagnosis — it makes it much harder to stick to in the longer term,” Express quotes advice by Diabetes UK.
Once you are okay with the adjusted diet and feel confident that you can eat any meal during dinnertime without feeling uncomfortable about it, try out some of these recommendations.
Crab cakes
At just 100 calories, crab cakes are a perfect dish for dinner. Usually, crab cakes are fried. But since you are aiming to cut down on fats, you should avoid frying. Bake them instead.
Mexican shrimp
This is a yummy dish that will add some nice flavor to your dinnertime meals. But instead of adding salt, try adding in some lime juice and lemon pepper seasoning. Alternatively, you can use vinegar to get the tangy punch. Use as little butter as you can. Adding in some cilantro as a garnish is also recommended.
Spaghetti and meatballs
If you like spaghetti and meatballs, then make a few modifications to your recipe by using lean bison meat with some green vegetables added in to make the meatballs. When using pasta sauce, ensure that you only use brands that are low in sodium content. And instead of regular bread, include multigrain bread, since it is a healthier option.
Type 2 diabetes-friendly food items
It is also necessary to know which food items will help you in controlling blood sugar levels so that you can add them to your dinnertime meal.
Green vegetables
Eating green veggies every day is a must for people with type 2 diabetes. Roast some kale leaves in olive oil to get crunchy chips, or you can create a green salad by mixing up some leafy vegetables.
Legumes and beans
Things like lentils, dried beans, peas, etc., are great options to help you manage weight. Since they tend to fill you up pretty quickly, you won’t feel the need to eat too much food. As a consequence, the risk of overeating and subsequent blood sugar problems are also minimized.
Protein
Eating foods rich in protein is also a good way to keep hunger in check. Excellent sources of protein include eggs, cheese, Greek yogurt, and lean meats. When using cheese, check the sodium level and make sure it is low.
