Tips for a Diabetes-Friendly Thanksgiving · Conway Medical Center (2024)

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Tips for a Diabetes-Friendly Thanksgiving · Conway Medical Center? ›

Focus on loading your plate up with the foods that are good for you: Go heavy on the roasted turkey, vegetables, and your diabetes-friendly dish. And go lighter on the high-carb options like stuffing and rolls. Skip the liquid sugars. Alcohol and soda have a lot of sneaky carbohydrates and sugars.

Non-starchy veggies should fill half of your plate (plus, the veggies will add festive color to your meal!) and lean protein, like turkey or plant-based proteins, should fill one quarter. Finally, fill up the last quarter of your plate with carbohydrates (carbs), such as mashed potatoes or whole grains.

Be careful with your intake and portion sizes of high-carb sides and desserts. Stuffing is made up mostly of bread, of course you may have this staple Thanksgiving side item but it is important to limit yourself to a smaller serving.

Experts advise people who are following a low or very low carbohydrate eating plan to avoid packaged and fast foods, sugary snacks, and white bread, pasta, and rice. Whole grain bread, pasta, and rice are often good alternatives to more processed grain foods.

1. Legumes. Studies have shown that protein-rich legumes can help reduce your blood sugar response to meals you eat later in the day. There's also evidence that following a low-GI diet rich in legumes may reduce blood sugar levels for people with type 2 diabetes and improve blood sugar control.

Nuts can make a simple snack. Most are safe to eat raw, and they are available in many grocery stores. People with diabetes should avoid salted varieties.

Water is the best all-round drink. If your family likes flavoured waters, make your own by adding a squeeze of lemon or lime, or strawberries.

What is the best bedtime drink for diabetics? ›

One study on people who have type 2 diabetes (which means the body has trouble using insulin properly) found that drinking ACV every night before bed reduced their resting blood sugar levels in the morning. This is likely due to the acetic acid in vinegar, which has an antiglycemic effect.

Drinking water is an excellent way to stay hydrated without consuming sugar. Green tea, cow's milk, and fermented milk (kefir) could also help you manage your blood sugar responses. Coffee also contains compounds that may help regulate blood sugar, but confirming this requires more research.

While deli turkey is not the best choice, unprocessed turkey breast without the skin is great. Turkey breast has almost no fat to speak of, and no saturated fat. It's an extremely low calorie protein option full of niacin and selenium.

Ground turkey transforms into burgers, soups and more to create a dinner that's low in saturated fat, sodium and calories. Recipes like Pita Panzanella Salad with Meatballs and Italian-Style Turkey & Penne Skillet make eating for a diabetes-appropriate diet delicious and satisfying.

Eating a carbohydrate-rich breakfast followed by a substantial lunch and a small dinner — the so-called "three-meal diet" (3Mdiet) — promotes weight loss and significantly improves glucose control in type 2 diabetes, a randomized, controlled trial suggests.

Diabetes. To help people manage diabetes, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends balancing portions of non-starchy vegetables, carbohydrates, and protein for each meal while reducing sodium, added sugars, and unhealthy fats. Blue Apron offers a selection of meals suitable for people with diabetes.