Lighter Swordfish Old
Lighter Swordfish Old
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Best Meal Choices When Eating at a Restaurant for Diabetic's
Making good meal choices doesn't have to be hard whether it's breakfast lunch or dinner. Any type of meal offers the opportunity to select a low fat, low salt or low sugar alternative. If you're more aware of the possibilities, choosing healthy meals will allow you to keep your blood glucose levels in check.
Breakfast Meals
Any good choice for breakfast foods usually involved plenty of fiber. Combining fresh fruit or juice and hot cereals such as oatmeal or high fiber cold cereals like shredded wheat is a good way to start your day. If you're going to use milk with breakfast choose skim or 1%. If eggs are involved leave the yolks out completely or make an omelet with a ratio of one yolk for every two egg whites. Egg substitutes usually have low fat content (check the label) so these are appropriate as well.
You should try to avoid foods like quiche, fried or hash brown potatoes, pastries, doughnuts, croissants and bacon. Also, be aware of what's in your coffee or "coffee drink". Take a quick look at some of the calorie content of your favorite Starbucks drink on their website before ordering it again. It just might force you to order a regular coffee with skim milk.
Appetizers, soups and salads
Foods cooked with butter or sour cream are not nearly as healthy has raw or plain foods. This rule pretty much applies to anything but especially to salads, soups and appetizers. Carrots and celery should be a main stay in your appetizer or salads and can be enjoyed almost at all times. Choose clear soups over the cream based soups. Salsa has become the most popular condiment in the US. Substitute Salsa for high-fat dips. A crisp, cold green salad is both filling and nutritious.
On the contrary olives, nachos and avocados have lots of fat. Nuts, chips and cheese before dinner will add logs of unhealthy calories. Those fried onion appetizers are full of fat and are seriously unhealthy. Be on the lookout for sour cream dips and mayonnaise dips. They are full of fat as well.
Vegetarian food
More and more people are finding it trendy to go to vegetarian restaurants to fight their obesity. While eating vegetarian meals can help fight and prevent diabetes you have to be aware of the same types of foods as those in non-vegetarian meals. Those include foods like butter and cream based sauces and soups. Enjoy dishes that are lighter in nature and are made with grains like quinoa. Beans and lentils provide the necessary protein you need in your diet without the fat from meat.
Seafood
Most fish and other varieties of seafood are relatively low in fat and can be a healthy choice. However , even the most healthy fish can be turned into a fat filled meals by frying it. The fish that are stand out's in the low fat arena are code, bass, halibut, swordfish and tuna. Salmon is a good choice as well but is a little higher in fat content. Keep in mind that the fat in Salmon is mostly omega-3 fats which are healthy for you to eat. A couple of items to stay away from are herring, tuna in oil and anything fried.
Chinese Food
Chinese food can be enjoyed without the worries of upsetting your nutritional plan. Most of the soups on the menu will be delicious and fill you up. Stick to mostly vegetable meals with small amounts of meat in them. Fried dishes, whether they have tofu, meats, noodles or rice should be avoided. Your best bet is to go with steamed dishes. Sweet and sour pork and pot stickers are two items that should be avoided along with the almond cookies that often accompany Chinese food meals.
French Food
The old style of French food called for a lot of cream and gravy. A new style is emerging called "new cuisine" that puts more emphasis on fresh ingredients that are usually cooked in their own sauce. The "new cuisine" has revolutionized the French restaurant industry. However, there are chef who like their old ways and their food should be avoided unless you're going to share your meal with someone else.
You're better off avoiding deserts at a French restaurant but if you need something sweet ask the pastry chef for a fruit dish, like a poached pear, that is good for you and delicious.
Indian Food
Indian food has some good carbohydrate choices in rice and pita bread. Try to avoid anything made with coconut milk because of the fat content. Any mean, fish or poultry cooked in the tandoori, or baked in an oven, are fine. However, most Indian chefs like to fry many of their foods. Try to keep those fried foods to a minimum. Curries are delicious and should be enjoyed as long as they don't include coconut milk. Ghee, which is clarified butter, should be avoided. If you're looking to increase your blood glucose quickly (which you should not be) samosas and creamy dishes will do the trick. Chapatti and chicken tikka are excellent choices as they are made with many spices but very little fat.
Italian Food
When eating Italian food it's best to stick with the tomato based sauces and avoid those with a cream base. Cheesy sauces should be avoided as well. Minestrone soup is a filling soup that is filled with vegetables and low in fat. Pasta, in general, is fine as long as you sauce is not cream based. The biggest issue with pasta is that the quantity is almost always too big. Share your pasta dish or take half home with you. Avoid sausage because of the fat content if it's served with your meal. Pesto sauces are an excellent choice because most of made with very little fat. Ask the kitchen staff if they will make garlic bread with just garlic without the butter. This variety is not only delicious but a lot healthier without the butter. Avoid Caesar salads and dishes made with a lot of cheese like cheese-filled ravioli.
Mexican food
Mexican restaurants are gaining in popularity. They also offer a lot of ways to ruin your nutritional plan. Most meals at Mexican restaurants start with chips, nachos and cheese. Ask the waiter to keep them off the table. Ask for salsa, rather than guacamole as an appetizer. Anything refried should be avoided. Any dishes that are filled with cheese or sausage should be avoided a well. Better choices include chicken and rice, grilled fish and grilled chicken. Tortillas, tostados and burritos are not only delicious but can be good for you as long as you leave off the sour cream, guacamole and cheese. Portion control at a Mexican restaurant is very important as they are known for their large portions.
Thai Food
Most foods at a thai restaurant are good for anyone with diabetes. Watch those portions though. Thai restaurants love to give you more food than anyone should eat by themselves. The way Thai restaurants use their variety of spices and emphasize fish and fresh vegetables is a good example of how to eat if you're a diabetic. Watch out for those spices though… They can get you!
We've gone over some of the most popular restaurant styles in the US and pointed out some great foods that you can eat at each type of restaurant. Keep in mind that you should avoid anything cream based, butter based and cheese based and you should be ok. Also, watch those portion sizes. Nothing makes chefs happy to hear you say "That's a lot of food".
About the Author
Chris has been writing articles on the web for a little over a year now. He especially loves to research and write about fitness and health issues. Check our his latest website Bathroom Space Savers where he discusses space savers like the Over The Toilet Cabinet