Top 20 Power Foods for Diabetes

I had been showing  articles from Diabetic Living On Line on 15 Foods that were bad for Diabetes and now I'll be showing articles on the Top 20 Power Foods for Diabetes and some healthy recipes along with it. All from: http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/

By Lori Brookhart-Schervish; Contributing writer Marsha McCulloch, RD; Reviewed by Connie Crawley, RD, LD, 2009

Including these extra-healthy power foods in your diet will help you meet your nutritional needs as well as lower your risk of diabetes complications such as heart disease. Of course, the foods on this list shouldn't be the only foods you eat, but incorporating some or all into your diabetes meal plan will help improve your overall health.

Are These Power Foods in Your Diet?

If you already follow a healthful meal plan filled with whole grains, fresh fruits and veggies, and lean protein, congratulations! You're on your way to a long, healthy life and are taking a major step in controlling your weight and blood glucose levels. Plus, you're probably already eating a bunch of the foods on this list.

For those who are taking the baby-steps approach to eating better, this list is even more helpful. Not only are these power foods high in fiber, antioxidants, and vitamins and minerals, they're also familiar and easy to find. That means you don't have to hunt down any exotic ingredients or shop at specialty grocery stores to find foods that will help you get on track with a healthful meal plan.

#17 Soy

Often used as a substitute for animal products, soy is an excellent power food to incorporate in your diet, even if you aren't a vegetarian. Soy can be eaten in whole bean form, such as baby green soybeans called edamame, which is the highest in protein. Other soy products include soy milk or cheese, tofu, soy nuts, or vegetarian meatless products.

Soy is also a source of niacin, folate, zinc, potassium, iron, and alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), a fatty acid that can be converted into omega-3 fatty acids, known to help lower cholesterol. All of these nutrients serve important functions in the body:

    * Niacin is a B vitamin that aids in converting food into energy.
    * Folate may help lower homocysteine levels linked to heart disease.
    * Zinc, found naturally in foods or supplemented in foods or vitamins, may be lower in people with diabetes and may help improve immune function and wound healing, according to the National Institutes of Health Office of Dietary Supplements.
    * Potassium may help lower blood pressure and is essential for the water balance between the cells and body fluids, such as electrolyte balance, according to the American Heart Association.
    * Iron oxygenates the blood and body and helps keep a healthy immune system.

Check with a health-care professional before increasing potassium intake if you have kidney complications or kidney disease.

Serving sizes depend on whether soy is consumed in food or drink. Read the food label for specific serving sizes on individual items.

Crispy Tofu and Vegetables
SERVINGS: 4 servings
CARB GRAMS PER SERVING: 15

1     12- to 16-ounce package light, reduced-fat, or regular extra-firm tub-style tofu (fresh bean curd), drained
3     tablespoons reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce or soy sauce
2     cups fresh snow pea pods (8 ounces)
1/4     cup yellow cornmeal
1/8     teaspoon ground red pepper
2     teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1     medium red sweet pepper, cut into thin strips
1     medium yellow sweet pepper, cut into thin strips
8      green onions, cut into 2-inch pieces
2     teaspoons cooking oil
1     tablespoon white or black sesame seed, toasted (optional)

1. Cut tofu crosswise into eight 1/2-inch-thick slices. Arrange slices in a single layer in a 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Pour 2 tablespoons of the teriyaki sauce over tofu; turn slices to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes.

2. Remove strings and tips from pea pods; cut in half. Set pea pods aside. In a shallow dish combine cornmeal and ground red pepper. Drain tofu, discarding marinade. Carefully dip tofu slices in cornmeal mixture; press gently to coat both sides. Set tofu slices aside.

3. Pour 1 teaspoon of the sesame oil into a large nonstick skillet. Preheat over medium-high heat. Stir-fry sweet pepper strips for 2 minutes. Add pea pods and green onions; stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes more or until crisp-tender.

4. Remove skillet from heat; stir in the remaining 1 tablespoon teriyaki sauce. Transfer vegetable mixture to a serving platter; cover and keep warm. Wipe skillet clean.

5. In the same skillet heat the remaining 1 teaspoon sesame oil and the cooking oil over medium heat. Cook the coated tofu slices for 2-1/2 to 3 minutes on each side or until crisp and golden brown, using a spatula to turn carefully. Serve tofu slices over vegetable mixture. If desired, sprinkle with sesame seed. Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

    * Servings: 4 servings
    * Calories151
    * Total Fat (g)6
    * Saturated Fat (g)1
    * Sodium (mg)473
    * Carbohydrate (g)15
    * Fiber (g)3
    * Protein (g)9
    * Vitamin C (DV%)196
    * Calcium (DV%)6
    * Iron (DV%)14