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.
#20 Yogurt
Yogurt is a sweet treat that is creamy, delicious, and good for you. An excellent source of calcium, which helps promote the health of bones and teeth as well as muscle and blood vessel function, yogurt is also a good source of energy-boosting vitamin B2 (riboflavin) and protein. It also provides zinc, which can be deficient in some people with diabetes and aids in immune function and wound healing. Probiotic yogurt contains health-promoting bacteria that some research has proposed is beneficial for digestive health, including lactose intolerance and irritable bowel syndrome. Yogurt's live cultures may also benefit immunity and improve cholesterol, according 101 Foods That Could Save Your Life (Bantam Books, 2008).
There are different yogurts to choose from on the market, including Greek yogurt, which is thicker than regular yogurt because it is strained before being packaged.
"I look for 2 percent and nonfat varieties, which have only 8 grams of carb," says Diabetic Living editor Kelly Rawlings, PWD type 1. "My favorite way to make it into a dessert: Add a zero-calorie sweetener (or a teaspoon of honey, if you can afford the carbs), a few nuts or sunflower kernels, and a sprinkle of whatever spices sound good: cinnamon, cardamom, ginger, etc. It's smooth, creamy, a little tangy, and feels really indulgent!"
One serving of 2 percent Greek yogurt is 6 ounces.
Raspberry-Mint Swirl Cheesecake
This diabetic-friendly cheesecake skips the crust and mixes yogurt cheese with the usual cream cheese to decrease fat.
SERVINGS: 12 (1 slice and 1 1/2 tablespoons) servings
CARB GRAMS PER SERVING: 20
5 cups plain low-fat or fat-free yogurt*
3-3/4 teaspoons unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup fat-free milk
2 sprigs fresh mint
1 cup fresh red raspberries
3 tablespoons sugar or sugar substitute** equivalent to 3 tablespoons sugar
1 8-ounce package reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufch¿¿tel), softened
1/3 cup sugar or sugar substitute** equivalent to 1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 recipe Raspberry Sauce (below)
Fresh raspberries (optional)
Fresh mint leaves (optional)
1. For yogurt cheese: Line a yogurt strainer, sieve, or a small colander with three layers of 100-percent-cotton cheesecloth or a clean paper coffee filter. Suspend lined strainer, sieve, or colander over a large bowl. Spoon yogurt into the strainer, sieve, or colander. Cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 24 hours. Remove from refrigerator. Discard liquid. Set yogurt cheese aside.
2. In a small saucepan, sprinkle 2 1/2 teaspoons of the gelatin over the milk; let stand for 5 minutes. Bruise mint sprigs by pressing with the back of a spoon; add to saucepan. Heat and stir milk mixture over low heat just until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat. Cool for 15 minutes. Remove and discard mint sprigs; set aside.
3. Place the 1 cup raspberries in a food processor or blender. Cover and process or blend until smooth. Transfer raspberry puree to another small saucepan. Stir in the 3 tablespoons sugar. Sprinkle remaining 1-1/4 teaspoons gelatin over raspberry mixture; let stand for 5 minutes. Heat and stir raspberry mixture over low heat just until gelatin is dissolved. Remove from heat; cover and chill for 15 minutes.
4. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in yogurt cheese, the 1/3 cup sugar, and the vanilla until smooth. Gradually beat in milk mixture. Add 1/2 cup of the cream cheese mixture to the raspberry mixture; stir until well mixed. Set aside.
5. Spoon half of the the white cream cheese mixture into a 7- to 8-inch springform pan. Spoon half of the raspberry mixture into mounds over white cream cheese mixture. Using a narrow, thin-bladed metal spatula or a table knife, swirl raspberry mixture into white mixture. Repeat layering remaining white cream cheese mixture and raspberry mixture. Cover and chill for 24 hours.
6. To serve, using a small sharp knife, loosen cheesecake from side of springform pan; remove side of pan. Cut cheesecake into wedges. Drizzle Raspberry Sauce on twelve dessert plates. Place cheesecake wedges atop sauce on plates. If desired, garnish with fresh raspberries and fresh mint leaves. Makes 12 (1 slice and 1 1/2 tablespoons) servings.
Nutrition Facts Per Serving:
* Servings: 12 (1 slice and 1 1/2 tablespoons) servings
* Calories169
* Total Fat (g)6
* Saturated Fat (g)4
* Cholesterol (mg)21
* Sodium (mg)153
* Carbohydrate (g)20
* Fiber (g)2
* Protein (g)9
Diabetic Exchanges
* Milk (d.e.).5
* Other Carbohydrates (d.e.)1
* Fat (d.e.)1
http://www.diabeticlivingonline.com/
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