Comfort Foods That Actually Help to Lower Blood Sugar
Comfort Foods That Actually Help to Lower Blood Sugar
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Having diabetes doesn't mean that you need to give up your favorite comfort foods. Here are 8 comfort food recipes that will satisfy your cravings and actually help lower your blood sugar.
There's nothing wrong with indulging in some good old-fashioned comfort food every once in a while, but when you have diabetes, you need to be more mindful of how these foods impact your blood sugar.
It's also important to keep in mind that being overly restrictive about your food choices can sometimes do more harm than good, even if you are managing blood sugar levels. Avoiding entire food groups increases the risk of nutrient deficiencies. Too much restriction can also trigger disordered eating, including overeating, binge eating, and, in more extreme cases, eating disorders like bulimia and anorexia nervosa.
All things considered, the best way to manage your blood sugar, without being too restrictive, is to honor your cravings in a healthy and balanced way. One of the easiest ways to do that is by incorporating healthier versions of your favorite comfort foods into your regular mealtime rotation. Here are eight of the best healthy comfort foods to eat, according to this dietitian.
1. Chili
Chili is one of my favorite cold-weather comfort foods, and it's also a great option for people who have diabetes because it's loaded with key nutrients that help lower blood sugar.
Let's start with fiber. Fiber is an indigestible carbohydrate found in a variety of whole foods. It helps lower blood sugar by slowing down digestion and preventing blood sugar spikes. Countless research studies have shown that people who eat high-fiber diets have a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and lower fasting and long-term blood sugar levels.
Beans are one of the best sources of fiber, with the average 1-cup serving containing about 15 grams of fiber. Since beans are the main ingredient in chili, it's a great option for a high-fiber comfort food. You can get an even greater blood sugar-lowering effect from eating chili if you add some protein from ground meat or plain Greek yogurt and healthy fats like guacamole.
As an added bonus, the tomatoes in chili are a great source of antioxidants like carotenoids, which are associated with a decreased risk of type 2 diabetes.
Here's my favorite healthy turkey chili recipe, and check out our other healthy chili recipes!
2. Lasagna
Lasagna may be a delicious Italian comfort food staple, but it's not a great choice if you're trying to manage your blood sugar. Since noodles are the primary ingredient in lasagna, this dish tends to be high in refined carbohydrates and low in fiber.
Using zucchini instead of traditional lasagna noodles transforms the nutritional profile of lasagna completely. Just one serving of traditional lasagna noodles packs about 42 grams of carbohydrates and only 2 grams of fiber. Zucchini, on the other hand, has about 4 grams of carbs and 2 grams of fiber per 1-cup serving. As you can see, using zucchini in place of pasta takes the carb count way down without sacrificing flavor! Adding some ground meat to the recipe increases protein, and tomatoes and fresh basil help boost antioxidant content. Try this zucchini lasagna recipe the next time that pasta craving hits!
3. Spaghetti and Meatballs
One 2-ounce serving of regular spaghetti has about 42 grams of carbohydrates, 7 grams of protein, and 3 grams of fiber. The big problem here is this—who truly has one 2-ounce serving of spaghetti? More common serving sizes are unfortunately about two to three times the appropriate amount—which can have a dramatic impact on your blood sugar. Go for whole-wheat pasta to up the fiber content and try bulking up a serving with veggies, lean meatballs, or beans to help up the fiber and protein content even more to create an ultra-satisfying meal.
Also, I love using spaghetti squash as a substitute for regular pasta—it doesn't feel or taste like a healthy swap. When cooked properly, spaghetti squash truly has the taste and texture of real spaghetti, but it's way more nutrient-dense and lower in carbohydrates than regular pasta.
By replacing the pasta with spaghetti squash, we're getting less than a quarter of the carbohydrates than we would be getting from regular spaghetti. As an added bonus, you're getting a much better nutritional value. Two cups of spaghetti squash contain about 15% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C and about 25% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin B6.
Try out this spaghetti squash and meatballs recipe to satisfy your comfort food cravings.
4. Mac and Cheese
Cauliflower is all the rage right now for a reason—it's delicious, super versatile, and a fabulous substitution for pasta if you're keeping an eye out for your blood sugar. Mac and cheese is a comfort food staple, but unfortunately it's also very high in calories. The pasta adds a hefty amount of carbs, and the butter, cheese, and cream add a great deal of fat.
Oftentimes, weight and blood sugar go hand in hand. Research shows that losing weight—even as little as 5% of your body weight—can help improve blood sugar levels. Swapping out pasta for cauliflower is a super-smart thing to do if you're trying to watch your calories. One cup of cooked elbow-shaped pasta has about 200 calories and 42 grams of carbs, whereas 1 cup of cauliflower has about 25 calories and 4 grams of carbs.
Of course you could make it a little healthier by using whole-wheat pasta, adding veggies, and using just the right amount of cheese, like we do in this Spinach-Tomato Macaroni & Cheese, but again, are we really sticking to 1 cup?
What's more, cauliflower packs a stronger nutritional punch than pasta. In addition to the lower carb count, 2 cups of cauliflower contain nearly 60% of the daily recommended amount of vitamin C. In addition, it contains about 4 grams of fiber, which will slow its digestion, causing the sugar to enter the bloodstream at a much slower rate.
Try this Cauliflower Mac & Cheese recipe the next time you want to cozy up with a big bowl of cheesy pasta goodness.
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