A Few Thoughts about Eating and Cooking When You Have Diabetes
No matter what the latest diet fad is, people with diabetes must always focus on carbohydrates, because carbohydrates raise blood sugar. Choosing the right foods, exercising every day (such as walking), and taking diabetes medications are the three things these people do to balance their blood sugar levels and stay healthy. (Actually, the first two are what we all should do to stay healthy!)
What Exactly is a Carbohydrate?
Now, you may have been cooking all your life and still not be sure what a carbohydrate (carb) is. Our mothers and grandmothers showed us how to design a meal, and this is still pretty much the way we fill a plate:
meat
starch (rice, pasta, potato, squash, corn, peas, beans) -- carb
vegetable
salad
bread -- carb
milk, water, tea -- carb
dessert (fruit, cake, ice cream, etc.) -- carb
You see carbohydrates (carb) in the starches (rice, pasta, potato, squash, corn, peas, or beans), in the bread and milk, the sugar in your tea, and the dessert (including fruit). These are foods we all like to eat, and none of us can -- or should -- go for more than about two weeks without carbohydrates in our meals. We need the nutrients that come in carbohydrate foods, which are our body's favorite fuel. The trick is in choosing which ones, because today we have so many choices that our grandmothers didn't have.
Why Vegetables Work for You
There are a few carbs in the vegetables and salad on your plate. Green leafy, red, and orange vegetables -- everything but the starchy potatoes, squash, corn, peas, and beans -- have carbohydrates. But they don't have much, so you can have second and third helpings before your blood sugar is affected. Don't forget that vegetables are also a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals -- and that's great for your health.
Vegetables also have fiber, which slows down digestion of your food, which in turn slows down the rise in your blood sugar. (Can you see that vegetables really are the stars of the dinner plate?) Eating foods with fiber keeps your body working well. Simply put, these are the qualities within carbs that your body prefers, whether it is a whole grain, fruit, or vegetable. These foods come to you straight from the farmer's field, so they contain lots of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Some whole grains to look for are slow-cooking oats (sometimes called "rolled oats"), whole wheat flour, stone-ground cornmeal, and brown rice.
Watch Out for These!
Other carbs are part of the bread, starch, drink, or dessert categories, but they have traveled far from the farmer's field before getting to you. Processed grains, such as white flour and white rice, have had their germ, bran, and fiber removed. That takes out a lot of their natural vitamins and minerals, so the food manufacturer puts some artificial vitamins back in. You can read the names of these artificial vitamins on the food labels attached to the packages containing breads, cookies, and other products. Because they don't have fiber, these carbs are digested quickly, raising blood sugar more quickly, too.
Chips, cookies, and desserts are carb foods that also contain fat. Fat slows down digestion, so it helps balance the blood sugar spike caused by white flour and white sugar. But some fats are better for you than others. Most processed foods contain fats called "trans fats" that are found in the "hydrogenated vegetable oil" listed on the ingredients label. We are learning that trans fats may be the worst of the saturated fats, so food processors are starting to use other fats in their products.
Good Fats
Research shows that we all need to eat some fat every day. Our bodies just don't work right without fats. So which fats are best for your health? You probably have heard that you shouldn't eat a lot of solid fats, such as margarine, butter, marbled meat, or cheese. Vegetable oils are better, and olive oil and canola oil are the best oils because they contain balanced amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fats. These fats are important for your heart and blood vessels (which is why you should eat more fish and freshly ground flaxseeds).
Processed foods contain a lot of omega-6 fats, but almost no omega-3 fats. You need balance. You find balance and good fats in nuts; avocados; olives; nut butters; olive and canola oils; and sesame, pumpkin, flax, and sunflower seeds. In fact, you might try a handful or two of raw almonds as a part of your daily "bread."
Remember:
Good carb choices: whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Good fat choices: olive oil, avocados, fish, nuts, and seeds.
--American Diabetes Association
------------------------------
Mile-High Shredded Beef Sandwiches
Miriam Christophel
Battle Creek, MI
Mary Seielstad
Sparks, NV
Makes 8 servings
(Ideal slow cooker size: 4-quart)
3 lb. chuck roast, or round steak, trimmed of fat
2 Tbsp. oil
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup sliced celery
2 cups lower-sodium, 98%-fat-free beef broth
1 garlic clove
3/4 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. chili powder
3 drops Tabasco sauce
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1. In skillet brown both sides of meat in oil. Add onions and celery and sauté briefly. Transfer to slow cooker. Add broth.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours, or until tender. Remove meat from cooker and cool. Shred beef.
3. Remove vegetables from cooker and drain, reserving 11/2 cups broth. Combine vegetables and meat.
4. Return shredded meat and vegetables to cooker. Add broth and remaining ingredients and combine well.
5. Cover. Cook on High 1 hour. Remove bay leaf.
6. Pile into 8 sandwich rolls and serve.
Exchange List Values: Carbohydrate 1.0, Meat, lean 3.0
Basic Nutritional Values: Calories 239 (Calories from Fat 88), Total Fat 10 gm (Saturated Fat 2.4 gm, Polyunsat Fat 1.3 gm, Monounsat Fat 4.6 gm, Cholesterol 73 mg), Sodium 444 mg, Total Carbohydrate 12 gm, Dietary Fiber 1 gm, Sugars 8 gm, Protein 25 gm
-------------------------------
Ann's Boston Baked Beans
Ann Driscoll
Albuquerque, MN
Makes 20 side dish servings
(Ideal slow cooker size: 4-5-quart)
1 cup raisins
2 small onions, diced
2 tart apples, unpeeled, diced
1 cup chili sauce
1 cup chopped extra-lean, reduced-sodium ham
1 lb. 15-oz. can baked beans
2 141/2-oz. cans baked beans, no-added-salt
3 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
1. Mix together all ingredients.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours.
Exchange List Values: Starch 1.0, Fruit 0.5, Carbohydrate 0.5
Basic Nutritional Values: Calories 148 (Calories from Fat 6), Total Fat 1 gm (Saturated Fat 0.1 gm, Polyunsat Fat 0.2 gm, Monounsat Fat 0.1 gm, Cholesterol 3 mg), Sodium 443 mg, Total Carbohydrate 32 gm, Dietary Fiber 6 gm, Sugars 16 gm, Protein 6 gm
------------------------------
Seven Layer Bars
Mary W. Stauffer
Ephrata, PA
Makes 18 servings
(ideal slow cooker size: 4-5-quart)
2 Tbsp. light, soft tub margarine, melted
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. butterscotch chips
1/4 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1. Layer ingredients in a bread or cake pan that fits in your slow cooker, in the order listed. Do not stir.
2. Cover and bake on High 2-3 hours, or until firm. Remove pan and uncover. Let stand 5 minutes.
3. Unmold carefully on plate and cool.
Exchange List Values: Carbohydrate 0.5, Fat 1.0
Basic Nutritional Values: Calories 87 (Calories from Fat 42), Total Fat 5 gm (Saturated Fat 1.4 gm, Polyunsat Fat 0.9 gm, Monounsat Fat 2.3 gm, Cholesterol 0 mg), Sodium 37 mg, Total Carbohydrate 11 gm, Dietary Fiber 1 gm, Sugars 9 gm, Protein 1 gm
Reprinted from Fix-It and Forget-It Diabetic Cookbook: Slow Cooker Favorites -- to include Everyone!. Copyright by Good Books (www.goodbks.com). Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Author's Bio
Phyllis Pellman Good is a New York Times bestselling author whose books have sold more than 7 million copies.
Good also authored the New York Times bestselling Fix-It and Forget-It Lightly: Healthy, Low-Fat Recipes for your Slow Cooker. She co-authored the national #1 bestselling cookbook (with Dawn J. Ranck) Fix-It and Forget-It Cookbook: Feasting with your Slow Cooker, which appeared on The New York Times Best Sellers list, as well as the best seller lists of USA Today, Publishers Weekly, and Book Sense. In addition, Good authored Fix-It and Forget-It Recipes for Entertaining: Slow Cooker Favorites for All the Year Round, also in the series (with Ranck).
Good's other cookbooks include The Best of Amish Cooking, The Best of Mennonite Fellowship Meals, The Central Market Cookbook, and Favorite Recipes with Herbs.
Phyllis Pellman Good is Senior Editor at Good Books. She received her B.A. and M.A. in English from New York University. She and her husband, Merle, live in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. They are the parents of two young-adult daughters.
For a complete listing of books by Phyllis Pellman Good, as well as excerpts and reviews, visit www.goodbks.com.
The American Diabetes Association is the nation's leading voluntary health organization supporting diabetes research, information, and advocacy. Its mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. The American Diabetes Association is the leading publisher of comprehensive diabetes information. Its huge library of practical and authoritative books for people with diabetes covers every aspect of self-care cooking and nutrition, fitness, weight control, medications, complications, emotional issues, and general self-care.
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Buying A Unique Wedding Gift
Your best friend’s wedding is coming up and you have to buy a gift. You don’t really want to get them a blender or a vacuum cleaner or a set of dishes. You could just give them money, but that seems so impersonal, albeit useful. What do you do to find a truly unique wedding gift that will stand out from the throngs of average and mundane gifts that seem to populate weddings? A wedding gift should be something that is useful to the new couple as well as thoughtful. The first step to buying any wedding gift should be to check the store where the couple is registered, if they are at all. This will tell you what has already been purchased and what they still need. To be truly unique, however, your gift will be something that no one else will even consider getting them. Food processors and sets of towels are out of the question. Your unique wedding gift will be something astounding, amazing, and thoughtful. But what will it be? Here are some things that are perfectly appropriate as wedding gifts but are not often given. Any of them will be sure to speak to the couple and say that you cared enough to give something very different.
Artwork
A very unique wedding gift, artwork is something for the couple’s new home together but can also be very personal. This is an option that should be seriously considered before being purchased, because art is very subjective. Something that you love could be something they hate. This is also the type of gift that you need to be prepared to spend some money on. An oil painting from the local gallery blowout for ten bucks is not going to cut it. Artwork as a wedding gift should be an artist’s original and that will cost a few hundred dollars at the very least. If the couple has a favorite classical artist, however, a lower cost option could be a framed print of one of that artist’s works.
Gift Certificates
A gift certificate can be a very thoughtful and unique wedding gift, as long as what the certificate is for is something thoughtful and unique. You don’t want a simple department store gift certificate here. Find a gift that can be something tailored to suit the personalities of the couple. Are they the active, outdoors type? Try a gift certificate good for a camping trip in a national park. Maybe they are extreme sports freaks? If so a gift certificate for skydiving lessons or parasailing may be the perfect thing.
These are just a couple of examples of the special and unique wedding gifts you can come up with if you just put your mind to it. With a little bit of creativity and thoughtfulness, you can give a wedding gift that will stand out from all the others and put all the blender buyers and gravy boat givers to shame.
Artwork
A very unique wedding gift, artwork is something for the couple’s new home together but can also be very personal. This is an option that should be seriously considered before being purchased, because art is very subjective. Something that you love could be something they hate. This is also the type of gift that you need to be prepared to spend some money on. An oil painting from the local gallery blowout for ten bucks is not going to cut it. Artwork as a wedding gift should be an artist’s original and that will cost a few hundred dollars at the very least. If the couple has a favorite classical artist, however, a lower cost option could be a framed print of one of that artist’s works.
Gift Certificates
A gift certificate can be a very thoughtful and unique wedding gift, as long as what the certificate is for is something thoughtful and unique. You don’t want a simple department store gift certificate here. Find a gift that can be something tailored to suit the personalities of the couple. Are they the active, outdoors type? Try a gift certificate good for a camping trip in a national park. Maybe they are extreme sports freaks? If so a gift certificate for skydiving lessons or parasailing may be the perfect thing.
These are just a couple of examples of the special and unique wedding gifts you can come up with if you just put your mind to it. With a little bit of creativity and thoughtfulness, you can give a wedding gift that will stand out from all the others and put all the blender buyers and gravy boat givers to shame.
Choosing Top Quality Seafood
You order an expensive meal of fresh grouper at your local restaurant or choose a gorgeous salmon from the market. Did you get what you ordered or a something else?
Americans have been shocked recently to learn that in many cases, meals at even top quality restaurants may contain counterfeit seafood. This story first arose in 2004 when the periodical Nature reported on cases of fish in restaurants being marketed as red snapper while the meals were actually any number of fish. Some months later The New York Times reported on cases of farm raised fish being intentionally mislabeled as wild salmon. Media across the USA and other countries did independent tests and found case after case of fish labeled as red snapper, salmon and other sought after species to be anything but the genuine product. An investigation by Florida's St. Petersburg Times published in August 2006 found substituted fish to actually be catfish, pollock, hake, tilapia and others.
The highly respected magazine Consumer Reports did testing and found rampant cases of salmon misrepresentation. This typically involves farm raised salmon being sold as wild caught fish. The problem is worldwide. For instance, wild salmon sold in the UK have proven to be farmed. In one case tests showed that about 10% of the wild salmon samples were actually farmed fish.
Substitution and mis-labeling is not limited to finned fish. Other seafood items such as lobster suffer from similar controversies. One organization that has been vocal about lobster is the Maine Lobster Promotion Council. Seafood labeled as lobster are sometimes actually a crustacean called langostino. The Maine Lobster Promotion Council and other organizations are quick to point out that lower quality, frozen import products can hurt the reputation of the premium American lobster when consumers see "lobster" on the menu and associate a mediocre meal with the image of a fresh American lobster product.
Shrimp are another item where one name gets applied to many species. In the USA alone, native wild shrimp include white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus), brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus), pink shrimp (Penaeus duorarum), royal red shrimp (Pleoticus robustus or Hymenopenaeus robustus) and rock shrimp (Sicyonia brevirostris).
While quality seafood suppliers may offer one or more of these products fresh, consumers find any number of products to be market simply as "shrimp". The majority of shrimp sold in the USA are imported farm raised product. Obviously appearance, freshness, taste and health factors can vary between fresh local shrimp and a processed product of unknown origin, makeup and age. As a consumer, how do we get what we pay for and expect? Much of problem goes back to reputation and being a smart shopper. A reputable market or restaurant may be able to verify that the seafood it sells is actually what it is labeled as. Many restaurant owners are aware of counterfeit seafood products and have improved quality control in their buying practices. Consumers can increase their odds of getting quality seafood by learning how to identify and judge seafood. Another great way to enjoy top grade seafood is to buy direct from the harvester, either locally or online. Several seafood processors sell fish, crabs, lobsters, oysters and other seafood that is basically right off the boat. Seafood lovers can buy either wild caught or farm raised products and feel confident that they are getting the genuine item. The same goes for some of the smaller local seafood markets where the store owner has a one on one relationship with local commercial fishermen. While bargain hunting is tempting, taking a few minutes to shop around and perhaps pay a little more can really make the difference in terms of taste and enjoyment.
Americans have been shocked recently to learn that in many cases, meals at even top quality restaurants may contain counterfeit seafood. This story first arose in 2004 when the periodical Nature reported on cases of fish in restaurants being marketed as red snapper while the meals were actually any number of fish. Some months later The New York Times reported on cases of farm raised fish being intentionally mislabeled as wild salmon. Media across the USA and other countries did independent tests and found case after case of fish labeled as red snapper, salmon and other sought after species to be anything but the genuine product. An investigation by Florida's St. Petersburg Times published in August 2006 found substituted fish to actually be catfish, pollock, hake, tilapia and others.
The highly respected magazine Consumer Reports did testing and found rampant cases of salmon misrepresentation. This typically involves farm raised salmon being sold as wild caught fish. The problem is worldwide. For instance, wild salmon sold in the UK have proven to be farmed. In one case tests showed that about 10% of the wild salmon samples were actually farmed fish.
Substitution and mis-labeling is not limited to finned fish. Other seafood items such as lobster suffer from similar controversies. One organization that has been vocal about lobster is the Maine Lobster Promotion Council. Seafood labeled as lobster are sometimes actually a crustacean called langostino. The Maine Lobster Promotion Council and other organizations are quick to point out that lower quality, frozen import products can hurt the reputation of the premium American lobster when consumers see "lobster" on the menu and associate a mediocre meal with the image of a fresh American lobster product.
Shrimp are another item where one name gets applied to many species. In the USA alone, native wild shrimp include white shrimp (Litopenaeus setiferus), brown shrimp (Farfantepenaeus aztecus), pink shrimp (Penaeus duorarum), royal red shrimp (Pleoticus robustus or Hymenopenaeus robustus) and rock shrimp (Sicyonia brevirostris).
While quality seafood suppliers may offer one or more of these products fresh, consumers find any number of products to be market simply as "shrimp". The majority of shrimp sold in the USA are imported farm raised product. Obviously appearance, freshness, taste and health factors can vary between fresh local shrimp and a processed product of unknown origin, makeup and age. As a consumer, how do we get what we pay for and expect? Much of problem goes back to reputation and being a smart shopper. A reputable market or restaurant may be able to verify that the seafood it sells is actually what it is labeled as. Many restaurant owners are aware of counterfeit seafood products and have improved quality control in their buying practices. Consumers can increase their odds of getting quality seafood by learning how to identify and judge seafood. Another great way to enjoy top grade seafood is to buy direct from the harvester, either locally or online. Several seafood processors sell fish, crabs, lobsters, oysters and other seafood that is basically right off the boat. Seafood lovers can buy either wild caught or farm raised products and feel confident that they are getting the genuine item. The same goes for some of the smaller local seafood markets where the store owner has a one on one relationship with local commercial fishermen. While bargain hunting is tempting, taking a few minutes to shop around and perhaps pay a little more can really make the difference in terms of taste and enjoyment.
Great Gifts for Wedding Couples
Weddings happen any time of the year and when a family member, friend, relative or a person close to us is getting married, we sometimes feel the pressure of choosing the best gift to give to the betrothed couple. It surely is fun and a special event to look forward to but buying gifts for the wedding is somehow an expensive undertaking. Some of us are wondering how we can give our friends or loved ones a good present which they will appreciate and would also be within our price range.
Common gifts are usually kitchenware such as pots and pans or expensive cookware set, kitchen electronics like toasters, coffeemakers, food processors, etc. , luxury bath towels and bath accessories, gardening equipment and supplies. For some people who can spend much more for a gift, they would even give the newly weds a time to de-stress and pamper themselves for spa treatments or even a gift certificate for a luxurious resort. It really depends on what you would like to convey about your wedding gift. It’s up to you if you want it to be a sentimental reminder of the newly weds’ special day or if you want your gift to be fun and unique.
But we don’t really have to spend a lot for the gift because we can keep our costs to a minimum by being creative and by shopping smart. If you are the type of person who has a knack for creating handicrafts or any art work, then making a personalized gift would surely be a good option. There are times that the gift we intend to give is way out of our budget, then we could ask our other friends to share the cost and by doing so, all of you will have that thing as a group gift. Skills can also be offered as a wedding gift just like when you are good in organizing events, you can offer your service as one of the wedding coordinators. When you don’t have any skill to offer or money to spend for the gift, then you can look for things in your house which you have bought before but never used at all and make that as your wedding gift. It may not sound very nice but I think it would still boil down to the saying, “It’s the thought that counts.”
Common gifts are usually kitchenware such as pots and pans or expensive cookware set, kitchen electronics like toasters, coffeemakers, food processors, etc. , luxury bath towels and bath accessories, gardening equipment and supplies. For some people who can spend much more for a gift, they would even give the newly weds a time to de-stress and pamper themselves for spa treatments or even a gift certificate for a luxurious resort. It really depends on what you would like to convey about your wedding gift. It’s up to you if you want it to be a sentimental reminder of the newly weds’ special day or if you want your gift to be fun and unique.
But we don’t really have to spend a lot for the gift because we can keep our costs to a minimum by being creative and by shopping smart. If you are the type of person who has a knack for creating handicrafts or any art work, then making a personalized gift would surely be a good option. There are times that the gift we intend to give is way out of our budget, then we could ask our other friends to share the cost and by doing so, all of you will have that thing as a group gift. Skills can also be offered as a wedding gift just like when you are good in organizing events, you can offer your service as one of the wedding coordinators. When you don’t have any skill to offer or money to spend for the gift, then you can look for things in your house which you have bought before but never used at all and make that as your wedding gift. It may not sound very nice but I think it would still boil down to the saying, “It’s the thought that counts.”
What You Really Need to Know About the Harmful & Healthful Effects of Sodium
Sodium is essential to the human body, helping to carry nutrients into cells, regulate body functions such as blood pressure and fluid volume, and keep the pressure balance normal on the lining of blood vessels.
"You cannot exist without sodium," says Alicia Moag-Stahlberg, a research nutritionist at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "But the amount we need is minor."
This may be why the Institute of Medicine recently lowered the recommended daily sodium intake from 2,400 milligrams (mg) a day to 1,500 mg or less.
Many people routinely eat at least 4,000 mg a day, with some consuming amounts up to 6,000 mg, says Moag-Stahlberg.
"Many people argue that a healthy kidney can get rid of it [the excess], but in many cases, that happens at the expense of losing calcium," she says.
Salt: Is it Healthy or Harmful?
Whether or not extra salt in the diet is harmful is the topic of great debate. According to conventional medical thought, including what is advised by federal organizations, people can reduce their chances of developing high blood pressure by consuming less salt (which is sodium chloride).
Many studies have found that diets high in sodium are associated with higher blood pressure, along with an increased amount of calcium excreted in the urine. Eating less salt, say some, can therefore potentially decrease calcium loss from bone, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures.
However, some studies, including one led by Hillel W. Cohen, an assistant professor of epidemiology and population health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, have found different results.
Cohen's team collected data on 7,278 people who participated in the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. After assessing deaths from heart disease and any other cause during a 13-year follow-up, they found that the less salt people ate, the greater their risk of dying from heart disease.
"We believe these data do not support" the current guidelines, said Cohen. "We are urging those who make these guidelines to go back to their data and look at additional data prior to making universal recommendations."
Specifically, the researchers found:
*
Consuming less than 2,400 mg of salt a day was associated with a 50 percent higher risk of heart disease.
*
For each 1,000-mg reduction in salt intake, the risk of cardiovascular mortality rose by 1 percent.
Cohen suggests that optimal salt intake may depend on the individual.
"It is likely that there are differences between individuals with regard to sodium intake," he said. "And it's clear that the data do not support the current recommendations ... From a biological standpoint, if one's kidneys are working reasonably well, sodium within the usual range of intakes shouldn't be a problem."
Not All Salt is the Same
One thing's for certain in all of this: the majority of sodium that Americans eat comes from processed foods.
"Even though we think that it would be best to lower sodium in the diet to 1,500 mg," says Norman Kaplan, a hypertension expert at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, "we have to face the reality that we are living in an industrialized, commercialized world where average sodium consumption is high because food processors have been putting so much salt in our food."
"Seventy-five percent of the sodium consumed is in processed foods," says Ellen Anderson, Ph.D., physical chemist in the Food and Drug Administration's Office of Food Labeling. "What the food industry includes during processing, we can't take out."
To get an idea of just how much sodium is in processed foods, consider the sodium in the following:
*
Bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich (8 oz.) -- 1,560 mg
*
Sbarro Supreme Pizza (1 slice) -- 1,580 mg
*
Corned beef sandwich with mustard (9 oz.) -- 1,920 mg
*
Lasagna (2 cups) -- 2,060 mg
*
Panera Smokehouse Turkey Panini on Artisan Three Cheese -- 2,320 mg
*
Ham sandwich with mustard (9 oz.) -- 2,340 mg
*
Chipotle Chicken Burrito, with cheese and salsa -- 2,490 mg
*
Pizza Hut Meat Lover's Stuffed Crust Pizza, large (2 slices) -- 2,500 mg
*
Chef salad with dressing (5 cups) -- 2,510 mg
*
Kung Pao chicken with rice (41/2 cups) -- 2,610 mg
Most of the salt used in processed foods, as well as the salt that is typically thought of as "table salt," is refined and contains chemicals such as moisture absorbents and iodine. Plus, it is dried at over 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, which alters the natural chemical structure of the salt and takes away many natural benefits.
Further, table salt often contains preservatives that do not have to be listed on the packaging, along with additives like calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and aluminum hydroxide to improve the ability of the salt to pour.
Pure Himalayan crystal salts, along with sea salts (if you can be assured they are not full of pollutants from the sea) can offer many more benefits to you than typical table salt, including supplying your body with healthy trace minerals -- and no environmental pollutants.
If you would like to include salt in your diet, Sixwise.com recommends one of the pure, natural salts mentioned above. To minimize typical, refined sodium chloride in your diet, try these tips:
*
Be aware that there are often high levels of salt in fast food, condiments, restaurant meals, sauces, snacks and frozen dinners.
*
Choose fresh foods, such as plain meats, fish, fruits and vegetables whenever possible.
*
Read labels on processed foods you do buy, and watch out for high levels of sodium.
*
When eating out, tell your server that you don't want salt added to your meal.
*
If you add salt to your cooking, do it at the end. Cooking can lessen salt's flavor, so adding it at the end will give you more taste with a smaller amount.
"You cannot exist without sodium," says Alicia Moag-Stahlberg, a research nutritionist at Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago and a spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association. "But the amount we need is minor."
This may be why the Institute of Medicine recently lowered the recommended daily sodium intake from 2,400 milligrams (mg) a day to 1,500 mg or less.
Many people routinely eat at least 4,000 mg a day, with some consuming amounts up to 6,000 mg, says Moag-Stahlberg.
"Many people argue that a healthy kidney can get rid of it [the excess], but in many cases, that happens at the expense of losing calcium," she says.
Salt: Is it Healthy or Harmful?
Whether or not extra salt in the diet is harmful is the topic of great debate. According to conventional medical thought, including what is advised by federal organizations, people can reduce their chances of developing high blood pressure by consuming less salt (which is sodium chloride).
Many studies have found that diets high in sodium are associated with higher blood pressure, along with an increased amount of calcium excreted in the urine. Eating less salt, say some, can therefore potentially decrease calcium loss from bone, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and bone fractures.
However, some studies, including one led by Hillel W. Cohen, an assistant professor of epidemiology and population health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, have found different results.
Cohen's team collected data on 7,278 people who participated in the Second National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. After assessing deaths from heart disease and any other cause during a 13-year follow-up, they found that the less salt people ate, the greater their risk of dying from heart disease.
"We believe these data do not support" the current guidelines, said Cohen. "We are urging those who make these guidelines to go back to their data and look at additional data prior to making universal recommendations."
Specifically, the researchers found:
*
Consuming less than 2,400 mg of salt a day was associated with a 50 percent higher risk of heart disease.
*
For each 1,000-mg reduction in salt intake, the risk of cardiovascular mortality rose by 1 percent.
Cohen suggests that optimal salt intake may depend on the individual.
"It is likely that there are differences between individuals with regard to sodium intake," he said. "And it's clear that the data do not support the current recommendations ... From a biological standpoint, if one's kidneys are working reasonably well, sodium within the usual range of intakes shouldn't be a problem."
Not All Salt is the Same
One thing's for certain in all of this: the majority of sodium that Americans eat comes from processed foods.
"Even though we think that it would be best to lower sodium in the diet to 1,500 mg," says Norman Kaplan, a hypertension expert at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, "we have to face the reality that we are living in an industrialized, commercialized world where average sodium consumption is high because food processors have been putting so much salt in our food."
"Seventy-five percent of the sodium consumed is in processed foods," says Ellen Anderson, Ph.D., physical chemist in the Food and Drug Administration's Office of Food Labeling. "What the food industry includes during processing, we can't take out."
To get an idea of just how much sodium is in processed foods, consider the sodium in the following:
*
Bacon, lettuce, and tomato sandwich (8 oz.) -- 1,560 mg
*
Sbarro Supreme Pizza (1 slice) -- 1,580 mg
*
Corned beef sandwich with mustard (9 oz.) -- 1,920 mg
*
Lasagna (2 cups) -- 2,060 mg
*
Panera Smokehouse Turkey Panini on Artisan Three Cheese -- 2,320 mg
*
Ham sandwich with mustard (9 oz.) -- 2,340 mg
*
Chipotle Chicken Burrito, with cheese and salsa -- 2,490 mg
*
Pizza Hut Meat Lover's Stuffed Crust Pizza, large (2 slices) -- 2,500 mg
*
Chef salad with dressing (5 cups) -- 2,510 mg
*
Kung Pao chicken with rice (41/2 cups) -- 2,610 mg
Most of the salt used in processed foods, as well as the salt that is typically thought of as "table salt," is refined and contains chemicals such as moisture absorbents and iodine. Plus, it is dried at over 1,200 degrees Fahrenheit, which alters the natural chemical structure of the salt and takes away many natural benefits.
Further, table salt often contains preservatives that do not have to be listed on the packaging, along with additives like calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and aluminum hydroxide to improve the ability of the salt to pour.
Pure Himalayan crystal salts, along with sea salts (if you can be assured they are not full of pollutants from the sea) can offer many more benefits to you than typical table salt, including supplying your body with healthy trace minerals -- and no environmental pollutants.
If you would like to include salt in your diet, Sixwise.com recommends one of the pure, natural salts mentioned above. To minimize typical, refined sodium chloride in your diet, try these tips:
*
Be aware that there are often high levels of salt in fast food, condiments, restaurant meals, sauces, snacks and frozen dinners.
*
Choose fresh foods, such as plain meats, fish, fruits and vegetables whenever possible.
*
Read labels on processed foods you do buy, and watch out for high levels of sodium.
*
When eating out, tell your server that you don't want salt added to your meal.
*
If you add salt to your cooking, do it at the end. Cooking can lessen salt's flavor, so adding it at the end will give you more taste with a smaller amount.
Fix-It and Forget-It Diabetic Cookbook
A Few Thoughts about Eating and Cooking When You Have Diabetes
No matter what the latest diet fad is, people with diabetes must always focus on carbohydrates, because carbohydrates raise blood sugar. Choosing the right foods, exercising every day (such as walking), and taking diabetes medications are the three things these people do to balance their blood sugar levels and stay healthy. (Actually, the first two are what we all should do to stay healthy!)
What Exactly is a Carbohydrate?
Now, you may have been cooking all your life and still not be sure what a carbohydrate (carb) is. Our mothers and grandmothers showed us how to design a meal, and this is still pretty much the way we fill a plate:
meat
starch (rice, pasta, potato, squash, corn, peas, beans) -- carb
vegetable
salad
bread -- carb
milk, water, tea -- carb
dessert (fruit, cake, ice cream, etc.) -- carb
You see carbohydrates (carb) in the starches (rice, pasta, potato, squash, corn, peas, or beans), in the bread and milk, the sugar in your tea, and the dessert (including fruit). These are foods we all like to eat, and none of us can -- or should -- go for more than about two weeks without carbohydrates in our meals. We need the nutrients that come in carbohydrate foods, which are our body's favorite fuel. The trick is in choosing which ones, because today we have so many choices that our grandmothers didn't have.
Why Vegetables Work for You
There are a few carbs in the vegetables and salad on your plate. Green leafy, red, and orange vegetables -- everything but the starchy potatoes, squash, corn, peas, and beans -- have carbohydrates. But they don't have much, so you can have second and third helpings before your blood sugar is affected. Don't forget that vegetables are also a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals -- and that's great for your health.
Vegetables also have fiber, which slows down digestion of your food, which in turn slows down the rise in your blood sugar. (Can you see that vegetables really are the stars of the dinner plate?) Eating foods with fiber keeps your body working well. Simply put, these are the qualities within carbs that your body prefers, whether it is a whole grain, fruit, or vegetable. These foods come to you straight from the farmer's field, so they contain lots of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Some whole grains to look for are slow-cooking oats (sometimes called "rolled oats"), whole wheat flour, stone-ground cornmeal, and brown rice.
Watch Out for These!
Other carbs are part of the bread, starch, drink, or dessert categories, but they have traveled far from the farmer's field before getting to you. Processed grains, such as white flour and white rice, have had their germ, bran, and fiber removed. That takes out a lot of their natural vitamins and minerals, so the food manufacturer puts some artificial vitamins back in. You can read the names of these artificial vitamins on the food labels attached to the packages containing breads, cookies, and other products. Because they don't have fiber, these carbs are digested quickly, raising blood sugar more quickly, too.
Chips, cookies, and desserts are carb foods that also contain fat. Fat slows down digestion, so it helps balance the blood sugar spike caused by white flour and white sugar. But some fats are better for you than others. Most processed foods contain fats called "trans fats" that are found in the "hydrogenated vegetable oil" listed on the ingredients label. We are learning that trans fats may be the worst of the saturated fats, so food processors are starting to use other fats in their products.
Good Fats
Research shows that we all need to eat some fat every day. Our bodies just don't work right without fats. So which fats are best for your health? You probably have heard that you shouldn't eat a lot of solid fats, such as margarine, butter, marbled meat, or cheese. Vegetable oils are better, and olive oil and canola oil are the best oils because they contain balanced amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fats. These fats are important for your heart and blood vessels (which is why you should eat more fish and freshly ground flaxseeds).
Processed foods contain a lot of omega-6 fats, but almost no omega-3 fats. You need balance. You find balance and good fats in nuts; avocados; olives; nut butters; olive and canola oils; and sesame, pumpkin, flax, and sunflower seeds. In fact, you might try a handful or two of raw almonds as a part of your daily "bread."
Remember:
Good carb choices: whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Good fat choices: olive oil, avocados, fish, nuts, and seeds.
--American Diabetes Association
------------------------------
Mile-High Shredded Beef Sandwiches
Miriam Christophel
Battle Creek, MI
Mary Seielstad
Sparks, NV
Makes 8 servings
(Ideal slow cooker size: 4-quart)
3 lb. chuck roast, or round steak, trimmed of fat
2 Tbsp. oil
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup sliced celery
2 cups lower-sodium, 98%-fat-free beef broth
1 garlic clove
3/4 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. chili powder
3 drops Tabasco sauce
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1. In skillet brown both sides of meat in oil. Add onions and celery and sautй briefly. Transfer to slow cooker. Add broth.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours, or until tender. Remove meat from cooker and cool. Shred beef.
3. Remove vegetables from cooker and drain, reserving 11/2 cups broth. Combine vegetables and meat.
4. Return shredded meat and vegetables to cooker. Add broth and remaining ingredients and combine well.
5. Cover. Cook on High 1 hour. Remove bay leaf.
6. Pile into 8 sandwich rolls and serve.
Exchange List Values: Carbohydrate 1.0, Meat, lean 3.0
Basic Nutritional Values: Calories 239 (Calories from Fat 88), Total Fat 10 gm (Saturated Fat 2.4 gm, Polyunsat Fat 1.3 gm, Monounsat Fat 4.6 gm, Cholesterol 73 mg), Sodium 444 mg, Total Carbohydrate 12 gm, Dietary Fiber 1 gm, Sugars 8 gm, Protein 25 gm
-------------------------------
Ann's Boston Baked Beans
Ann Driscoll
Albuquerque, MN
Makes 20 side dish servings
(Ideal slow cooker size: 4-5-quart)
1 cup raisins
2 small onions, diced
2 tart apples, unpeeled, diced
1 cup chili sauce
1 cup chopped extra-lean, reduced-sodium ham
1 lb. 15-oz. can baked beans
2 141/2-oz. cans baked beans, no-added-salt
3 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
1. Mix together all ingredients.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours.
Exchange List Values: Starch 1.0, Fruit 0.5, Carbohydrate 0.5
Basic Nutritional Values: Calories 148 (Calories from Fat 6), Total Fat 1 gm (Saturated Fat 0.1 gm, Polyunsat Fat 0.2 gm, Monounsat Fat 0.1 gm, Cholesterol 3 mg), Sodium 443 mg, Total Carbohydrate 32 gm, Dietary Fiber 6 gm, Sugars 16 gm, Protein 6 gm
------------------------------
Seven Layer Bars
Mary W. Stauffer
Ephrata, PA
Makes 18 servings
(ideal slow cooker size: 4-5-quart)
2 Tbsp. light, soft tub margarine, melted
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. butterscotch chips
1/4 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1. Layer ingredients in a bread or cake pan that fits in your slow cooker, in the order listed. Do not stir.
2. Cover and bake on High 2-3 hours, or until firm. Remove pan and uncover. Let stand 5 minutes.
3. Unmold carefully on plate and cool.
Exchange List Values: Carbohydrate 0.5, Fat 1.0
Basic Nutritional Values: Calories 87 (Calories from Fat 42), Total Fat 5 gm (Saturated Fat 1.4 gm, Polyunsat Fat 0.9 gm, Monounsat Fat 2.3 gm, Cholesterol 0 mg), Sodium 37 mg, Total Carbohydrate 11 gm, Dietary Fiber 1 gm, Sugars 9 gm, Protein 1 gm
Reprinted from Fix-It and Forget-It Diabetic Cookbook: Slow Cooker Favorites -- to include Everyone!. Copyright by Good Books (www.goodbks.com). Used by permission. All rights reserved.
No matter what the latest diet fad is, people with diabetes must always focus on carbohydrates, because carbohydrates raise blood sugar. Choosing the right foods, exercising every day (such as walking), and taking diabetes medications are the three things these people do to balance their blood sugar levels and stay healthy. (Actually, the first two are what we all should do to stay healthy!)
What Exactly is a Carbohydrate?
Now, you may have been cooking all your life and still not be sure what a carbohydrate (carb) is. Our mothers and grandmothers showed us how to design a meal, and this is still pretty much the way we fill a plate:
meat
starch (rice, pasta, potato, squash, corn, peas, beans) -- carb
vegetable
salad
bread -- carb
milk, water, tea -- carb
dessert (fruit, cake, ice cream, etc.) -- carb
You see carbohydrates (carb) in the starches (rice, pasta, potato, squash, corn, peas, or beans), in the bread and milk, the sugar in your tea, and the dessert (including fruit). These are foods we all like to eat, and none of us can -- or should -- go for more than about two weeks without carbohydrates in our meals. We need the nutrients that come in carbohydrate foods, which are our body's favorite fuel. The trick is in choosing which ones, because today we have so many choices that our grandmothers didn't have.
Why Vegetables Work for You
There are a few carbs in the vegetables and salad on your plate. Green leafy, red, and orange vegetables -- everything but the starchy potatoes, squash, corn, peas, and beans -- have carbohydrates. But they don't have much, so you can have second and third helpings before your blood sugar is affected. Don't forget that vegetables are also a powerhouse of vitamins and minerals -- and that's great for your health.
Vegetables also have fiber, which slows down digestion of your food, which in turn slows down the rise in your blood sugar. (Can you see that vegetables really are the stars of the dinner plate?) Eating foods with fiber keeps your body working well. Simply put, these are the qualities within carbs that your body prefers, whether it is a whole grain, fruit, or vegetable. These foods come to you straight from the farmer's field, so they contain lots of vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Some whole grains to look for are slow-cooking oats (sometimes called "rolled oats"), whole wheat flour, stone-ground cornmeal, and brown rice.
Watch Out for These!
Other carbs are part of the bread, starch, drink, or dessert categories, but they have traveled far from the farmer's field before getting to you. Processed grains, such as white flour and white rice, have had their germ, bran, and fiber removed. That takes out a lot of their natural vitamins and minerals, so the food manufacturer puts some artificial vitamins back in. You can read the names of these artificial vitamins on the food labels attached to the packages containing breads, cookies, and other products. Because they don't have fiber, these carbs are digested quickly, raising blood sugar more quickly, too.
Chips, cookies, and desserts are carb foods that also contain fat. Fat slows down digestion, so it helps balance the blood sugar spike caused by white flour and white sugar. But some fats are better for you than others. Most processed foods contain fats called "trans fats" that are found in the "hydrogenated vegetable oil" listed on the ingredients label. We are learning that trans fats may be the worst of the saturated fats, so food processors are starting to use other fats in their products.
Good Fats
Research shows that we all need to eat some fat every day. Our bodies just don't work right without fats. So which fats are best for your health? You probably have heard that you shouldn't eat a lot of solid fats, such as margarine, butter, marbled meat, or cheese. Vegetable oils are better, and olive oil and canola oil are the best oils because they contain balanced amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 fats. These fats are important for your heart and blood vessels (which is why you should eat more fish and freshly ground flaxseeds).
Processed foods contain a lot of omega-6 fats, but almost no omega-3 fats. You need balance. You find balance and good fats in nuts; avocados; olives; nut butters; olive and canola oils; and sesame, pumpkin, flax, and sunflower seeds. In fact, you might try a handful or two of raw almonds as a part of your daily "bread."
Remember:
Good carb choices: whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Good fat choices: olive oil, avocados, fish, nuts, and seeds.
--American Diabetes Association
------------------------------
Mile-High Shredded Beef Sandwiches
Miriam Christophel
Battle Creek, MI
Mary Seielstad
Sparks, NV
Makes 8 servings
(Ideal slow cooker size: 4-quart)
3 lb. chuck roast, or round steak, trimmed of fat
2 Tbsp. oil
1 cup chopped onions
1/2 cup sliced celery
2 cups lower-sodium, 98%-fat-free beef broth
1 garlic clove
3/4 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 tsp. chili powder
3 drops Tabasco sauce
1 bay leaf
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1. In skillet brown both sides of meat in oil. Add onions and celery and sautй briefly. Transfer to slow cooker. Add broth.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours, or until tender. Remove meat from cooker and cool. Shred beef.
3. Remove vegetables from cooker and drain, reserving 11/2 cups broth. Combine vegetables and meat.
4. Return shredded meat and vegetables to cooker. Add broth and remaining ingredients and combine well.
5. Cover. Cook on High 1 hour. Remove bay leaf.
6. Pile into 8 sandwich rolls and serve.
Exchange List Values: Carbohydrate 1.0, Meat, lean 3.0
Basic Nutritional Values: Calories 239 (Calories from Fat 88), Total Fat 10 gm (Saturated Fat 2.4 gm, Polyunsat Fat 1.3 gm, Monounsat Fat 4.6 gm, Cholesterol 73 mg), Sodium 444 mg, Total Carbohydrate 12 gm, Dietary Fiber 1 gm, Sugars 8 gm, Protein 25 gm
-------------------------------
Ann's Boston Baked Beans
Ann Driscoll
Albuquerque, MN
Makes 20 side dish servings
(Ideal slow cooker size: 4-5-quart)
1 cup raisins
2 small onions, diced
2 tart apples, unpeeled, diced
1 cup chili sauce
1 cup chopped extra-lean, reduced-sodium ham
1 lb. 15-oz. can baked beans
2 141/2-oz. cans baked beans, no-added-salt
3 tsp. dry mustard
1/2 cup sweet pickle relish
1. Mix together all ingredients.
2. Cover. Cook on Low 6-8 hours.
Exchange List Values: Starch 1.0, Fruit 0.5, Carbohydrate 0.5
Basic Nutritional Values: Calories 148 (Calories from Fat 6), Total Fat 1 gm (Saturated Fat 0.1 gm, Polyunsat Fat 0.2 gm, Monounsat Fat 0.1 gm, Cholesterol 3 mg), Sodium 443 mg, Total Carbohydrate 32 gm, Dietary Fiber 6 gm, Sugars 16 gm, Protein 6 gm
------------------------------
Seven Layer Bars
Mary W. Stauffer
Ephrata, PA
Makes 18 servings
(ideal slow cooker size: 4-5-quart)
2 Tbsp. light, soft tub margarine, melted
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. butterscotch chips
1/4 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1. Layer ingredients in a bread or cake pan that fits in your slow cooker, in the order listed. Do not stir.
2. Cover and bake on High 2-3 hours, or until firm. Remove pan and uncover. Let stand 5 minutes.
3. Unmold carefully on plate and cool.
Exchange List Values: Carbohydrate 0.5, Fat 1.0
Basic Nutritional Values: Calories 87 (Calories from Fat 42), Total Fat 5 gm (Saturated Fat 1.4 gm, Polyunsat Fat 0.9 gm, Monounsat Fat 2.3 gm, Cholesterol 0 mg), Sodium 37 mg, Total Carbohydrate 11 gm, Dietary Fiber 1 gm, Sugars 9 gm, Protein 1 gm
Reprinted from Fix-It and Forget-It Diabetic Cookbook: Slow Cooker Favorites -- to include Everyone!. Copyright by Good Books (www.goodbks.com). Used by permission. All rights reserved.
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