We asked our food research lead and Accredited Practising Dietitian, Dr Amelia Harray, for her top nutrition tips and recipe suggestions to help you enjoy food and stay on track with managing diabetes over Christmas.
Fill your plate with vegetables: If there are lots of options on the table try to fill at least half your plate with non-starchy vegetables first (cooked or salad vegetables). These foods will mean you get added fibre to help you feel fuller and can reduce the urge to snack on leftovers after the meal. A selection of colourful salads will be suitable for everyone.
Make drinks special: Limiting sugary drinks (e.g. soft drink, cordial, juice) can help control blood glucose levels, but this doesn’t mean you have to miss out on something fancy. Getting creative with fruits, veggies and herbs can add a special touch to the festive season, such as adding mint or cucumber to still or sparkling water.
Enjoy summer fruits: Packed full of vitamins, minerals and dietary fibre, summer fruits are in season and delicious. A range of colourful summer fruits can make a beautiful dessert and reduce the amount of added sugar you eat.
Take something healthy to share: Worried about what will be available to eat at a barbecue? Avoid the unknown and take a plate of a dish that you are familiar with (and you know what’s in it).
Fat and protein still count at Christmas: Research has shown that the amount of fat and protein in food can cause blood glucose levels to rise hours after eating. You can still enjoy your Christmas ham or turkey – just in smaller amounts – and remember to put veggies on the plate first.
Here are some delicious, healthy recipes (with nutritional compisition panels) to try this Christmas:
- Christmas Green Beans with Cranberries and Hazelnuts (credit: Diabetes Food Hub)
- Roasted Turkey (credit: Diabetes Food Hub)
- Asian Edamame and Brown Rice Salad (credit: Diabetes Food Hub)
- Cucumber Skewers (credit: LiveLighter)
- Strawberry Mint Sparkling Water (credit: LiveLighter)
- Melon Platter (credit: LiveLighter)
- Nectarine Berry Salad (credit: LiveLighter)
- Healthy Pavlova Mess (credit: LiveLighter)
Photos: Green bean salad with cranberries and hazelnuts (above); cucumber skewers, strawberry mint sparkling water; roasted turkey; and Asian edamame and brown rice salad.
First published Tuesday 17 December 2019.