Welcome to the Weekend Vegetable Ramble!
Vegetables are great for diabetic meal plans. They provide all sorts of nutrients that help make our systems run better. There are many many choices out there, but the American Diabetes Association has identified seven vegetables that really should be in every diabetic's food arsenal. Here is their article with full credit written by Jackie Newgent, RDN, CDN. Enjoy!
Top 7 Veggies You Should Be Eating And Why
We’ve all been told to eat our veggies from a young age.
That’s because vegetables are nutrient dense and can help protect your health
and reduce your risk of developing chronic health conditions. As a person
living with diabetes, there are seven stellar picks that offer bonus benefits.
Plan to fill half of every mealtime plate or bowl with non-starchy veggies by
regularly enjoying these winners.
Spinach
Leafy greens, including spinach, kale, and collard greens, are low in carbs and calories but high in nutrition. They’re packed with vitamins A, C, and K, folic acid, calcium, iron, and powerful antioxidants which fight oxidative stress, help reduce damage to cells, and may help reduce the risk of developing heart disease. Research suggests leafy greens could reduce risk of developing chronic conditions like diabetes. Plus, they provide lutein and zeaxanthin, plant compounds that are beneficial for maintaining eye health. Spinach is the most widely available and enjoyed of all the leafy bunches.
Cooking tip: In recipes, add a squirt of lemon juice to spinach for taste balance. By combining the vitamin C from citrus fruits like lemons or oranges with dark leafy greens, the iron in the spinach is better absorbed.
Try this recipe: Garlic Sauteed Spinach and Kale
Broccoli
Cooking tip: Don’t forget the stems! Try thinly slicing into coins and stir-frying them.
Try this recipe: Crispy Baked Broccoli
Bell Peppers
With their vivid colors,
bell peppers offer a significant amount of vitamin C and beta-carotene,
offering antioxidant benefits. Red bell peppers are slightly sweeter and richer
in these health-protective nutrients than green peppers (their less ripe counterparts).
All bell peppers are considered non-starchy vegetables, making them
diabetes-friendly foods.
Cooking tip: Blend roasted peppers with hummus to create colorful
dips.
Try this recipe: Simple
Roasted Peppers
Tomatoes
Botanically, tomatoes
are fruits. But since they’re nutritionally more similar to vegetables and
typically used in savory dishes, consider tomatoes as veggies. Along with
plenty of vitamin C, they’re rich in lycopene, a carotenoid pigment that may
play a role in reducing the risk of developing diabetes, obesity, and heart
disease. Enjoy all forms of tomatoes cooked or canned with low sodium or no
added salt. For best taste and texture, don’t refrigerate whole raw tomatoes.
Cooking tip: Sauté (or “blister”) grape tomatoes in olive oil for a quick
breakfast side.
Try this recipe: Italian-Style
Blistered Tomatoes
Cauliflower
Nutritionally,
cauliflower provides nutrients like folate and vitamins C and K. Like
broccoli, it contains sulforaphane, but it stands out on the diabetes plate
thanks to its versatility. Enjoy as a carb-friendly swap in place of rice,
serve roasted thick slabs as “steak,” or slow-cook the head of cauliflower as a
wow-worthy “roast.” Add color to your plate by using purple or orange
cauliflower. Their colorful pigments indicate the presence of antioxidants like
beta carotene and anthocyanins and offer extra health-protective benefits.
Cooking tip: Make mashed potatoes with a 50/50 mixture of potatoes and
cauliflower.
Try this recipe: Whole
Roasted Cauliflower with Lemon Vinaigrette
Mushrooms
Mushrooms are types of
fungi, but count them as vegetables in your meal plan—and this list. The array
of unique mushroom types offers several minerals as well as bioactive compounds
which may play a role in diabetes prevention and treatment. Maitake mushrooms
and ultraviolet-light exposed mushrooms, like white button, crimini, and
portabella, are rich in vitamin D, which can help support your immune system
and is critical for bone building.
Cooking tip: With their “meaty” taste (thanks to umami) and texture,
mushrooms can be an ideal plant-based stand-in for meat.
Try this recipe: Smoky
Mushrooms
Asparagus
This nutrient-dense
veggie is low in carbs and overall calories and high in folate. It offers
anti-inflammatory properties that can be beneficial for people with diabetes.
Plant compounds found in asparagus may play a role in blood glucose and blood
pressure management and in maintaining a favorable lipid profile. Try all
asparagus varieties for plate and palate appeal—green, white, and purple.
Cooking tip: Using a vegetable peeler, shave thick asparagus spears into
ribbons and enjoy raw as the star of a salad.
Try this recipe: Grilled
Sesame Asparagus
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Have a great week, everyone, and thank you for your support!
Blessed be… and happy cooking!
Chef Michael R