1 slice pumkin pie
390 calories, 17 grams of fat,
33 grams of sugar
= 5 ½ pats butter,
8 teaspoons sugar
vs.
Pumpkin Pie Pudding
65 calories,
5 grams fiber
0 grams fat,
0 grams sugar
VEGETABLE TART WITH POTATO CRUST
CRUST
1 pound frozen hash brown potatoes, thawed
3 scallions, chopped
¼ cup liquid egg substitute
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
¼ teaspoon salt
FILLING
1 small zucchini, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 slices veggie Canadian bacon or 2 veggie bacon strips, chopped
2 cups packed coarsely chopped spinach leaves
1 small tomato, cored and chopped
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
¾ cup liquid egg substitute
¼ cup (1 ounce) shredded fat-free cheddar cheese or dairy-free alternative
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat a 9-inch pie plate or tart pan with removable bottom with cooking spray.
1. In a medium bowl, combine the potatoes, scallions, egg substitute, thyme and salt. Press the mixture onto the bottom and up the side of the prepared pan. Bake for 30 minutes, or until firm to the touch. Cool on a rack.
2. Meanwhile, heat a medium nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add the zucchini and garlic and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes, or until tender. Add the Canadian bacon, spinach, tomato, salt and pepper and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes, or until the spinach is wilted and the liquid has evaporated. Remove from the heat and cool. Stir in the egg substitute.
3. Pour the vegetable mixture into the crust. Sprinkle with the cheese. Bake for 25 minutes, or until the filling is set and the crust is golden brown.
Yield: 6 servings
Per serving: 140 calories, 2 grams fat
1 cheese omelet
490 calories, 38 grams fat
vs.
* * *
Tart for a Start
It would take more than three servings of tart to equal the calorie count of this single cheese omelet. But calories are only part of the story. The omelet, made with two eggs and cheddar cheese and fried in butter, has five times more fat than the tart. What’s more, the omelet contains the “bad” saturated fats that raise levels of LDL cholesterol and may increase the risk of heart disease. Start your day instead with nutrient-rich, fiber-filled vegetables in a tasty tart.
* * *
3 ½ servings
Vegetable Tart with Potato Crust
490 calories,
7 grams fat
BEAN BURGERS WITH LIME-SCALLION YOGURT SAUCE
½ cup low-fat plain yogurt or soy alternative
1 scallion, white and green parts, finely chopped
1 teaspoon lime juice
1 15 ½-ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large egg white or ¼ cup liquid egg substitute
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
½ red onion, coarsely grated
1 jalapeño, seeded and finely chopped (wear plastic gloves when handling)
1 tablespoon unseasoned whole-wheat bread crumbs
½ teaspoon cumin
¼ teaspoon garlic salt
4 whole-wheat pitas or lavash breads, warmed
4 large leaves romaine lettuce, shredded
4 thick slices tomato
1. In a small bowl, combine the yogurt, scallion and lime juice. Chill the sauce until ready to serve.
2. In a large bowl, mash the beans with the egg white or egg substitute until only slightly lumpy. Stir in the cilantro, onion, jalapeño, bread crumbs, cumin and garlic salt until well combined. With floured hands, shape the bean mixture into 4 burgers.
3. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add the burgers and cook for 4 minutes per side, or until lightly browned and firm.
4. Place the burgers in the pitas or lavash. Top each with the sauce, lettuce and tomato.
Yield: 4 burgers
Per burger: 305 calories, 3 grams fat
Burger King
chicken sandwich
660 calories, 39 grams fat
* * *
Fast-Food Object Lesson
Here’s proof, if more were needed, that mass-producing food for speedy delivery and low cost carries a high price tag in calories and saturated fat. And while some fast-food places are opting for low-calorie options, chicken does not necessarily qualify. Instead, go for this quick-to-make bean burger. Flavored with a zesty salsa and wrapped in pita or lavash bread, it’s a quick and healthy treat.
* * *
vs.
Bean Burger with Lime-Scallion Yogurt Sauce
305 calories
3 grams fat
FRUIT PIZZA
1 cup light vanilla yogurt or soy alternative
4 light English muffins, split
1 peach
½ cup raspberries
1 teaspoon Splenda
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
1. Line a sieve with 2 pieces of paper towel. Place the sieve over a bowl. Spoon the yogurt into the sieve. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.
2. Preheat the broiler. Cut a peach into segments. Place the English muffin halves on a broiler pan rack. Coat lightly with cooking spray. Sprinkle each muffin half with some of the Splenda and cinnamon. Broil for 1-2 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove the muffin halves. Top with the yogurt and fruit.
Yield: 4 servings (1 whole muffin per serving)
Per serving: 160 calories, 1 gram fat
1/3 6-ounce bagel
160 calories, 1 gram fat
=
* * *
Pizza for Breakfast
Is there a kid who doesn’t love pizza? Give yours a change-of-pace treat and concoct this high-nutrition Fruit Pizza for breakfast. It starts with a light English muffin, adds fresh fruit and berries, yogurt as the pizza “cheese,” even some cinnamon flavor. A great way to incorporate fruit into your child’s diet, a delicious start to the day and a healthful and satisfying alternative to the nutrition-free calories of this piece of bagel.
* * *
1 serving Fruit Pizza
160 calories
1 gram fat
STUFFED FRENCH TOAST
1 cup liquid egg substitute
½ teaspoon grated orange peel
8 slices light bread, any flavor
½ cup light cream cheese or nondairy alternative
½ cup sugar-free syrup
½ cup blueberries and/or strawberries
Preheat the oven to 450°F. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray.
1. In a pie plate, combine the egg substitute and orange peel. Dip each slice of bread into the egg mixture, turning to coat, until each slice has soaked up some batter. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 12 minutes, turning once, or until golden brown.
2. Spread 2 tablespoons cream cheese on each of 4 slices of the bread. Arrange the strawberries on top. Cover with the remaining bread slices to make 4 sandwiches.
3. To serve, cut each sandwich diagonally in half. Evenly divide the syrup over each sandwich and sprinkle with berries.
Yield: 4 servings
Per serving: 210 calories, 2 grams fat
3 doughnut holes
210 calories, 9 grams fat
=
1 serving Stuffed
French Toast
210 calories
2 grams fat
BEAT DIABETES PEANUT BUTTER “COOKIES”
2 scoops unsweetened soy protein powder (about 2/3 cup)*
2/3 cup granulated Splenda
6 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
¼ – 1/3 cup chopped peanuts
6 tablespoons water
¼ teaspoons salt (if using unsalted peanut butter, add an additional pinch of salt)
Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly oil a baking sheet, or coat with nonstick spray.
1. In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together until a dough is formed. If mixture is too dry, add an additional 1 tablespoon water.
2. Roll tablespoons of dough into 1-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheet; flatten balls into approximately 2-inch rounds.
3. Bake 8 minutes, or until bottoms are lightly browned. Cool before removing from pan.
Yield: about 12 cookies
Approx. 78 calories per cookie
BEAT DIABETES ALMOND “COOKIES”
Simply follow the above recipe substituting almond butter and chopped almonds for the peanut butter and chopped peanuts, and almond extract for the vanilla extract.
ATTENTION COOKIE DOUGH LOVERS: this dough is safe to eat—feel free to sneak a few mouthfuls!
These cookies are a good source of soy protein and diabetes-friendly monounsaturated fat.
BITE OR BURN
Eating to beat diabetes doesn’t mean you can’t eat that fast food you’ve been craving. Exercise also plays an integral role in keeping the disease, and your waistline, at bay. The figures below illustrate just how much exercise it takes to burn off the calories of some of the non-pyramid foods in this chapter.
CHAPTER 3
The Eat & Beat Diabetes Pyramid
You’re about to start climbing the pyramid, one rung at a time, one chapter per rung. For each rung, the chapter will talk about the foods the rung represents and the relative role those foods should play in your overall eating plan if you are to get the most benefit in terms of weight loss and fighting diabetes. Put it all together and eat the way the Pyramid guides you, and you will automatically be doing your utmost to lose weight and fight diabetes.
Let’s be clear about one thing: the Pyramid is not a diet. It is not an instruction manual lecturing you on how to put together a meal, how to cook it, how much of it to prepare or when to eat it. Rather, it’s the visual embodiment of a healthy way of eating that can keep you slender and free of the effects of diabetes for life.
That means first of all that no food is forbidden. Don’t look at the Pyramid and assume that if you follow its guidelines, you have eaten your last serving of hot Italian sausage, your last piece of chocolate cake or your last bag of potato chips. There are moments in life when only potato chips will do, dinners that cry out for chocolate cake at the end, cookouts where the aroma of grilled sausage is just about more than you can bear. Give in. The occasional self-indulgent treat is good for the soul, and what’s good for the soul is good for your health.
Second, it means that you don’t have to think about including something from every rung of the Pyramid at every meal, or even every day. These rungs don’t constitute mathematical proportions to be adhered to with rigorous precision; again, they represent relations among food groups, and the bottom line is indeed that it’s all relative, not carved in stone.
Should you count calories? No, although it is absolutely true that calories count. To lose weight, you need to take in fewer calories than you’ve become accustomed to; to maintain a healthy weight, you need to take in fewer calories than you expend in energy. But if you follow the guidelines of the Beat Diabetes Pyramid, you’re already doing that automatically, so you don’t need to count calories.
Ditto for portion size. If you’re filling up on the Pyramid way of eating—which means plenty of low-calorie foods that contain nutrients and keep you feeling full—portion control is simply not an issue. You’ll feel satisfied, even sated, thanks to all the fiber, protein and good taste you’ll be enjoying. We promise.
In other words, by following the guidelines represented in the Pyramid, as we explain those guidelines in the chapters that follow, you’ll be eating healthier foods, will be decreasing the number of calories you take in and will feel fuller longer without even trying. In other words, you’ll be on a really good diet, but it won’t feel like one.
Bottom line? Eat when hungry, stop when satisfied. So long as you’re eating the Pyramid way, you’ll lose weight and fight diabetes successfully with every meal, snack or banquet.
Now, to get you in the mood for climbing the Beat Diabetes Pyramid, we’ve prepared a quiz to test your Beat Diabetes savvy. You’ll find the answers following the quiz. Give yourself one point for every right answer. If you score between 5 and 10, you’re pretty savvy, and some of what you read in the next five chapters will be familiar to you. Any score below 5 means you’re embarking on a journey of discovery as you turn the pages.
Whatever your score here, you become a real winner when you follow the Pyramid guidelines to weight loss and the prevention and management of this killer disease.
1. Which is higher in calories—the mozzarella stick or the ten olives?
or
2. Which is a better choice for beating diabetes—the grapes or the Melba toast?
or
3. Which is higher in fiber—the light white bread or the cornflakes?
or
4. Which contains more saturated fat—the avocado or this portion of feta cheese?
or
5. Which snack has more calories—this granola bar or the dried apricot halves?
or
6. Which of these two is more effective in beating diabetes—the ear of corn or the cup of steamed rice?
or
7. Which snack is higher in refined carbohydrates—pretzel nuggets or jelly beans?
or
8. Which is higher in saturated fat—the pistachios or the Muenster cheese?
or
9. Which food should you choose if you’re trying to beat diabetes—the sugar-free cookies or the banana?
or
10. Which dessert is lower in calories—Weight Watchers Chocolate Fudge Bar or Tofutti Chocolate Fudge Treats?
or
ANSWERS:
1. The mozzarella stick, with 90 calories, is almost twice as caloric as the assorted olives, which together have only 50 calories. What’s more, the calories in the olives come from “good” or monounsaturated fat—and contain no cholesterol.
2. Both the cup of grapes and the four slices of Melba toast contain 60 calories. But that’s just part of the story. The grapes are a good source of phytonutrients and fiber, two of the Four Phenoms, while the Melba toast offers only refined carbohydrates from flour. Go for the grapes.
3. All light breads are good fiber sources, with some 2 to 3 grams of fiber per slice, and that’s the situation here: the two slices of light white bread beat the cup of cornflakes for fiber content. The cornflakes, a refined grain product, contain less than a single gram of fiber. Have the bread.
4. With 8½ grams of saturated fat, the feta contains much more than the avocado, which contains only 2 grams of saturated fat. And while the cheese also contains some 50 mg of cholesterol, the avocado has no cholesterol, has “good” fat, 2½ grams of fiber and heart-healthy phytonutrients.
5. The granola bar, small as it is, contains 130 calories and about 20 grams of carbohydrates, mainly from added sugar. The apricots, by contrast, contain a mere 80 calories and are a great source of fiber and phytonutrients.
6. The corn is a better choice. With 4 grams of fiber and 100 calories, it’s a healthier bet than the rice, with less than 1 gram of fiber and 200 calories.
7. It’s a draw! Both the pretzel nuggets and the jelly beans have the same amount of refined carbohydrates and the same number of calories—200.
8. The Muenster’s 11 grams of saturated fat beat the pistachios’ 3 grams easily. In addition, the pistachios contain monounsaturated fat, a good fat, as well as 7 grams of fiber—and no cholesterol!
9. Choose the banana. While the cookies have refined carbohydrates and saturated fat, the banana has 3 grams of fiber, no saturated fat, no cholesterol and only 100 calories.
8.
Choose the banana. While the cookies have refined carbohydrates and saturated fat, the banana has 3 grams of fiber, no saturated fat, no cholesterol and only 100 calories.
10. The two Tofutti Chocolate Fudge Treats together cost a mere 60 calories. The single Weight Watchers Chocolate Fudge Bar comes in at 110 calories—and those calories come mostly from added sugar. The Tofutti Treats have zero added sugar.
CHAPTER 4
Vegetables: More Is Good, Even More Is Even Better
Ever think you’d find a weight loss book that would recommend that you eat more? Well, more is precisely the message we’re delivering when it comes to vegetables. This is the one food group of which we can say without hesitation or reservation that the more you eat, the greater the benefits to you for weight loss and for preventing or managing diabetes.
The reasons? Vegetables are rich in two of the Four Phenoms that help lower your calorie intake and can actually reverse the effects of diabetes risk factors. First, they’re loaded with fiber, and as you’ll recall from our discussion in Chapter 2, fiber gives you that full feeling. Result? You’re satisfied sooner, on less food, and the feeling of satiety lasts longer, so you take in fewer calories altogether over a twenty-four-hour period. More food with fewer calories: it’s a good deal. And the bottom line of that good deal is simple: weight loss. (To see the deal in action, check out the Picture Perfect food demonstrations.)
Second, vegetables are packed with phytonutrients that protect our bodies against the kind of cell damage diabetes can cause. They do so by strengthening the health of the blood vessels and, by lowering cholesterol and decreasing blood pressure, improving the composition of the blood. Among the cell-damaging effects phytonutrients can fight are stroke and heart attack, kidney disease, nerve damage, vision problems and more. The bottom line is simple here, too: more power to fight the effects of the disease.
Eat & Beat Diabetes with Picture Perfect Weight Loss Page 6