4. Replace Sandwich Spread With Hummus. Hummus, made with chickpeas, is a healthy alternative to sandwich spreads that you get in the market. Discard the spread, cheese and butter, and make your sandwich creamier with healthy homemade hummus.
Use low-fat mayonnaise, or replace it with other spreads, such as mustard, pesto, hummus, yogurt, or avocado. Consider replacing cheese with vegetables or fruits, such as tomatoes or peppers, pesto, or avocado.
Switch from white toast to wholegrain versions like seeded batch bread, multi-seed, granary, soya and linseed. These are better for your diabetes and digestive health. They're more filling, too. If you're making rotis and chapattis, use wholewheat flour.
Replaces: Butter
Because a saturated fat such as butter can increase your cholesterol when eaten in excess, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends people use healthier options like canola and olive oil instead.
If you prefer stick margarine, choose one that contains 0 grams of trans fat. Look for margarines with no more than 2 grams of saturated fat per serving. If you go with margarine, you might choose a brand that contains plant sterols, such as Benecol or Take Control.
Unsalted butter or grass-fed (organic) butter is good for diabetic patients. Unsalted butter has no sodium, which is good for diabetic patients as well. Ideally, olive oil, nut butter, or clarified butter can be used by diabetes patients. These alternatives prevent blood sugar spikes and reduce cholesterol levels.
Eating butter in moderation is safe for those with diabetes. Choosing real butter instead of margarine will decrease trans fat intake and have a better overall impact on heart health and diabetes management.
Nuttelex is virtually free from trans fats at 0.4% or lower. Nuttelex also contains 65% or less saturated fat than butter. In addition, Nuttelex is made with vegetable oils. Vegetable oils contain higher content of the good fats (monounsaturated fat and polyunsaturated fat) and are lower in saturated fat.
Margarine often tops butter when it comes to heart health. Margarine is a blend of oils that are mostly unsaturated fat.
If you have diabetes, look for Greek yogurt or Icelandic yogurt (also called skyr). During preparation of these, some of the whey is removed, leaving behind a thick, protein-rich product with fewer carbs than other types of yogurt. They also have lower levels of lactose (around 5%) than other yogurts.
High in fiber and protein, beans are digested slowly in your body, making them great for managing blood glucose levels in a type 2 diabetes diet. Just ¼ cup of any type of beans will provide as much protein as 1 ounce (oz) of a meat protein equivalent, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).
If you have type 2 diabetes breakfast cereals made with wholegrains can help to manage blood glucose levels, they release glucose more slowly as they are low GI. Weetabix, Oatibix and Shredded Wheat can make for good choices.
How Much Bread Can You Eat with Diabetes? "People with diabetes can eat bread as long as it fits either their meal plan or within their carbohydrate counting allowance," says Kitty Broihier, M.S., RD, LD. "In general, that means choosing a slice that has 15 grams of carbohydrates for sandwiches."
Flora has less saturated fat than butter. All around the world, health experts recommend that you should reduce your intake of saturated fats and eat more 'good fats' that is, Omega 3 and 6, which help to maintain normal cholesterol levels. Flora is made with nutritious seed oils that are packed with Omega 3 and 6.
Light margarine contains less saturated and trans fat than regular margarine. A spread with heart-healthy plant sterols or stanols; 2 grams per day can help lower LDL cholesterol if your diet is low in saturated fat and cholesterol. This light margarine has fewer calories and fat than regular margarine.
A few small swaps can make a big difference to your cholesterol level. Many people say they don't notice the difference. Try: swapping butter to vegetable oil spreads like sunflower, olive or rapeseed oil spreads.
The Best Options
The most heart-healthy options are neither butter nor margarine, but olive oil, avocado oil, and other vegetable-based spreads. 7 In baked goods, consider substituting applesauce, nut butters, or squash purees for butter.
Nuttelex is actually neither a margarine or a butter, it is in-fact a uniquely natural, table spread made from the finest blend of plant oils without the use of artificial additives or preservatives.
If you have been diagnosed with any diabetes type, you can consider including millet cookies, multi-grain sugar-free cookies, sugar-free biscuits, oats and almond cookies, etc. Britannia nutrichoice is also a good biscuit choice for diabetics.
Cheese. Low-fat types like cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, or mozzarella are high-protein choices that help keep your blood sugar in check. Enjoy a quarter-cup of cottage cheese with a half-cup of fruit, a piece of low-fat string cheese, or ricotta spread on whole-grain crackers.
Generally speaking, yes, it's OK to eat honey if you have diabetes. But you should consume it in moderation. Although honey has a lower glycemic index (GI) than table sugar, it still contains sugar. And any type of sugar will raise your blood glucose levels.