Thanksgiving with Diabetes Can Be Simply Delicious

Holidays can often seem daunting for anyone living with a chronic condition such as diabetes. Every morsel of food you put in your mouth, it seems, is a recipe for disaster. Many people feel that their diets have to be bland and boring in order to be healthy. The fact is, however, that your holidays can be just a delicious as ever while still fitting into your diabetes friendly diet.

Here are some simple rules to make Thanksgiving with diabetes simply delicious:

Moderation

Perhaps the most important thing to keep in mind during the holidays is moderation. In fact, this is a tip that everyone could benefit from, not just people with diabetes. You can honestly, within reason, eat most food items if you can manage to eat them in moderation. Keep an eye on how many carbohydrates you are consuming, and keep those to a minimum. If you plan to eat dessert, even sugar free desserts, you should keep this in mind when you are making choices during the main meal.

If you can manage to be vigilant about what you are eating, you will typically make the best choices. Just don’t overfill your plate or yourself. Moderation is always the key to any healthy diet and lifestyle.

Substitutions

Especially when you are cooking for a holiday meal, substitutions can make finding the best foods to eat so much easier. Here are some examples of substitutions you can make to ensure a delicious and diabetes friendly Thanksgiving menu:

Gravy: Instead of using store bought or packets for gravy, make your own using the drippings from the turkey or ham and some cornstarch. Flavor with hot sauce, spices, and even lemon juice and avoid using too much salt.

Desserts: Make your desserts healthier and certainly more diabetes friendly by making some easy substitutions. Use dates, agave, or Stevia instead of sugar, or focus on desserts that are naturally sweet such as fruit based desserts.

Dairy: Studies show that high fat dairy products can raise your blood sugar, as well as contribute to a host of other health problems. Combat this issue by using low fat substitutions. You can also use healthy nut, soy, or coconut milk in place of many dairy products.

Elimination

To make your Thanksgiving dinner more diabetes friendly, consider eliminating some items from your menu. While it might feel like you are missing something during the menu planning, you are unlikely to miss them while you are enjoying your meal. Consider eliminating items that are full of simple carbohydrates, like bread or rolls, from the menu or abstaining from eating them.

Thanksgiving with diabetes can be just as enjoyable and perhaps even more delicious as it ever was before. You simply need to follow these three simple rules. Keep moderation in mind, substitute the unhealthy ingredients for better ones, and avoid the foods that you don’t really need in the first place. If you can do this, you will enjoy a simply delicious Thanksgiving meal, and you will not miss a single thing. In fact, you may even enjoy it even more than you ever have in the past. For more help with diabetes, click here.