Diabetes Education Helps You Eat Healthy in Restaurants.
Most people eat out at a restaurant from one to five times a week. Often there are healthy choices, but the restaurant menus make it unclear whether these are the right meals for diabetics. Diabetes education offers healthy dining out and diet plans for diabetics including specific dishes and portion sizes. These strategy plans also include what to avoid as well as how to make special requests at restaurants.
Where Can You Get Diabetes Education?
Primary care offices that provide extra services such as diabetic education and care, (not found in all primary care offices), take a holistic approach to your health – treating the whole you. These primary care offices, like ICPR Family Practice in Pekin, IL, help you benefit from experts in diabetic education and care.
Diabetes Education Teaches How to Control & Manage Blood Sugar, So It Doesn’t Control You.
Diabetes Classes include carb counting and tips that can actually reverse the onset of diabetes. Education on dining out, menus for diabetics, good foods for diabetics or pre-diabetics, and diabetic food recipes are all covered. This education helps you and your care team:
- Reveal your high blood glucose trends
- Discover new insights to fine-tune your diabetic therapy and improve control
- Reduce your A1C level
- Lower your long-term risks of eye, kidney, nerve and heart disease
Learning About Menu Choices.
Whether lunch from the drive-thru or dinner at a fine-dining restaurant, you can eat healthily when dining out (even with type 2 diabetes). Choosing the right dishes while sticking with your diabetes meal plan can be done. From what rice is best for diabetics at a Chinese restaurant to what easy sides for diabetics are available and diabetic friendly fast food, the key is to know what to look for on the menu and to ask the right questions.
Dine Out at the Right Time of Day.
To keep blood sugar steady, it is important to eat about the same time daily (critical if you take insulin or medicine for diabetes). If you know you will be dining out at time different from your usual mealtime, have a small snack (such as fruit or bread) and skip that serving during your actual meal.
Plan Ahead.
Review the restaurant’s menu online to select a menu choice that supports your diabetes meal plan. Some chefs will prepare a special meal for you – so try calling ahead to ask questions and make requests ahead of time.
- Healthy Cooking Methods – Broiled, braised, steamed, poached, and grilled are methods that don’t add as much fat/calories. Avoid fried, crispy, crusted, creamy, and breaded.
- Carb Control – Eating high carb foods at high levels in one meals raises blood sugar. 45 to 60 grams per meal is the maximum recommendation.
- Portion Control – Some restaurant portions are very large. If you think that is the case, ask if a half-serving or lunch-sized portion is an option. If not, request a take-home container and only eat half of the meal. Other ideas: Split an entree with someone else, or order just a healthy appetizer along with a salad or broth-based soup.
- Watch Out for Sauces/Dressings – If your entrée comes doused in a sauce or dressing it adds sodium, fat, and calories. Ask for sauces and dressings on the side, simply dipping your fork before each bite of food. Just one-quarter of a cup of barbecue sauce equals seven teaspoons of sugar. Avoid BBQ, teriyaki, glazed, sticky, and honey items.
Begin Your Dining Out Experience With Water.
Drinking a big glass of water right away when you sit at the table has been shown to help you eat less. Then avoid sugary drinks during and after dining. Sweetened beverages will add calories and carbs, so order sparkling water with a squeeze of lemon or lime. A large cocktail, such as a margarita, can have as many calories as your main course. However, if your doctor approves, a glass of wine, beer, or a cocktail on occasion may be acceptable.
Volkan Sumer, DO and the staff at ICPR Family Practice are passionate about helping you learn to live with diabetes. Whether you are controlling blood sugar levels through diet alone or using insulin shots to help with management, we get you the tools you need to live an active, healthy life.
Ready to learn more about dining out with diabetes? You can schedule an appointment at ICPR Family Practice by calling 309.347.4277 or schedule online.
