An easy alternative to counting carbs

This Week's Tip An easy alternative to counting carbs While carbohydrate counting is the most common meal planning system for people with diabetes, there is another even simpler technique you can use to plan your meals and snacks: the plate method. While you should follow the guidelines given to you by your doctor or diabetes educator, the plate method allows you to visually evaluate the carbohydrates in your meal and the overall nutritional balance in five easy steps: Step #1: Start with a nine-inch plate. Take a ruler and measure across your plate to make sure it is not too large. Step #2: Fill one-half of the plate with non-starchy vegetables, either cooked or raw. Fill one-fourth of the plate with a serving of protein. Fill the last fourth of the plate with a carbohydrate-rich food (1 carb serving is 15 grams). Step #3: Add 1 cup (8 fl oz) of low-fat milk or 1 container (6-8 oz) of light yogurt to your meal (1 carb serving is 15 grams). Step #4: Select one serving of fruit to go along with your meal (1 carb serving is 15 grams). Step #5: Complete your meal with one or two servings of healthy fats. This could be a tablespoon of salad dressing, 1 or 2 teaspoons of olive oil used to saut� vegetables or a teaspoon of mayonnaise for a sandwich.This simple plate method works well when you dine out, eat at a party, or aren't able to read labels to count carbs, but be sure to discuss the plate method with your doctor first. Proper Meal Planning for People with Diabetes More Tips for People with Diabetes   Diabetes Friendly Recipe Tropical Grilled Chicken We love shredding this sweet and savory chicken to turn it into tacos, but it's also delicious as is with a side of grilled veggies. Get the Recipe See More Lower-Carb Recipes Nutritional Info Servings Per Recipe: 4  Amount Per Serving  Calories: 264.8 Total Fat: 3.4 g Cholesterol: 70.2 mg Sodium: 209.8 mg Total Carbs: 33.8 g   Dietary Fiber: 3.5 g Protein: 27.5 g View full nutritional breakdown of Tropical Grilled Chicken by ingredient     From Our Diabetes Community Great Snacks For Diabetics and Dieters (Secrets of Success) points, points , points (Team Forum) More Secrets of Success... More Forum Posts...       Was this e-mail forwarded to you by a friend? Join the mailing list. Change your e-mail address   You get 1 SparkPoint for reading today's email.   You received this email because you signed up for one of SparkPeople's email newsletters. To unsubscribe please do not reply to this message. Instead, you can use this link to unsubscribe from this newsletter. To remove yourself by postal mail, send a letter or postcard with your email address to: SparkPeople.com, 310 Culvert Street Suite 301, Cincinnati, OH 45202 SparkPeople.com offers general information and is for educational purposes only. sparkpeople.com is not a prescription system and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. You should consult your health-care provider before starting any nutrition or fitness program, and should consult with your provider about any concerns or questions. © 1999-2014 SparkPeople, All Rights Reserved | Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy