Food Viewpoint
Recipe for Health
By Madelyn L. Wheeler, MS, RD, FADA, CD, and Robyn Webb, MS, LN
a registered dietitian can help you create)
includes what you eat over days, weeks,
and years, not just a single recipe.
Recipes presented in this magazine go
through a rigorous process of development,
testing, tasting, and nutritional analysis to
be sure they “work” (produce the noted
number of servings, taste good, and look
attractive) and also meet nutritional
guidelines. Only then are they deemed
ready for publication.
So, a serving of a recipe printed in
Diabetes Forecast is:
• Lower in saturated fat, containing fewer
than 1. 5 grams of saturated fat for a side
dish, fewer than 2. 5 grams for a main
dish, and fewer than 3. 5 grams for a
one-dish meal.
• Lower in sodium, with fewer than
480 milligrams of sodium for a side dish
and fewer than 600 mg for a main dish
or meal.
• Moderate in carbohydrate and lower
in added sugars.
• Higher in fiber.
So, a serving of a recipe printed in
Diabetes Forecast
• Lower in saturated fat, containing fewer
than 1. 5 grams of saturated fat for a side
dish, fewer than 2. 5 grams for a main
dish, and fewer than 3. 5 grams for a
What makes a recipe diabetes-friendly? The American Diabetes Association promotes general nutrition guidelines that are geared toward blood glucose control, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, and encouraging
individualized eating plans that people can maintain over time.
What makes a recipe diabetes-friendly
for you depends on your situation and
conditions. Is calorie control important
because you’re aiming to lose weight?
Does high blood pressure mean you’re
intent on reducing sodium? Are you
fueling for a triathlon?
That’s why the recipes printed in Diabetes
Forecast list full nutrition information—so
that you can decide what best fits your
needs and concerns. There’s no single
diabetes “diet,” and an eating plan (which
Reduce ser;ing
sizes. You’ll
automatically
save calories,
fat, sodium, and
carbohydrate.
Translating specific numbers from guidelines
into healthy recipes can be difficult without
a calculator or computer program; however,
we can offer some general guidance. In order
to provide the healthful and colorful recipes
you see in each issue, we invent or adapt
recipes by keeping simple suggestions
(opposite) in mind.
These smart cooking practices can help
you adapt your way of eating and your own
recipes (without a calculator). And if you have
favorite recipes but can’t think of how to
make healthful changes without losing ;avor,
send them to Diabetes Forecast for a makeover
(box, opposite).
