Protein & Vegetables Before Carbs

What can we do to achieve optimal blood sugar and hormonal balance? Have some protein and non-starchy vegetables before you eat your carbs! This is the quickest and easiest way to avoid blood sugar spikes and crashes. According to the American Diabetes Association (ADA), people living with type 2 diabetes (T2DM) are more prone to loss of muscle than those not living with T2DM. So why is this important? When we begin to lose muscle, it is replaced by fat. More fat can potentially PREVENT blood sugar from coming down. So it is extremely important to consume adequate amounts of LEAN protein with EACH meal and snack. Here are some examples of lean protein. How can you increase your protein intake to manage blood sugars better?

• Egg whites/Egg beaters

• Light white flaky fish: cod, haddock, tilapia, shrimp, lobster, flounder

• Boneless, skinless chicken breast or turkey breast (white meat is preferred)

• Fat-free dairy: milk (1% or skim), cheese (lite or low fat), yogurt (non-fat Greek or milk yogurt) and cottage cheese

  
  
  
  

Examples of proteins from plant-based sources:

• Tofu/tempeh

• Peas and beans: pinto beans, navy beans, white beans, kidney beans, garbanzo beans (chickpeas), lima beans, split peas, black-eyed peas, lentils, and edamame

• Nuts and nut butter: almonds, pistachios, walnuts, pecans