Shop right for diabetes! Shopping the outer aisles of the grocery store are where you will find all of the natural, heart healthy foods for your diet. Start with fresh veggies, which are low in carbohydrates. You can even find grains (starches) here by purchasing items like fresh peas, corn, sweet potatoes, butternut and spaghetti squashes, then move right along to the meat section. Here, buy lean cuts of meat or seafood, and then move right along to purchase eggs. You won’t get into carbohydrate trouble here, because meat and eggs do not contain carbohydrates.
Next, we go to the dairy department. Try to purchase lower fat milk, cottage cheese, cheeses and yogurts. Lowering the fat content may help keep your calories in check. As you move along to purchase butter or margarine, look for products made with olive oil and “light” to help lower your calories per serving.
Finally, it is time to consider items such as desserts and grains. For desserts, look for items packaged in portions sizes. Buying smaller, individually wrapped portions can decrease mindless snacking, because you can better monitor your carbohydrate intake when it is packaged in single servings. When it comes to grains, think about how many servings are right for you. Will one loaf of high fiber bread be enough to last until your next grocery shopping trip? If you buy crackers, will you be tempted to overeat and exceed your carbohydrate meal allowance? Smart shop, and choose from the outer aisles, leaving all the tempting high calorie, quick fix snacks right in the grocery store.
