For both types 1 and type 2 diabetes, carbohydrate restriction is a great way to help control blood sugars and minimize the toxicity and expense of drug therapy. Here are some low-carb recipes from my book, Conquer Diabetes and Prediabetes.
Breakfast: Mexican Scrambled Eggs
4 large eggs (50 g each)
1.5 tbsp (22 ml) olive oil
4 tbsp (60 ml) Pico de Gallo a la Rose (see my post of Jan. 5, 2013) or commercial picante sauce (having 2 g or fewer carbs per 2 tbsp)
salt and pepper
Whisk the eggs until smooth, add salt and pepper to taste; set aside. Heat the olive oil in a medium-sized frying pan then add the eggs and cook until done, scrambling now and then. Transfer to plate and top with 4 tbsp (60 ml) Pico de Gallo a al Rosa. Digestible carb grams: 6.
Lunch: Low-Carb Chili
1 cup (240 ml) Low-Carb Chili (see below)
1 oz (28 g) almonds
Enjoy 1 oz of almonds around mealtime or later as a snack. Digestible carb grams: 13.
LOW-CARB CHILI
It’s spicy, but not hot spicy. Peeled and sliced cold cucumbers make a nice side dish. If your children or housemates aren’t eating low-carb, they may enjoy the chili mixed 50:50 with cheese macaroni, and buttered cornbread on the side.
Ingredients
20 oz (567 g) raw ground beef, 80% lean meat/20% fat
20 oz (567 g) raw pork Italian sausage
1 large onion
14.5 oz (411 g) canned diced tomatoes
4 oz (113 g) tomato paste
1 tbsp (15 ml) dry unsweetened cocoa powder
5 garlic cloves
½ tsp (2.5 ml) salt
¼ tsp (1.2 ml) ground allspice
2 tbsp (30 ml) chili powder
¼ tsp (1.2 ml) ground cinnamon
½ tbsp (7.5 ml) ground cumin
¼ tsp (1.2 ml) ground cayenne pepper
2 packets (1 g per packet) Splenda tabletop sweetener
1 cup (240 ml) water
Preparation
Cut the Italian sausage into small pieces. Sauté the sausage, ground beef, onions, and garlic in a large pot. Don’t just brown the meat, cook it thoroughly. When done, drain off the fat if desired. Add the remainder of ingredients, bring to a boil, then simmer for about an hour. Add additional water if the chili looks too thick. Makes eight cups. Serving size is one cup (240 ml).
Nutrient Analysis:
Recipe makes 8 servings of 1 cup (240 ml). Each serving has 492 calories, 14 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 11 g digestible carbohydrate, 24 g protein, 38 g fat. 10% of calories are from carbohydrate, 21% from protein, 69% from fat.
Notes: Analysis is based on fat not being drained from the cooked meat. Calorie count and calories from fat would be a bit lower if you drained off fat.
Dinner: Shark and Broccoli
4 oz (110 g) shark, raw
2 cloves (3 g) garlic, peeled and diced
3 tbsp (45 ml) olive oil
1.5 cups (150 g) chopped raw broccoli
salt and pepper
6 oz (180 ml) dry white wine
Lightly salt and pepper the shark, then set aside. Sauté the garlic in 2 tbsp (30 cc) of the olive oil a few minutes over medium heat. Then add the broccoli and sauté to your preference, adding salt and pepper to taste. Remove to a dish. Add another 1 tbsp (15 ml) olive oil to the pan and sauté the shark at medium heat until done, careful not to overcook. Enjoy with dry white wine. Digestible carb grams: 11.
Diabetic Mediterranean Diet 