A 1500-calorie diabetic diet, one that restricts carbohydrate, fat and protein intake, might be a great way in which to do two things simultaneously--lose weight and maintain optimum blood sugar levels. Apart from providing enough nutrients for a middle-size grown individual, such diets will also help you reduce the hazard of heart disease.
Breakfast
For breakfast you can have one slice of toast with one teaspoon low-fat margarine and three-fourth cup of corn flakes with skim milk (one cup). You could opt instead for a small banana, one cup of cottage cheese or one egg as well. Further options include a couple of waffles in four tablespoons of syrup, a couple of teaspoons of margarine, coffee or tea, one cup of yogurt and some blackberries. You can also replace one fruit, protein or carbohydrate source with an alternative and have peppers, plum, granola and pineapple juice for breakfast if you are so inclined.
Lunch
Lunch should contain a couple of ounces of meat, for instance, sliced turkey or chicken breast, two slices of bread, one portion of vegetables, like some lettuce and tomatoes, with one teaspoon of regular mayonnaise and one medium-size piece of fruit. For variation replace foods within each food group with something different every day. In this manner, lunch on some days could feature 12 crackers or one six-inch pita bread and some bulgur wheat or a couple of dinner rolls for the starch quotient. You can replace the usual vegetables with some beans and chili, or broccoli and cauliflower. You can also have some cottage cheese instead of animal proteins and wash down your meal with coffee or tea or a diet beverage.
Dinner
For dinner, start with two ounces of lean protein like beef, one medium-size baked potato and a dinner roll with one teaspoon of low-fat margarine. Remember to include at least one cup of cooked mixed vegetables and a fruit like some strawberries with your meal. For variety, change to a meal consisting of a four-ounce hamburger, lettuce leaves, tomatoes and ketchup, skim milk and some watermelon. Other dinner options would be a combination of either half a cup of vegetable lasagna, one breadstick, some greens and tomatoes with dressing, some grapefruit and milk or the combination of three ounces of roast pork with one cup of rice and a cup of stir-fried vegetables with sauce and peanut oil, reduced fat yogurt and tea.
Snacks
Daytime snack ideas include three cups of popcorn without butter or some pita bread or crackers, while the bedtime snack could consist of a cup of skim milk with crackers.
Tags: skim milk, with teaspoon, cottage cheese, like some, low-fat margarine, pita bread