At some point, everyone comes in contact with diabetes. It could be that you are cooking for a family member who must follow the food plan to manage their condition, or it could be that the news of your own recent diagnosis has left you pondering the options you have, whether or not you can continue cooking your favorite dishes in light of this new information. Diabetic cooking doesn’t have to be hard, though. It really is nothing more than healthfully-prepared recipes that have been devised with an eye toward keeping sugar content low and the amounts of salt and fat limited as well.

Any person who has ever taken on a weight-loss plan will be familiar with these basic principles, and while they do require a more carefully considered preparation method than standard cooking might require, the results can still end with flavorfully-prepared dishes that even the non-diabetic people in the family can enjoy.

Diabetic meals can, and should, be full of just as much flavor as regular recipes.

The main focus of a food plan for diabetes is to prevent the spikes and lows in the blood glucose reading of the diabetic person. To this end, you generally want carefully portioned meals divided throughout the day, with a snack bridging the gap between breakfast and lunch, and again between lunch and dinner. These carbohydrate- and portion-controlled meals are designed to contain approximately the same number of carbohydrate choices at each meal, and that is intended to stabilize the blood glucose throughout the course of the day.

One carbohydrate choice is equal to fifteen grams of carbohydrates. This bit of knowledge is invaluable in calculating portion sizes of all that the diabetic person is eating. Whole grain carbohydrates are the first choice when looking to add a carb choice to a meal or snack, and this is due to their higher fiber content, which can help with feeling full longer, as well as not leading to the spike in blood sugar numbers that can be caused by a refined carbohydrate that have a higher sugar content.

Food labels will always list the amount of carbohydrate per serving of any item. A such, it is worth the time it takes to measure and weigh out the portions for most of the foods until it is clear exactly what the serving size is. The tendency for most people is to over-estimate the amount that one ounce is, for example, and so when it is measured by the use of a food scale or measuring cup, the accuracy can make a real difference in the management of diabetes.

Now that the basic principles of the diabetic cooking concept are outlined, how do you make those recipes you prepare taste as good as the less restrictive foods you may have been preparing in the past? The use of limited fat can seem as if it is a restriction, but when flavoring is carefully considered, the reduction in fat will not be noticeable. Using broths, such as vegetable or chicken, to flavor the stir fry dishes, or even to cook things like vegetables, will boost the flavor content without adding additional calories from fat. Be sure to read the labels from prepared stocks and broths and choose the brands that have low fat and salt content. When making your own stocks at home, skim the fat and limit the added salt so as to have the most healthful ingredients. The addition of chopped fresh herbs and things like garlic, shallots and onions, in moderation, can go a long way in adding flavor to the savory dishes we prepare. The color added by the fresh herbs is also a large part of the eye appeal that is so important when serving home-cooked meals. The expression, “We eat first with our eyes,” is true; the appetizing appearance of food is important.

For things like desserts and other baked goods, there are several options in artificial sweeteners that are stable throughout the high temperatures of baking. Plus, the lack of carbohydrate in those sweeteners can lower the impact the foods will have on blood glucose readings. Refined white flour is a relatively high glycemic item, and if the texture of the baked goods can handle the substitution of whole-wheat flour, the muffins or cakes will be a more healthful choice.