My Diabetes Information Blogs
Getting the Proteins in for Diabetes Health
03/29/08
Nutrition & Exercise
By Kate Gato
How do you get enough protein? Doesn't it come from meat, which is also high in fat? There are other excellent sources of protein that are also low in fat. Read this article to learn how to get the healthy protein you need.
Protein—it makes up 16 percent of your body weight and the average person needs about 50 grams of it, every day, to be healthy. (Get a personal estimate, based on your body weight here - http://www.unjury.com/reg/calculator.shtml) It is what your hair, skin and muscles are made of. Protein is an important part of any diet whether or not you live with diabetes.
When most of us think of protein we think of meat. It's an accurate link, but most meats are high in fat. It seems like a catch-22 for healthy eaters—you need protein, but fat is the enemy.
So how do you get one without the other? There are several high protein foods that are not meat.
- Beans: Navy, kidney, lentils or chick peas—it makes no difference. They all pack a high protein punch.
- Cheese & Eggs: This one makes sense considering where they come from. Just be sure to get low fat cheese and eat only reasonable amounts.
- Avocados
- Greens: Dark greens like spinach, Kale, and Mustard Greens have quite a bit of protein, as well as iron and even some calcium in them.
All this information is great, if you use it. Here are two high protein, low sugar recipes that use ingredients other than meat.
High protein salad
Ingredients:
- 2 cups baby spinach salad mix (if you don't like spinach, substitute another dark green)
- ¼ cup cooked and dried navy beans
- ¼ cup cooked and dried kidney beans
- ½ cup chick peas
- ½ of a ripe, medium sized avocado, diced
- 1 small tomato, diced
- 1 stalk of broccoli, chopped into bite–size pieces
Preparation: Get a bowl with a lid, large enough to hold everything with some air space. (A large ziplock bag also works in a pinch). Shake until mixed evenly. Serve it on a plate and enjoy with dressing of your choice.
High protein soup
Ingredients:
- 1 quart vegetable stock
- ¾ cup lentils soaked and ready to cook
- ¼ cup split green peas, soaked and ready to cook
- ¼ cup split yellow peas, soaked and ready to cook
- ½ cup diced carrot
- ¼ cup of a large leek, chopped finely
- 1 large bay leaf
- Salt & pepper to taste
Preparation: Place the vegetable stock into a pot or slow cooker, then the beans and vegetables. Stir to mix. If on stove, use medium heat for 1 hour.
If you are using a slow cooker add all items together and set it to the medium setting. If you are using a two setting slow cooker use the higher of the two, for at least 2 ½ hours, or until the vegetables are fork tender.