Type 2 Diabetes - Low-Fat Cooking For Diabetics

There is no reason why people with Type 2 diabetes have to eat bland meals in an effort to stay away from unhealthy fatty foods. In fact, there are plenty of low-fat cooking methods Type 2 diabetics can implement that will give them a massive variety of healthy options.

The most important thing to remember in low-fat cooking is to think about all of the extras. Of course, we know that broiling, baking and grilling are better options than frying and sautéing, but even using the better methods won't pay off if they are then tarnished with added fat. Baking fish won't work if it is swimming in butter and heavy sauces.

If you are looking for healthy alternatives then you have to go with it all the way across the board. Butter and sauces are out as they are laden with fat, cholesterol and calories. Lemon and lime juice are excellent choices in their place since they add flavor without the "bad" side effects.

If you find your recipe calls for oil: cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil is the best and is designed for more heart healthy eating. Real olive oil is made from olives that are tastier. Cold-pressed oils also give greater health benefits. When there is very little oil required you could even go with a cooking spray, which often contains none of the "bad" stuff.

For meat selections: always choose a lean cut. This might appear to be a little more expensive that a cheaper cut with more fat, but when you cook off the extra fat it really comes out quite comparable to each other. You can even take it one step further and trim the excess fat off before you cook. This prevents the fat from cooking into the meat where it can't be retrieved.

Substituting different types of meat is also preferable. Instead of ground beef, ground turkey will offer roughly the same taste with a fraction of the fat. Turkey can also replace sausage in the mornings. A better option would be to cut back on meat altogether and occasionally replace it with a fresh salad or vegetables.

Desserts are another area that don't have to be completely eliminated. When recipes call for milk, use skim instead of whole. Instead of eggs, use an egg substitute. If one isn't available, simply compensate egg whites in the place of a yolk, since the yolk is where the fat and calories are located. The dish will taste the same and your heart will thank you.

The dangers of unhealthy fats go beyond damage to your heart and waistline. One study revealed women with Type 2 diabetes who ate the most saturated and trans fats in midlife, entered their seventies with far less brain power than women who ate less of these fats.

To discover answers to questions you may be asking yourself about Type 2 Diabetes, click on this link... Natural Diabetes Treatments

Clicking on this link will help you to see how to Beat The Belly Fat Blues Beverleigh Piepers RN... the Diabetes Detective.

Beverleigh Piepers is the author of this article. This article can be used for reprint on your website provided all the links in the article are complete and active. Copyright (c) 2010 - All Rights Reserved Worldwide

Low-Fat Cooking

Below you will find a recipe that i make often,and it is very tasty.

You can serve it with a salad or a nice rice pilaf,or both.

Whatever you decide to serve it with i am sure you will enjoy this recipe!

Chicken Strips

3 boneless,skinless chicken breast sliced into 1 inch wide strips.

2 egg whites

1/4 tsp garlic powder

3/4 tsp onion powder

3/4 tsp seasoning salt

1 tbs parsley flakes

1 cup corn flake crumbs

Beat egg whites with a fork.

Add chicken strips and stir until well coated.

Combine all other ingredients in a plate.

Dip chicken strips into crumb mixture until well coated.

Place on lightly greased baking sheet.

Bake at 400 F for 10 minutes.

Turn strips over and bake another 10 minutes.

I will also include a nice rice pilaf to go with the chicken strips!

Rice Pilaf

2 tbs vegetable oil

1 cup rice uncooked

1cup chopped onion

1 cup chopped celery

2 10oz cans of chicken or beef broth

2 tbs water

2 tbs chopped fresh parsley

2 tbs sweet basil ( fresh basil is better)

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 medium zucchini,halved lenghtwise and sliced

3 medium carrots sliced thin

1 red pepper chopped

Heat oil in a large fry pan or wok

Saute rice for 7 minutes.

add onion and celery,cook for 3 minutes.

Add chicken or beef broth with water,parsley,pepper and basil.Bring to a boil.

Cover and simmer for 40 minutes.

Add carrots,red pepper and zucchini.Stir.

Cook for 35 minutes until vegetables are tender.

I hope you enjoy this as much as i do.

Have a great day!

Christine Hardy

Low-Fat Cooking Techniques

You may be used to putting a knob of butter or lard into the frying pan before adding the streak bacon - this does not mean that you should. Instead of adding the saturated fat, try grilling without any added fat. Instead of streaky, try bacon and trim off any visible fat. You could even get rid of the bacon altogether. Knowing what the alternatives are is the key to enjoying your new low fat diet. You don't have to forego everything you enjoy eating. Sitting down to a family meal together can be one of the most pleasurable parts of your day.

As a rule, avoid frying, as it is the least healthy way of cooking. Stir-frying is better as long as you use very little oil. Use a good quality wok and keep the temperature high, tossing the ingredients constantly so that they do not stick Try Prawn Stir-fry as follows:-

Preparation Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

INGREDIENTS:-

8 spring onions

1 green pepper

1 red pepper

2 tbsp groundnut or sunflower oil

2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped

1 tbsp grated fresh root ginger

200g/7 oz mange tout

450 g/1 lb raw prawns, thawed if frozen, peeled and divined

4 tbsp Chinese rice wine

STEPS:-

1) Using a sharp knife, trim the spring onions and finely chop. Deseed and slice the peppers.

2) Heat the groundnut oil in a preheated wok or heavy-based frying pan. Add the spring onions, garlic and peppers and stir-fry over a medium heat for 4 minutes

3) Add the mange touts and prawns and stir fry for 4 minutes, or until the prawns have changed the color. Stir in Chinese rice wine, then transfer to four large, warmed serving plates and serve.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:-

Calories..........................203

Protein...........................28g

Carbohydrates....................5g

Sugars..............................4g

Fat..................................8g

Saturates...........................1g

VARIATION:-

Substitute thinly sliced broccoli florets for the mange tout for an equally colorful and tasty dish. Replace the Chinese rice wine with dry sherry.

Also, let me share with you one of my personal favorites, The 'Low Fat' Coffee Ice Cream:

Preparation Time: 1 hour, plus

Cook Time: 0 minutes

Freezing: 6 hours

INGREDIENTS:-

25 g/1 oz plain chocolate

225g/8 oz ricotta cheese

5 tbsp low fat natural yogurt

85 g/3 oz caster sugar

175 ml/6 fl oz strong black coffee, cooled and chilled

½ tsp ground cinnamon

dash of vanilla essence

25 g/1 oz chocolate curls, to decorate

STEPS:-

1) Grate the chocolate and reserve. Place the ricotta cheese, yogurt and sugar in a blender or food processor and process until a smooth puree forms. Transfer to a large bowl and beat in the coffee, cinnamon, vanilla essence and grated chocolates.

2) Spoon the mixture into a freezer proof container and freeze for 1½ hours, or until slushy. Remove from the freezer, turn into a bowl and beat. Return to the container and freeze for 1½ hours.

3) Repeat the beating and freezing process twice more before serving in scoops, decorated with chocolate curls. Alternatively, leave in the freezer until 15 minutes before serving, and then transfer to the refrigerator to soften slightly before scooping.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION:-

Calories..........................150

Protein..............................6g

Carbohydrates....................21g

Sugars..............................21g

Fat....................................6g

Saturates.............................4g

VARIATION:-

Omit the cinnamon and vanilla essence and substitute 40 g/1½ oz grated mint chocolate for the plain chocolate.

About the author:

For more recipes, as well as nutrition information for all types of produce, visit [http://www.100cookingtips.com]

Khushwant Singh

Low-Fat Cooking for A Low-Fat Lifestyle

Fat is in the news again. Especially, we are being urged to purge something called trans fats from our diets. Cities such as New York have even started banning restaurants from using trans fats.

What are trans fats? Although some trans fats occur naturally--primarily in certain animal-based food products--most of them are made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil. Hydrogenation increases the shelf life and stabilizes the flavor of foods, but at a health cost, scientists have learned.

Trans fats raise the level of bad cholesterol in your body, increasing your risk for heart disease, much the same as saturated fat does. Now, some dietary fat is good and necessary for us, but to the extent possible it should be the unsaturated, non-hydrogenated kind.

Trans fats are most frequently found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, cookies, crackers and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oil. As a response to the growing recognition of the health risks of both trans fats and saturated fats, low-fat cooking is again coming into vogue in the home kitchen.

Low-fat cooking is a good idea for all parts of your meal--yes, even dessert. The problem for those of us who love to cook (and eat!) is that fat carries so much of the flavor that we love in our favorite foods. The challenge is to find ways to add back in the flavor and texture that are lost when you take out the fat. A great way to do this is with seasonings. Each dish will require a different combination of seasonings to make it taste its greatest. Be prepared to experiment.

Another tip: Low-fat cooking is nearly impossible unless you use nonstick pans, which do not require oil for cooking. So, before you change to a low-fat lifestyle, make sure your kitchen is stocked with the proper type of cookware.

As for cooking methods, try grilling or baking the things that you used to deep-fry. Other good low-fat cooking methods include braising and poaching. Steaming vegetables in the microwave is a good example of low-fat cooking.

The benefits of a low-fat diet are many. You cut your risk not only of heart disease, but also of obesity with its many attendant complications. Starting your children on a low-fat diet builds a foundation for healthy eating habits as adults.

As for low-fat recipes, the Internet is chock-full of them. Most restaurants nowadays offer healthy, low-fat choices on their menus; check out some of the books and ebooks of "secret" restaurant recipes if you want to learn to make them at home.

Yes, a low-fat lifestyle can present challenges. But it can be an enjoyable adventure as well, for both you and your family.

As a response to the growing recognition of the health risks of both trans fats and saturated fats, low-fat cooking is again coming into vogue in the home kitchen. There are challenges, though, in adopting a low-fat lifestyle. Here are some ideas and tips for low-fat cooking that will turn that new way of eating into an exciting adventure.Sarah Sandori is the food and entertaining columnist for the Solid Gold Info Writers Consortium. Have you ever wanted to be able to exactly duplicate a favorite dish from a favorite restaurant? Check out Sarah's article where she reveals her source for the most mouth-watering secret restaurant recipes in America: http://www.solid-gold.info/most-wanted-recipes.html

Low-Fat Cooking 101

Sure, low-fat cooking sounds good in theory. But let's face it: At the end of a long, hard day, who's really got the energy to shop for all those fresh ingredients or to follow a long, complicated recipe?

Well, I've got good news. Getting on the healthful cooking track is a lot easier than you may think. In fact, all it takes is an open mind, a little planning, and a few good kitchen tools.

Many people equate low-fat cooking with time-consuming, but it actually takes little effort or time to quickly put simple, tasty meals on the table, especially if you plan ahead.

Here are a few simple steps that will help you reform your culinary ways:

1. Outfit your kitchen. You don't need a lot of fancy gadgets to make cooking light a snap. Nonstick cookware reduces the need for oil; a roasting pan with a grate or rack or a broiling pan with a tray prevents meat from absorbing fatty drippings; and a steamer or wok allows you to cook vegetables quickly to preserve nutrients. A rice cooker and a crock pot with a timer will allow you to toss ingredients in before work, then come home to a hot meal.

2. Upgrading the nutritional value of the items in your pantry will instantly make for healthier cooking. Your cupboards should hold an array of staples for making quick, healthful meals and snacks, such as quick-cooking brown rice, whole-wheat pasta, and rolled oats for meatballs as well as hot cereal.

A scan of cans should reveal seafood (tuna and salmon) and chicken, a variety of vegetables and beans, diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, and reduced-fat soup. For nutritious desserts and snacks, keep applesauce, raisins, dried and canned fruit, pretzels, rice cakes, and reduced-fat crackers within easy reach.

3. In addition to a fresh assortment of perishable products--eggs, low-fat milk and cheese, and fresh fruit and vegetables--stock your refrigerator with flavorful condiments. Dress up cut veggies or baked potatoes with store-bought low-fat dips or salad dressings, or mix up your own using nonfat yogurt, sour cream, or cottage cheese. Perk up sandwiches with sweet peppers, chutney, and spicy salsas, and top crackers with low-fat cream cheese and all-fruit preserves.

4. Make a meal plan. Spend a few hours each week flipping through low-fat cookbooks, and select seven days worth of meals that appeal to you. Write them down on index cards or input them into your computer. This is your master shopping list; keep it posted on your refrigerator door so you'll know what to buy the next time you go to the store.

5. Take advantage of the weekend. When the pace of life is more leisurely, use the time to prepare healthful meals in double batches, then freeze half in single-meal containers for quick mid-week thawing. If you do this each weekend, it won't be long before you have a variety of ready-made meal options in the freezer.

Respectfully submitted by Idaline Hall. For more helpful insider secrets on healthy cooking, visit: http://HealthQuickTips.com