Crete Your Plate – Plate Method
Most of the time, people have no idea what should be done about it when they are first told they have diabetes. The first thing which ought to be done is the reduce the quantity of food you are eating. Put more non-starchy vegetables and less meat as well as starchy foods on your plate.
An easy method to manage your blood sugar levels is to create your plate.
To create your plate which is effective and simple, you need no particular tools or do any carbohydrate counting. All you have to do is to mentally draw lines on a plate. Then, choose the right foods and have your meal. This method is also called the “Plate Method”.
With your serving sizes changed, you go on to choose more nutritious foods from each of the food groups.
What is the plate method of meal planning? – Video Guide
Creating Your Plate in Five Easy Steps
This simple method is effective for weight loss and diabetes management. It allows you to continue eating the foods you like with changes only in the portion sizes. You eat bigger portions of vegetables which are non-starchy and a reduced portion of any starchy food. Once you have got used to the method, you can go on to new foods under each category of food.
Follow these five easy steps to create your plate:
1- Divide your plate exactly into two halves with an imaginary line. Then, divide one of the halves into two equal parts and you have a plate with three sections.
2- Put non-starchy vegetables in the section which covers half your plate. Your non-starchy vegetables can be:
- Turnip, peppers, mushrooms
- Onion, salsa, beets, cucumber, okra, vegetable juice
- Tomatoes, cauliflower, broccoli, green beans
- Bok choy, cabbage, lettuce greens, carrots, spinach
3- Next, put starchy foods in one of the two remaining smaller sections. Examples of the starchy foods are:
- Wholegrain breads
- Tortillas, dal, pasta, rice
- High-fiber, wholegrain cereal
- Cooked peas and beans including blacked eyed peas or pinto beans
- Cooked cereal like oatmeal, cream of wheat, grits or hominy
- Pretzels, fat-free popcorn, low-fat crackers, and snack chips
- Green peas, potatoes, winter squash, corn, sweet potatoes, lima beans
4- In the remaining small section, place your meat substitutes or meat which can be:
- Low-fat cheese, eggs, tofu
- Skinless turkey or chicken
- Lean pork and beef like sirloin or pork loin
- Fish like catfish, cod, salmon, or tuna
- Other types of seafood like mussels, crab, oysters, clams and shrimps
5- Finally, using low-fat or non-fat milk, make a drink in an eight ounce cup. If you dislike milk, eat a small portion of carbohydrate like 6 oz of light yogurt.
Give yourself half a cup of fruit salad or a small fruit. Examples are fresh fruit, fruits frozen in light syrup, or fruits which are fresh, frozen or canned in juice. And you already have a planned meal.