It’s probably true to say that success in beating diabetes starts in the kitchen. Let’s face it; 
no matter how well you may be doing in fighting diabetes in other areas of your life, if you are not eating healthy you will always be running behind. And regardless of how gorgeous your kitchen may be, if you don’t make healthy food, and stock the kitchen with items that will help fight the disease, you are only ever going to be able to hope that the medications you have will be enough. Your goal in this area needs to be setting up a kitchen that lets you make healthy foods in a hurry, and where diabetes-friendly snacks and drinks are the rule rather than the exception. Try these tips:
- Keep the kitchen clean. Make it a general rule that dirty dishes are never to be left in the sink.. Equally important, the counters and tables are to be kept clean. You may wonder why. After all, diabetes is not caused by dirt or by germs. But the fact is that you will have a better mental attitude, and be more motivated to cook healthy foods if you don’t have to clean the kitchen first.
- Keep the spice rack well stocked. Not only will spices
help you to flavor meals, but by and large they contain next to no calories. There are a few spices that contain antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. These include fresh garlic, onion, oregano, basil, ginger, and rosemary. Cinnamon may even be helpful in treating diabetes (not just helping to reduce calorie intake) by lowering fasting blood glucose levels by up to 30%. It may also help in reducing LDL cholesterol, often referred to as bad cholesterol. Follow this link for an explanation of 13 health benefits of cinnamon. - Make the decision to use olive oil rather than corn oil. Olive oil has many health benefits. Extra virgin olive oil is the only type that contains all the antioxidants and bioactive compounds. Briefly, though, they include monounsaturated fats (which do not increase your insulin resistance) and protection from heart disease. Both light and heat can turn olive oil rancid over time, so keeping a supply in the refrigerator is a good idea. But, because olive oil will turn cloudy there, keep a small bottle of olive oil in your pantry as well.
- Keep fruit out on display. If you always have fruit out on the counter, especially if it is in an attractive display, you are much more likely to choose fruit as a healthy snack.
- Avoid margarine that contains trans fats. These are made in a manufacturing process by adding hydrogen to vegetable oils. This turns them into solid fats. Many experts feel that using such fats significantly increases the risk of heart disease as well as having other negative consequences. If you have high cholesterol, go for a spread that contains plant sterols or stanols instead. In my case, I do not have high cholesterol, but my doctor wants me to have lower than normal cholesterol levels because of my diabetes.
Please note that the content presented here is for your information only. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, and it should not be used to diagnose or treat a health problem or disease.
Tim's Diabetes Blog 