Today, I want to write about a personal story. My cooking school offer programs of various topics, but one, in particular, is dear to me because it is part of me. I am a chef diabetic, perhaps the worst combination you can think of, always surrounded by great food, but continually scrambling in deciding what to eat and when. To be clear, I played soccer until my 40s and never had an issue with weight, nor did my family.
The discovery was a surprise, to put it mildly.
I am a skinny chef, but fell victim to the American diet, just like millions of others. According to the CDC, more than 34 million Americans have diabetes (about 1 in 10), and approximately 90-95% of them have type 2 diabetes. Type 2 diabetes most often develops in people over age 45. Still, more and more children, teens, and young adults are also growing it.
I am going to share what I do in managing my type 2. Hopefully, those of you “gifted” with this condition can appreciate some of my practices and suggestions.
As you know, diet is the basis of DMT2 therapy. Every person with diabetes must strictly follow the diet prescribed by their diabetes specialist. A healthy, varied, and balanced diet plays a critical role in the treatment of diabetes and has the following main objectives:
Very important to achieve and maintain a desirable weight. Preventing hyper or hypoglycemia and reduce the risk of developing atherosclerosis and microvascular complications (retinopathy, renal failure), and whatever esle in the mix.
In addition to diet therapy, type II diabetes mellitus can also include pharmacological treatments based on the clinical situation and the different personal characteristics. People with type II diabetes on insulin therapy may require individualized diet therapies, which are generally provided by the hospital Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services. No panicking here, we may be able to defeat this nonsense partially.
What I do daily:
I try to reduce the consumption of simple sugars, hidden everywhere you look.
I try to limit the total fat intake to less than 30% of the daily calorie intake.
I limit the consumption of saturated fats to less than 10% of the daily calorie intake.
I try to get more fiber, at least 15 g (1/2 ounce) per 1000 kcal.
I prefer foods with a low glycemic index. You can obtain a list from any related sites you visit. Print it and attach it to the refrigerator door, and memorize it.
I never skip breakfast, and if it happens, I will always have food-related items in a personal bag or vehicle. When I travel abroad, I always bring my food on the plane.
I consume complete meals for lunch and dinner (carbohydrates + proteins + vegetables + fruit), and periods of prolonged fasting.
I divide the total amount of complex carbohydrates such as bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, and others, equally into the three main meals. Occasionally I’ll have three slices of good quality pizza, made with “mother’s yeast” dough (fewer sugars, low bloodstream absorption). Mother yeast’s never available in franchise pizza places.
I choose simple cooking methods, such as steaming, baking, grilling (much less), pressure cooking, stewing, or boiling. When poaching vegetables, I always reserve the liquids and drink them later. No, It’s not weird, you’ll get used to it.
I strictly avoid breaded and fried foods, which require large quantities of oil to cook. In restaurants, mostly, I would never order anything fried or stuffed. Again its a matter of preference, and I simply don’t have much trust in the preparation.
These are the foods I do not allow
White, cane, and fructose sugar to sweeten drinks, sweet syrups such as maple or agave, and replace them with sweeteners such as stevia.
I use raw honey in moderation, usually one teaspoon a day, and sugar-free jams. Very often, I make my own when the fruit is in season and plentiful.
I stay away from sweets and confectionery such as cakes, pastries, cookies, jellies, puddings, ice cream, popsicles, candies, and others you already know. Occasionally, I cheat on a special occasion such as my granddaughter’s birthdays so that I don’t hurt their feelings. Sugar, to me, is a treat and gets treated as such-randomly.
I don’t eat the fruit in syrup, candied fruit, and fruit mustard. I usually boil my pears and apples, especially in winters, and drizzle little honey over.
I stay away from sugary drinks or soft drinks such as cola, orange soda, tonic water, iced teas, and fruit juices, as they naturally contain sugar (fructose) even if they bear the words “no added sugar” on the package. Remember, the “no added sugar” slogan is simply a marketing wordage used all across the manufacturing world.
I do not use sauces containing sugar, such as ketchup, barbecue sauce, or dipping sauces, which hide the most sugars and sodium. Well prepared food needs nothing.
I do not use fatty condiments such as butter, margarine, lard, cream, etc. Only vegetables extracted oils, leaning toward extra virgin 80% of the time.
I occasionally splurge on sausages, salami, processed meats, like mortadella and ham. I always seek the lowest sodium amount and never exceed 50 grams a week (3 slices) at most. Here, I should probably do better and eliminate these no-value products.
I do drink one ounce of Jack Daniels three times a week, and 5 ounces of white wine daily. I do not drink red wine because of higher sugar content, and because I don’t like it. If the caloric difference between the wines is 40 calories, I rather eat a piece of 95% dark chocolate instead of red grape juice, and that’ll be my dessert.
Fruit contains sugar (fructose), naturally and I fully respect the quantities indicated for my body. I limit sugary fruits, such as grapes, bananas, figs, persimmons, mandarins, and those with a higher glycemic index, such as melon and watermelon, to occasional consumption.
I will consume more cherries, apples, pears, apricots, peaches, strawberries, plums, and grapefruits. Keep in mind that the degree of ripeness of the fruit changes its glycemic index: the more ripe and sugary, the higher the glycemic index.
Chestnuts, potatoes, and corn have relevant starch sources so that they could replace bread, pasta, rice, and other complex carbohydrates. Out of the three, I eat chestnuts once a year at the celebration of Saint Martin. It was a childhood tradition in my family in Italy, and the only day when my father allowed wine consumption for us, children, without table food. Otherwise, water diluted the wine according to our age.
Potatoes and corn are overrated to me, probably because growing up, both tuber and vegetables were served daily to my grandfather’s pigs in their extensive farmland. I never saw corn eaten by humans until I came here. We ate polenta, however. Go figure. Also, potatoes have a relatively high glycemic index and its derivatives (mashed potatoes, gnocchi, etc.) When in the mood for gnocchi, I replace potatoes with butternut squash, spinach, or pureed beets, lightly sauced with olive oil, Parmigiano, and nutmeg. Truly delicious and satisfying.
I stay away from polished rice, foods made with rice flour, and refined cereals in general. Ordinary white bread, breadsticks, crackers, rusks, etc. have a high glycemic index, and eat them in small quantities and not combined in the same meal.
I don’t use salt very much and often cook without it. I try to extract natural minerals from food during the cooking process (a technique we in the States are resisting in leaning). I never eat food that naturally contains high quantities of salt or sodium, such as canned or brine foods, meat extracts, soy-type sauces, or the famous duck sauce found in Oriental restaurants. Trust me; those packets have never met a duck. Instead of salt, to flavor the preparations, I use three teaspoons of grated Grana Padano PDO or Parmigiano Reggiano, loaded with healthy salt and dairy.
Both kinds of cheese are rich in calcium, functional proteins with high biological value (including the nine essential amino acids), vitamins of group B, and antioxidants such as vitamin A, zinc, and selenium. Don’t be afraid to eat them as you desire.
I add olive oil on the food, raw with a spoon and without exaggerating. Three tablespoons a day in any combinations. I think that is the most you can do.
I consume vegetables, both raw and cooked (50/50 proportion), in large portions, especially for the critical intake of fiber, and for the content of vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants. I recommended green leafy vegetables such as lettuce, spinach, cabbage, turnip greens, etc. When choosing a salad, I always go for bitter versus sweet. Romaine, bibb, iceberg, or mesclun (I call them corporate greens, for office use), they don’t have the nutritional values of escarole, radicchio, endive, chicory, dandelion, and others. Bitter is king. Salad always at the end of the meal because it helps the digestive system. Normality does not include finishing a good meal with carbs (dessert).
I eat fresh or frozen seafood no less than two to three times a week, from a reputed supplier, and never purchase from supermarkets, unless I know the fishmonger in the department. Too many shady practices convinced me to stay away from large chains, who often resort to manipulating the products—topic for another segment.
I eat the followers in moderation. Pasta barley, spelled, rice, couscous, barley bread, rye, and other complex whole carbohydrates (e.g., wholemeal pasta, wholemeal bread, wholemeal crackers, wholemeal rusks, etc.) because they increase the fiber intake and reduce the glycemic peak.
I cook everything “al dente” (firm to the bite), because it reduces the glycemic index of pasta, as does eating cold pasta.
Legumes such as chickpeas, beans, lentils, peas, broad beans, etc., as they are essential sources of vegetable protein. Therefore I make a main course and not as a side dish out of them. Although they contain a small percentage of carbohydrates, they have a low glycemic index and appear to reduce the glycemic peak. It’s good to eat them once or twice a week, even in combination with carbohydrates to form tasty, unique dishes.
I occasionally eat meat, both red and white, but no more than twice a month, especially lean cuts and deprived of visible fat. Poultry also once a week without the skin because it is the part that contains the most fat. I choose them carefully, hormone-free, and organically raised. Large chicken breast includes the most amount of antibiotics, and I don’t need them because I am not into weight lifting.
I drink skimmed or semi-skimmed milk and yogurt, as they are foods with a low glycemic index. I also consume two tablespoons of ricotta every other day. The cheese is little in fat, creamy, spreadable with unique richness. Sprinkled with cinnamon is divine.
I consume cheese two or three times a week as a main course and not as an “out of a meal.” I choose fresh (50 g) or aged (100 g) such as Grana, Parmigiano, or any other aged at least six months and beyond.
I make heavy use of spices and aromatic herbs, foods with a low glycemic index, help flavor preparations by reducing salt consumption—natural flavors with simple cooking procedures.
Water, preferably with low mineral content, at least 1 quart per day. I should probably do better in this department and trying very hard.
Behavioral advice
In the case of overweight or obesity, weight loss, and abdominal circumference regularization, I recommended a reduction in fat mass, especially in areas around the waistline and critical organs location.
A healthy weight reduces blood glucose levels and other cardiovascular risk factors such as arterial hypertension, cholesterol, and triglycerides.
Make your lifestyle more active (e.g., go to work on foot or by bicycle instead of by car, park far from your destination, avoid using the lift and take the stairs, etc.).
I practice physical activity three times a week (minimum of 150 minutes per week, optimal 300 minutes), both aerobic and muscle-strengthening (anaerobic). Constant physical exercise gives beneficial effects to those who have diabetes and is essential for eliminating excess fat and losing weight properly.
I am obsessed with reading product labels, especially to be sure of their sugar content. Beware of “sugar-free” products, as they are often high in fat and therefore high in calories. Guidelines are often sketchy; just trust your palate.
Carry out regular blood checks and cardiological screenings (as directed by your doctor).
Practical advice
Those suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus could include in their diet:
A breakfast consisting of a cup of semi-skimmed milk or a jar of low-fat yogurt + rusks or bread or cereals or dry biscuits + a medium-sized fruit (about 150 g), to be eaten preferably with the peel (if edible and well washed) ).
Lunch and dinner as complete meals, consisting of bread, pasta or rice (preferably cooked “al dente,” using whole grains in about 50% of cases) + a second course (meat or fish or cheese or cold cuts or eggs or legumes) + vegetables + a fruit.
Those of you who do not want to eat first and second courses can make unique dishes based on carbohydrates and proteins. Seek functional proteins in legumes, if possible.
For example, pasta with tuna, rice or pasta with legumes, pasta with mozzarella and tomato, sandwich with roast beef, etc., always accompanied by vegetable and fruit.
For morning and afternoon snacks, or in the late evening if you are used to having dinner early (before 8 PM), think of fresh fruit, low-fat yogurt with a spoonful of unsweetened cereal or a glass of milk or a few flakes of aged cheese (10-15 g) with a couple of rusks. I also crack two medium coconuts and eat the flesh in 1 week.
Almost forgot: learn some cooking, anything, trust yourself when you deal with your body and health. Make quality food your medicine. Food education can be the greatest asset you have. I know people with three masters, but eat junk everytime I see them.
Finally, after reading the article, you might feel dejected, not so fast just yet. There is plenty of great food to select for successful diabetes management. Its a matter of getting involved, research, and modify. For those of us “gifted” with this frustrating challenge, imagine if we were born ugly and dumb? Neither of those has a remedy or a medication. Luckily we have plenty of healthy options: go forward, never let diabetes win, and live your life with the Glycemic Index Rules. You’ll be fine!
