Supermarket shopping can be a stressful task at the best of times, so when you’ve to take diabetes into account, the weekly shop can seem a lot! Read on to learn how to make the most out of your visit to the supermarket and how to make it less overwhelming.
TOP TIP:
Before you shop, write a list, check what you already have, and plan your meals for the week.
Planning ahead means you are more likely to fill up the trolley with what you actually need.
FRUIT AND VEGETABLES
Think about adding fruit with cereal, as a snack, or after a meal.
Choose from fresh, frozen, dried, or tinned (in fruit juice). Vegetables can be steamed, roasted, or made into a variety of salads.
To supplement your fresh purchases, stock up on frozen vegetables that are cut and ready to cook such as frozen peas and green beans which will cook in just a few minutes.
Having vegetables with dinner should always be the case! Aim to eat at least 5 portions) of fruits and vegetables daily. They are low in calories, and their fibre helps keep hunger at bay and also slows down the release of glucose into the bloodstream, thus helping your diabetes control.
Remember, fruits contain naturally-occurring sugars and may cause your blood glucose to rise if eaten in large amounts – so spread your fruit portions out across the day.
BAKERY
Stock up on starchy carbohydrates. Starchy carbohydrates include all types of bread and crackers, cereals, potatoes, pasta, rice, and noodles.
These foods should be included at each meal of the day. Choosing oat-based and wholegrain varieties of starchy carbohydrates will help increase the fibre content of your diet, which in turn can help towards maintaining a healthy gut.
Foods based on oats and whole grains are released more slowly into our bloodstream, improving blood glucose control.
DAIRY
Dairy foods contain the naturally occurring sugar lactose. To meet your calcium needs and keep bones healthy, aim for 3 servings of dairy per day.
Women who are pregnant or breastfeeding also need 3 servings daily, whereas children aged 9-18 need 5 servings a day.
Choose low-fat milk as it has the vitamins and minerals we need for bone health but does not have saturated fat which can raise cholesterol. Low-fat milk is suitable for children over the age of 2, and skimmed milk is suitable for children over the age of 5.
MEAT
Meat and poultry are protein foods, so don’t affect blood glucose.
Choose lean cuts of meats to reduce saturated fat intake. Ask your butcher to trim excess fat and skin off your meat and poultry.
Cheaper cuts of meat are a budget shopper’s friend – they are ideal for soups, stews, and casseroles. Ask your butcher for advice.
Sausages and puddings have a high-fat content – even when grilled, so keep these foods for occasional treats.
Remember that stuffing or sauce will have a lot of salt, and usually some carbohydrate too, so go for plain undressed meat or poultry and have a small amount of sauce on the side if desired.
FISH
Oily fish like salmon, trout, and mackerel are rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids. People with type 2 diabetes are recommended to have oily fish twice a week.
Cod, hake, plaice are all healthy options too, so try and include these fish once a week as well. Many supermarkets now stock uncoated frozen fish – look for fish fillets without breadcrumb or batter coatings.
Keeping a supply of tinned salmon, tuna, mackerel, or sardines in your cupboard to use as the basis of a quick and tasty healthy meal is also handy. When choosing tinned fish opt for ones tinned in water, brine, or tomato sauce instead of oil or mayonnaise.
DRINKS
It is recommended to drink up to 2 litres (about 4 pints) of water daily. Drinks such as water, coffee, tea, and herbal teas are all fine, once sugar is not added.
Artificial sweeteners can also be used in foods and drinks which won’t raise blood glucose. Examples are Canderel and Stevia and many supermarkets now have their own brand versions which are also suitable.
Avoiding high sugar drinks such as fizzy drinks, energy, and sports drinks. Fizzy drinks labeled Diet, Zero and Free, and no added sugar squash are suitable alternatives.
Fruit juice and fruit smoothies are concentrated sources of natural sugars, so need to be used sparingly as they can have a significant impact on our blood glucose. The suggested serving size is 100ml.
TREATS
Treat foods often are high in fat and sugary carbohydrates. Sugary carbohydrates release glucose into our bloodstream quickly. These foods such as buns, biscuits, cakes, chocolate, sweets, jellies, jam, marshmallows, and fizzy drinks are low in other nutrients and can add to weight gain.
Plan to include ‘treat’ foods such as low-calorie hot chocolate drinks, diet yoghurts, popcorn, sugar-free jelly or maybe individually wrapped ‘fun size’ bars or ice pops along with the rest of your weekly shop. Including these food items in moderation is all part of healthy eating.
Special diabetic foods such as chocolates, biscuits and jams are of no real benefit, and usually contain high amounts of fat and sorbitol (a sweetener that can have a laxative effect and cause an upset tummy).
These foods also tend to be more expensive. Look at the ingredients list for other names for sugar such as glucose, honey, dextrose, fructose, syrups, lactose, maltose, hydrolyzed starch, treacle, molasses.
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