Chef Daniel Thomas shared with AARP’s Candy Sagan how you can make healthy food choices just by following the diet for people with diabetes. Chef Daniel learned to prepare these dishes because diabetes is a health concern for his family. Both of his grandparents and father are all borderline diabetics and as such have to watch their sugar level on a daily basis.
While studying in the Culinary Institute of America, Chef Daniel is helping his father make better food choices so his sugar stays in a healthy level. Apart from eating right, his father also exercises—which in turn helped him to not have to monitor his sugar.
From those experiences with his family, Chef Daniel developed practical tips on how we can make healthy choices by following the diet of people watching their food intake. He gives tips you can easily follow to avoid empty carbohydrates among other unhealthy ingredients usually found in food.
Here are Chef Daniel’s 5 tips for making smarter food choices:
1. Don’t eat past 7pm – It’s better for you to eat earlier to give the stomach sufficient time digest the food and metabolize. When hunger strikes later in the evening, he suggests to have healthy snacks such as nuts and fruits.
2. Low-carb your burger – Do this by removing the bottom bun which has empty carbohydrates and eating your burger open-faced.
3. Keep nuts in your glove compartment – Consuming nuts, which are high in protein, prevents you from getting fast food when hunger strikes.
4. Do the avocado mash – Avocado mash is full of fiber and vitamins. You can use it as a replacement spread on whole wheat bread
5. Nix the noodles in your soup – Quinoa and barley are great to add for protein and fiber. You could also add chopped fresh cilantro or parsley, lime juice, and a little hot pepper.
Please consult your doctor before starting any work out.
Sources:
Sagan, Candy.”5 Tips for Healthier Dining.” Health. https://www.aarp.org/health/healthy-living/info-2017/healthy-diet-chef-diabetes.html?intcmp=AE-FOD-DN-BB-ART
