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Is Chinese Food Bad For Diabetics


Chinese: Steamed Chicken And Broccoli

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The great thing about Chinese is that most takeout joints allow you to order steamed dishes. Some places also offer meat cooked in flavored water, versus oil, which can help you save significant calories and fat. You can also order the sauce on the side, which is great because you only need a couple of tablespoons to add flavor versus the much larger amount often added to dishes.

When ordering Chinese, focus on dishes packed full of lean proteins and vegetables with limited rice and noodles, advises Palinski-Wade, who suggests ordering steamed chicken and broccoli with the sauce on the side. By dipping each bite into the sauce versus pouring it on, you can significantly cut down on the carbohydrate, sodium, and calorie content of the meal.

Keep sodium in check to help decrease your blood pressure, and watch saturated fat levels to control your blood cholesterol both important steps for minimizing your risk of heart disease, a particular concern for people with diabetes, according to the American Diabetes Association. Certain sweet sauces, like orange sauce, sweet-and-sour sauce, and sweet chile sauce pack in more sugar so if youre craving one of those, thin it out with a small amount of water.

What Can A Diabetic Eat At Chick Fil A

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  • Chick fil-A Sandwich & Side Salad = 46 g Carbs Total. Chick fil-A has a variety of sandwiches, and they all vary in carb counts .
  • Southwest Salad & Chicken Noodle Soup = 45 g Carbs Total.
  • 8 Piece Chicken Nuggets & Side Salad & Small french fries = 48 g Carbs Total.

Chinese And Other Asian Cuisines

Chinese and other Asian fast food choices for diabetes can be really good, or really bad. You are sure to spike your blood sugar and put a damper on weight loss if you have mounds of white rice, fried rice, or chow mein or pad thai noodles. The same is true if you get fried or breaded chicken, fish, or shrimp dishes.

On the other hand, you can almost always find dishes with plenty of vegetables and lean protein, such as skinless chicken, shrimp, tofu, or fish. Oyster sauce and wine sauce are lower in sugar than sweet and sour sauce. Teriyaki salmon and chicken are good options at Japanese restaurants. For dessert at a Chinese fast food joint, enjoy a fortune cookie for 30 worthwhile calories.

  • Clear soup, such as hot and sour, egg drop, or tom yum, plus stir-fried vegetables and tofu or chicken.
  • Stir-fry with chicken and vegetables, plus a fortune cookie.
  • Fish in black bean sauce plus mixed vegetables.
  • Teriyaki salmon, seaweed salad, and edamame.

When possible, ask for vegetables or brown rice instead of white or fried rice.

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Foods To Avoid When You Have Type 2 Diabetes

1 / 10 Know What to Avoid Diabetes requires daily maintenance, including monitoring your blood sugar, eating a healthy diet, exercising, and of course staying on top of any complications with your heart, eyes, and other organs. Controlling your weight is another key aspect of managing type 2 diabetes. If youre overweight, losing some weight even just 10 to 15 pounds can help improve insulin sensitivity and glycemic control, reduce triglycerides and LDL cholesterol, and lower your blood pressure. A healthy diet for diabetes will help you manage your weight and lead you toward foods that have a positive effect on your glucose levels, while guiding you away from those foods that are likely to cause dangerous spikes in your blood sugar. Learn which nine foods you should steer clear of if you have type 2 diabetes.Continue reading > >


Is Cheese Bad For Diabetics

Herbs for Diabetes

Cheese is often high in fat and salt but eating it in moderation is safe for someone who has diabetes. As with any dietary recommendation for people with diabetes, balance and moderation are essential for minimizing the risk of high blood sugar and its complications, including stroke and heart disease.

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If Youre Going Out For: Steak

If you have diabetes, your doctor has probably already told you to steer clear of saturated fat-heavy foods like steak, burgers, and lamb chops. Thats because people with type 2 diabetes are up to four times more likely to die of heart disease than those with normal blood sugar. But there are still plenty of healthyand tastyoptions on steakhouse menus like shrimp cocktail, roast chicken, grilled salmon, or even lobster . Order any of these plus a salad along with a side of asparagus, broccoli, or Brussels sprouts.

Eating Fast Food With Diabetes

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What you eat is one of the most important factors in controlling diabetes, so avoiding fast food may be a priority. Still, fast food is almost sure to be an occasional or regular part of life since it is so convenient and great-tasting. The Center for Disease Control reports that on a given day, nearly 37% of Americans consumed fast food.


The good news is that eating fast food with diabetes can be healthy if you make better choices.

With some planning, you can choose meals that are:

  • Low or moderate in carbohydrates and calories.
  • High in protein.
  • Low in unhealthy fats.

These are some fast food choices that can fit into your diabetes diet. Just because you have diabetes doesnt mean you cant eat fast food if you make smart choices!

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Is Chinese Food Bad For Diabetics

Chinese and other Asian fast food choices for diabetes can be really good, or really bad. You are sure to spike your blood sugar and put a damper on weight loss if you have mounds of white rice, fried rice, or chow mein or pad thai noodles. The same is true if you get fried or breaded chicken, fish, or shrimp dishes.


Master The Moo Goo Gai Pan

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One of the best things a diabetic can do when eating Chinese foods is to choose a dish that is predominantly made with vegetables, especially leafy greens.

Moo goo gai pan is loaded with vegetables that are great for diabetics because not only will this meal fill you up, but the vegetables are also filled with minerals, nutrients, and essential vitamins and have very minimal impact on blood sugar levels.

A classic dish of moo goo gai pan will include:

  • Mushrooms
  • Bamboo shoots
  • Bok choy

All of these vegetables have their own individual health benefits, but when you combine them into a dish with a lean protein, such as chicken or shrimp, then they create the ultimate Chinese dish for a diabetic. The more vegetables you incorporate, the faster you will feel full, and the less you will ultimately eat.

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Can Diabetics Eat Potatoes

Although potatoes are a starchy vegetable, a person with diabetes can still enjoy them as part of a healthful diet. For this reason, it essential that people with diabetes monitor their carbohydrate intake. Potatoes are a starchy vegetable. They contain carbohydrates which will increase a persons blood sugar levels.

Best Chinese Food Options For Diabetics

Eating Chinese food is one of the greatest culinary joys, but if youre a diabetic or at significant risk of diabetes, there are many elements of classic Chinese foods that might not be safe for you. However, everyone should be able to enjoy the rich flavors and deep culture these foods possess, diabetic or otherwise.

With a few simple tips and alternatives, any diabetic can enjoy Chinese foods as frequently as they like with no risk to their health. Read on for the 15 best Chinese food options for diabetics to learn how you can enjoy these culinary wonders safely and to the fullest.

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A Chinese Diabetes Meal Plan

In general, chicken, seafood, lean steak and tofu-based entrees are better choices than ones featuring pork, duck or beef, according to the American Diabetes Association eating recommendations for Asian dining. Breaded and fried proteins should be avoided, in favor of steamed or stir-fried dishes. In addition, entrees that are drenched in sweet sauces, lobster sauce or soy sauce should be avoided.


Complex carbs are the best choice for your starchy side dish or main dish starch ingredient, whenever possible. Look for brown rice, buckwheat noodles, sweet potatoes, beans or corn, keeping the portions small. Opt for sides that were steamed, boiled or baked, such as steamed rice, rather than those that are deep-fried or sauteed in heavy oil.

Extra sides of vegetables are often a secret weapon for people with diabetes when dining out, notes Harvard Health Publishing. They’re often tastier than expected, and they satisfy your hunger pangs, which in turn prevents overindulging in rich, sweet or salty foods.

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Tips For Eating Fast Food With Diabetes

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  • Check the nutrition information before you go or while you are there most chains are great at making their info available, especially if you ask for it.
  • Plan your order ahead of time when you can. Even if you cannot, look for a lean protein such as grilled chicken plus a vegetable such as a salad.
  • Go easy on the bread or skip it entirely, and ask for whole-grain when you can.
  • Check for green salads and steamed or raw vegetables for your side dishes.
  • Limit fried or starchy sides such as French fries, mashed potatoes, noodles and pasta, onion rings, and rice.
  • Get dressing and sauces on the side, and look for lower-calorie condiments such as mustard, hot sauce, and salsa.
  • The small size can easily have less than one-third the calories as the large size.
  • Get baked, roasted, or grilled, and not fried, battered, or breaded.
  • Keep your eyes open for opportunities to add vegetables as sides, as toppings on burgers, tacos, sandwiches, and pizza, and in stir-fry and entree salads.

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Can Diabetics Eat Fried Rice

Rice is the cereal that diabetics are advised to avoid. Heres a simple and guilt free way to include healthy fried rice in your diet. All you have to do is add plenty of vegetables to the rice dish and use fibre rich brown rice and minimal oil. And thats your healthy Chinese fried rice.


Clear soup, such as hot and sour, egg drop, or tom yum, plus stir-fried vegetables and tofu or chicken. Stir-fry with chicken and vegetables, plus a fortune cookie. Fish in black bean sauce plus mixed vegetables. Teriyaki salmon, seaweed salad, and edamame.

Beside this, Does fried rice raise blood sugar?

Rice has a high glycemic index and a lot of carbohydrates, according to Harvard Medical School. That means that rice can quickly raise blood glucose to very high levels. Eating a lot of high-glycemic foods can increase insulin resistance and make it harder to control your blood sugar.

Likewise, What Chinese food is low in sugar?

Egg foo young. Egg foo young is a Chinese omelet made with eggs and chopped vegetables. Steamed dumplings. Hot and sour soup or egg drop soup. Moo goo gai pan. Baked salmon.

Also, Can a diabetic eat Chinese chicken and broccoli?


When ordering Chinese, focus on dishes packed full of lean proteins and vegetables with limited rice and noodles, advises Palinski-Wade, who suggests ordering steamed chicken and broccoli with the sauce on the side.

Can diabetics eat Chinese fried rice?

Fill Up On Chicken And Steamed Broccoli

Traditionally, this dish is served as beef and broccoli. Still, considering the staggering amount of saturated fats that can be found in steak and other forms of beef, chicken is the safer alternative here. This is especially important for individuals who have type 2 diabetes because they are four times more likely to die of heart disease than the average individual with normal blood sugar.

Therefore, the best way to enjoy this Chinese dish is with chicken. In terms of high protein meats, chicken is one of the best options, and nearly all chicken cuts are low-fat.

High protein meat will help you feel satiated quickly and does not rank on the GI index. This means, since this dish is so simple, it is highly unlikely that it will raise your blood sugar levels more than a minimal amount.


The other key component in this dish is the broccoli. This green vegetable is one of the most nutritious options you could find. They are extremely low in calories and carbs and contain vitamin C and magnesium, a mineral previously discussed that assists your body in using insulin efficiently.

Other benefits of broccoli for diabetics include:

  • Lowering insulin levels and protecting against cellular damage
  • Management of blood sugar levels
  • 10 percent reduction in blood glucose
  • Good source of lutein and zeaxanthin that can help prevent eye diseases

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If Youre Going Out For: Indian

From oily fried samosas to rice-based entrees, Indian food can seem like a major minefield. Your strategy: Load up on lean protein. Lentil soup , dal , and chana masala are all winners. If youre craving something meatier, choose the tandoori chicken. Its marinated in a light, spicy yogurt sauce and then grilled. What could be healthier than that?

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MCDONALDS. McDonalds food is notoriously high in sugar and fat, but its possible to find diabetic friendly foods there start with the nutrition calculator. The best selections are the grilled chicken salads , the sausage burrito, and the burgers or grilled chicken sandwiches minus the bun


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If Youre Going Out For: Mexican

You know those giant tortillas Mexican restaurants use to wrap your burrito? Each one packs a humongous 50 grams of carbs. And thats not even counting the additional 40 grams youll get from a hefty filling of rice. Why not skip the tortilla and rice entirely and try a bean-rich burrito bowl instead? Beans boast a low glycemic index, meaning theyre slowly digested so they wont cause your blood sugar to skyrocket. Theyre so blood sugar-friendly that one recent study found people who ate a cup of beans a day for three months reduced their A1C .

If burrito bowls arent your thing, try grilled fish tacos or chicken fajitas, and ask for 6-inch corn tortillas. They have 28% fewer carbs than flour tortillas.

Is Panera Actually Healthy

The thing is, aside from the bread bowls, everything at Panera seems at least kind of healthy. But actually, a bunch of their seemingly nutritious options, like their salads, soups, and sandwiches, pack in lots of sodium and calories, meaning they arent as good for you as you might have originally thought.

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If Youre Going Out For: Italian

Given that pasta is packed with carbohydrates, its probably not the best idea to make it the center of your meal, says Weisenberger. Just one order of spaghetti and meatballs can easily pack 150 grams of carbs.

That doesnt mean you have to go 100% pasta-free though. Weisenberger recommends ordering pasta as a side dish and limiting your portion to a half-cup, or about the size of a tennis ball. Pair it with an order of mussels fra diavolo, chicken cacciatore, or grilled calamari.

Healthy Snacks And Sneaky Smoothies

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  • Vegetable crudités and fruit can help you meet your five-a-day target.
  • Low-fat yogurts are a good choice for kids, as they are an easy way to add bone-strengthening calcium.
  • Swap crisps for sugar-and-salt-free popcorn.
  • A handful of nuts or a packet of raisins or other dried fruit is a great snack at break time.
  • Choose fruit loaf, crumpets or teacake instead of skinny muffins, flapjack and healthy cake bars, which can pack in more calories than a chocolate bar.
  • Check the label on juice drinks and smoothies smoothies are often high in calories, not to mention fat and sugar, and many juice drinks contain added sugar.

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What To Order At Chinese Restaurants

Chinese food is notorious for raising blood sugar levels. Basic Chinese cuisine is healthy, full of fish and vegetables. But when you throw in white or fried rice, egg rolls, breaded and fried chicken, and sugar-laden sauces, it becomes unhealthy quickly. Be aware of these foods and opt for some better choices.

  • Skip the rice or at least ask for brown rice and keep your portion small.
  • Order hot and sour soup, wonton soup, chicken or beef chop suey, stir-fried chicken or shrimp with vegetables, or chicken chow mein.
  • Ask for extra vegetables and less sauce.
  • How Do You Dine Out At Chinese Restaurants

    How do you dine out at Chinese Restaurants? Registration is fast, simple and absolutely free so please,join our community todayto contribute and support the site. This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies. How do you dine out at Chinese Restaurants? I am newly diagnosed and I probably eat Chinese food at least four times a week . What sort of modifications can I ask for? Thanks in advance. I love chinese food but I haven’t had it in a couple of years and few and far between before that bc its near impossible to have the dishes that I really like without my blood sugar being crazy. If you happen to like steamed veggies with no rice you’re in luck, but otherwise it is slim pickins. I do make myself some chinese-ish and vietnamese-ish food at home with no cornstarch or sugar or rice. I think this might be an area that you should consider changing. Haven’t eaten in a chinese restaurant since diagnosis, but would ask if there are plain steamed veggies with no cornstarch or sugars, seems like a lost cause to me, even fish sauce has more carbs than I could handle:. What sort of modifications can I ask for? Thanks in advance. Chinese is one of my favorites. After my diagnosis, I pretty well gave it up for over a year, but now that I’m on insulin and have learned what happContinue reading > >


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