Everybody loves blender smoothies, young and old alike. But people with diabetes would need to be faithful in the type and amount of food they have an intake of ... And smoothies are definitely part of the foods that they should watch out for.
My grandmother - she has type 2 diabetes mellitus, a disease where the body cannot regulate glucose in the blood - loves smoothies so much, even before she was diagnosed. Her diet is now controlled with weight loss programs, exercises and oral medications in tow. But she would never give up her beloved smoothies. But instead of regular, superior smoothies (with just fruit and some milk), she was advised to comprise yogurt in the drink.
Apparently, clinical studies on yogurt and mice showed that engineered microbes and probiotics (the good bacteria) have shown much promise in Mickey's diabetic relatives. While the studies aren't conclusive yet, some diabetics have decided to have a go at it, my grandma included.
Here are some recipes that she already tried without any damaging follow on her newfound lifestyle:
- Strawberry lovers can try this with a smile on their lips: Blend 8 ounces of plain nonfat yogurt, one-fourth cup of skim milk, and 3 packets of Equal sweetener (or 1 teaspoon of Equal). With blender on, open the top lid and moderately add 3 cups of freezing strawberries. Blend until smooth. Add ice cubes and blend and process until smooth. (Nutritional value: 76 calories, 0 grams of fat, 2 mg of cholesterol, 54 mg of sodium, 0 grams of saturated fat, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 14 grams of sugar, 4 grams of protein, 16 grams of carbohydrates.)
- Grandma is a coffee lover and gives herself a once-a-week treat by production this smoothie: Blend 3 cups fat-free milk (not low-fat, mind you), a cup of water, half a cup of sugar-free chocolate flavored syrup, 2 teaspoons of instant coffee granules and a teaspoon of vanilla extract. Add 1 quart of vanilla sugar-free and fat-free ice cream in the blender. Blend until creamy. Note: most blenders are a bit small for this recipe, so you can pour half of the coffee mix in a bowl and put in half of the ice cream. Blend until creamy; pour in a pitcher. Concentrate remaining chocolate mix and ice cream and repeat process. (Nutritional value: 124 calories, 2 grams of fat, 7.2 grams of protein, 25.1 grams of carbohydrates, 1 grams of saturated fat, 0.5 grams of dietary fiber, 2 mg of cholesterol, 125 mg of sodium.)
Diabetics are no distinct from non-diabetics - they still need the basic food groups, much like what other people need. So it gives them the right to enjoy what others enjoy too. Drinks up!
Here's a classic method for fruit salad that many people love. It features pineapple, oranges, cherries, marshmallows and coconut.
2 cans pineapple chunks, drained
2 cans mandarin oranges, drained
2 jars maraschino cherries, drained
1 can coconut flakes
1/2 bag mini marshmallows
4 oz. Sour cream
16 oz. Holder Cool Whip
Directions
In a bowl, concentrate the sour cream and the Cool Whip. Fold in the remaining ingredients. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 2 hours before serving.
=> Fruit Salad Recipe: Fancy icy Fruit Salad
A deliciously cool salad to serve on a hot summer day.
1 (8 oz.) Holder cream cheese
1/3 cup powdered sugar
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup mayonnaise or salad dressing
1(16 oz.) can sliced peaches, drained
1/3 cup maraschino cherry halves
1 (16 oz.) can fruit cocktail, drained
1 (8 oz.) can crushed pineapple, drained
2 cups itsybitsy marshmallows
1/3 cup whipped cream
Few drops red food coloring
Additional whipped cream for garnish
Directions
In a bowl, whip the cream cheese with a hand mixer. Add in the powdered sugar and mix until well blended. Add in the vanilla and blend in the mayonnaise. Fold in the fruit and marshmallows. Fold the whipped cream into the mixture.
Add food coloring to mixture. Salad should now be a pale pink color. Ladle aggregate into 5 ounce serving or soufflé cups. Place in freezer and ice overnight.
Defrost at least 15 minutes before serving. Decoration with dollops of whipped cream and cherries.
=> Fresh Fruit Salad Recipe: Summer Fresh Fruit Salad
Loaded with of fresh fruit, this salad also makes a nice centerpiece display.
1/2 watermelon
Cantaloupe balls
Seedless grapes
Peach slices
Pear slices
Strawberries, sliced
Red and black raspberries
Banana Slices
Pineapple cubes
Black cherries
Apple cubes
Fruit Salad Dressing
Directions
Scoop the red flesh out from inside of the watermelon with melon ball cutter. Drain the shell well.
Cut up the other fruits into chunks. Fill the watermelon shell with the watermelon balls and other assorted fruit chunks and berries. Chill until ready to serve.
Fruit Salad Dressing
4 1/2 teaspoons all purpose flour
1 (6 oz.) can pineapple juice
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup orange juice concentrate
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Directions
In a saucepan, concentrate all the ingredients. Bring to a boil; cook for 2 minutes or until thickened; stirring constantly. Cool. Serve over fruit. Refrigerate left over dressing.
=> Easy Fruit Salad Recipe: Quick and Easy Fruit Salad
If you need to make fruit salad for a crowd, like for a picnic or potluck, this method is a snap.
1 (30 oz.) can fruit cocktail, drained
1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained
1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks, do not drain
2 firm bananas, sliced 1-inch thick (optional)*
1 box instant vanilla pudding
Directions
In a large bowl, concentrate all ingredients. Stir until the dry pudding aggregate is fully incorporated into the fruit mixture. Salad will appear to be runny, but will thicken as the pudding absorbs the pineapple juice.
Chill overnight. Stir before serving.
*Note: Add bananas just before serving.
In the last ten years, some marketers have come under fire for ascribing miraculous cure-all properties to noni fruit, claiming that it can single-handedly prevent, treat, or cure all things imaginable, together with arthritis, burns, cancer, cold, diabetes, drug addiction, fever, fractures, gingivitis, headaches, heart disease, immune weakness, indigestion, malaria, menstrual cramps, ringworm, sprains, stroke, and wounds.
To detach fact from fiction, noni fruit is not a cure-all, but it is a indispensable food supplement. It is still unclear exactly how noni fruit benefits your health, or to what extent, but there are some widely agreed-upon characteristics of noni fruit. For example, anecdotal accounts of the anti-swelling effects of noni fruit consumption are numerous. And scientific studies have shown that a polysaccharide-rich substance called "noni-ppt" helps precise the immune system and fight tumors.
Furthermore, noni fruit benefits condition in a general way, containing such disease-fighting effects as: antiseptics, bactericides, fungicides, laxatives, antioxidants, anesthetics, candidacide, cathartics, analgesics, cancer-preventatives, detoxicants, and so on. In other words, noni fruit is widely reported as a possible supplement for treating infections, pain, diabetes and - perhaps - some forms of cancer.
Finally, noni fruit may include a molecule called proxeronine, which transforms into xeronine in the body, and is said to inventory for many of noni's condition benefits. Unfortunately, the University of Hawaii professor who named the molecule said that it is nearly impossible to detect, and as of yet, no one else has found it. Despite this, many citizen continue to believe in its existence, and continue to consume noni fruit products for this molecule. Regardless of the controversy, noni fruit appears to advantage the condition of hundreds of thousands of citizen who consume it every day.
People with type 2 diabetes always have questions about fruit. Will it raise your blood sugar levels? Is it alright to have fruit in the morning? Does fruit juice raise your blood sugar levels faster than whole fruit? The truth is it depends of many factors.
The excuses for not eating adequate fruit runs along the lines of those for not eating adequate vegetables and not looking time to exercise. Really in this fast paced world, fruit is Really ideal... There's no preparation, just wash and eat! How many times have you bought apples and just left them to rot preferring to eat those potato chips, crackers or candy?
Once your selection of fruits was small... Apples, oranges, bananas and a few summer fruits. Now you can find so many exotic fruits... Don't be afraid to try something new. You can eat them in place of juice or dessert. Berries particularly frost well which means you can always have wholesome fruit-snacks in the house. Or buy out of season, frozen berries... They last a lot longer than fresh berries.
How many servings of fruit for you each day?
This may seem like a lot to you, but somewhere between three and five pieces. One serving is almost equivalent to:
As a rule, fruit does not raise your blood sugar level faster than many other sources of carbs. However, some when eaten alone can raise your blood sugar fast... The glycemic index ranking list will help you here. A piece of fruit eaten in the afternoon can just give you adequate energy to get straight through until dinner.
The lowest line is fruit is a source of energy, vitamins, minerals and fiber and should not be missed. You need to eat some pieces, between three and five, every day.
Everyone knows that fruit and vegetables are important, as significant building blocks of any diet. Not only are they loaded with vitamins and minerals which are significant for salutary living, but they also help fill you up, as part of a balanced diet. By addition your intake of fruit and vegetables, you will benefit your condition no end, and will boost your immune system, as well as building resistance to coarse illnesses and infections. Furthermore, fruit and vegetables can leave you seeing best and feeling great, as part of a salutary diet, which can be an all round improvement for your well-being.
Experts recommend that we should all consumer five portions of fruit and vegetables every day. This may sound initially like a large proportion of your daily broad intake, although it is significant that you strive to meet this target most days, for the benefit of your corporeal and reasoning health. Additionally, by filling out meals and addition pleasure at meal times. On top of that, the natural goodness contained within these extreme salutary foods will supply the significant vigor to fuel you straight through the day, and give you the drive and determination to enlarge straight through a policy of practice to enhance broad fitness.
Fruit can act as a substitute for sugary snacks, which otherwise deplete vigor and lead to numerous other condition problems. The natural sugar contained within fruits is significant for the productive maintenance of the immune theory and the body's natural defense mechanisms. As well as addition fruits within the diet as a salutary snacking alternative, it is also a good idea to make more use of vegetables in every meal. Vegetables should list for a large proportion of each meal, to ultimately enhance your diet, and by ensuring a large growth in the role they play within your diet, you should end up seeing the benefits in your skin, hair, and general health.
By addition your intake of fruit and vegetables as part of a salutary balanced diet, you can assuredly benefit from the salutary nutrients and minerals these foods contain. In addition to this, fruit and vegetable intake can leave you feeling physically best and more alert, addition attentiveness span and reducing tiredness.
Why not try introducing more vegetables and fruit into your diet today, by doing a right swap of fruit for sugary snacks, and introducing vegetables to boost any meal, as part of a nutritious and salutary balanced meal.
Even though it has a larger size and an outer skin with fuzz, the kiwi fruit is for real a berry. Chinese khans in antique days used to think the kiwi to be an aphrodisiac. Kiwis aren't bothered by very many irritants, so crops don't require much pest control. Kiwi pickers in California wear cotton gloves so they don't bruise the kiwis.
The traditional name of the kiwi was the Chinese Gooseberry. It was originally grown in China, over seven hundred years ago. Later on, it was introduced to New Zealand, and then California. California kiwi were first grown in about 1960. The mean kiwi fruit is about three inches long, and weighs about 2.5 ounces. Nearly ten percent of kiwi grown in California are grown organically.
The vines of the kiwi are deciduous. They will remain dormant from November until March, and the foliage falls off, which makes the pruners' job easier. All of the pruning on a kiwi plant is done by hand. New leaves start arrival out in March. The canes of the dormant kiwifruit are great for flower arrangements.
Kiwis grow like grapes, on shrubs like vines, which are trained to grow on trellises. Their height ranges from five and a half feet to six feet. The vines of the kiwifruit drink in water in the summertime. Each vine drinks about forty one gallons of water a day, in the growing season. Kiwi fruit continue to grow after they are picked. It will ripen as it heads off to the sales markets.
The kiwifruit was originally found in Northern China, in the Yangtze River valley. Missionaries took seeds to New Zealand in their travels, at the turn of the century. It became a favorite plant there, and some vines were sent to California. Those very vines are still growing in the Chico Plant Introduction Station. Kiwi are also grown for resale in areas like Chile, South Africa and Italy.
The kiwi plant needs a relatively long growing season, including at least two hundred and forty days without frost. Therefore, there are many areas in the United States where it is not possible to grow them. When the kiwi vine is in its dormant stage, in the winter, it can withstand temperatures as low as 10 degrees F. But they need to be acclimated to the cold slowly, not hit with it all at once. If a sudden and deep ice hits, the freezing may cause the vines to split, and the plant will die.
Temperatures in the freezing range will kill any kiwi fruit buds that are exposed, so care must be taken to pick an area with a mild winter season.
A festive cookie featuring candied fruit and almonds.
1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 cups pitted dates, chopped
1/2 cup each candied cherries and pineapple, chopped
3/4 cup Brazil nuts, coarsely chopped and toasted
3/4 cup almonds, chopped and toasted
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Prepare baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.
In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Add in the egg; mix well.
In another bowl, consolidate the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon; moderately add to the creamed mixture and mix well. Fold in the fruits and nuts.
Drop by teaspoonfuls 2-inches apart onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly browned. Let cool completely.
Makes 84 cookies.
=> Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes: Chips Galore Cookies
These cookies are stuffed with a collection of yummy chips - a real treat.
1 cup butter flavored shortening
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup peanut butter chips
1/3 cup butterscotch chips
1/3 cup vanilla or white chips
1/3 cup milk chocolate M&Ms
1/3 cup Reese's pieces candy
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, cream together the shortening, sugar and brown sugar. Add in the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla.
In another bowl, consolidate the flour, baking soda and salt; moderately add to the creamed mixture. Stir in the chips and candy pieces.
Bake 7 to 9 minutes, or until lightly browned around the edges. Let cool completely.
Makes 48 cookies.
=> Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes: Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
Pumpkin cookies with a burst of chocolate chips.
4 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 (16 oz.) can solid pack pumpkin
1 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs
2 tablespoons milk
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts, chopped
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a bowl, consolidate flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Add in the pumpkin, oil, eggs, milk and vanilla; beat on medium speed until well mixed. Stir in the chocolate chips and nuts.
Drop by tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheets. Bake for 13 to 14 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Cool completely.
Makes 84 cookies.
