Precautions for dining out for diabetics

Posted on July 31, 2009. Filed under: Diabetes/diabetic recipe | Tags: , |

These rigorous restrictions are probably easy to live with if you’re eating at home. But eating out either at a restaurant or with company can lead to an uncomfortable situation, especially if you have to ask the hostess to prepare a special meal for you. Sometimes, we tend to cut down on our socializing to avoid the embarrassment.
If you know that you will be dining out, prepare for it in advance.
If dinner is going to be served late, have soup or a small snack along with your medication before you start out. The trick here is that if you leave for the party on an empty stomach, temptation attacks quicker and we tend to binge on whatever we can lay our hands on first. Whereas if we have snacked a little before the party, we can reason and choose our food wisely.
Do not get tempted or flustered if you happen to see only spicy and oily food around you. Be patient and try to select the best of the lot. Eat small portions and have a snack when you get back home.
In case cocktails are being served, have an unsweetened fresh lime with soda instead of aerated water or an alcoholic beverage.
Choose you appetizer wisely, avoid the fried ones and munch on vegetable crudities or a salad.
If you are not sure of any of the dishes being served, do not hesitate to ask the hostess or your server (in case of restaurants) for the ingredients used in a particular dish.
Choose chapatis or phulkas, instead of naans, as the latter are made of refined flour i.e. maida.
Select a stir-fried or sauteed vegetable dish rather than vegetables with gravy (as gravies may contain fatty ingredients like coconut, cashewnuts and plenty of oil). If you’re eating at a restaurant, ask the server to request the chef to use less oil in your dishes.
Try and avoid plain rice as it has a tendency to increase the blood sugar levels very rapidly. Always select a rice dish with a good combination of vegetables as they contain fibre and hence help to control the blood sugar levels.
Have plenty of salads, but choose the dressings carefully. Always select low fat salad dressings or salads with a hint of lemon juice and other flavouring agents like herbs, pepper, soya sauce etc.
Choose clear soups over creamy ones as thick and creamy soups have oodles of butter and flour that is used to thicken it.
Have plain dals instead of the ‘tadka’ dals which have an unhealthy amount of butter or ghee added to temper and flavour it.
Order grilled, steamed or roasted dishes as compared to deep fried ones.
Enjoy an occasional treat like a pastry or ice cream but remember to have it in moderation and also in accordance with the food exchange list. If you’re having dessert, try and share it with someone so that you’re not obliged to finish the whole portion. Choose a fruit based dessert over a cream based one. If you indulge in dessert, try and compensate for that treat with other foods in the same meal. For example, if you know you want to eat dessert, then skip either the appetizer or the rice dish.

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