Vegetable soup cooked with lean meat or tofu, eaten with fish and a serving of brown rice is a good dish for people with pre-diabetes.
People with diabetes can build meals according to the "dish" method: half is vegetables that are not high in starch, a quarter is carbohydrate and fiber-rich foods such as whole grains, beans; the remaining quarter is protein sources such as fish, lean meat, eggs or tofu.
The vegetable part can be mustard greens, Malabar spinach, Malabar spinach, cauliflower, green beans or other leafy vegetables. Cooking it into hot soup makes the meal easier to eat but does not need to add sugar or too much flour to create a thick flavor.
For protein, you can choose steamed fish, light braised fish, lean meat or tofu. This cooking method also helps prevent a rainy day meal from turning into a "combo" of starch and fat from fried and stir-fried foods.
The important point is not to completely eliminate rice but the quality and carbohydrate intake.
Vegetables that do not contain a lot of starch, beans, whole fruits, whole grains and fiber-rich foods; and limit sugary drinks, sweets, refined grains and super processed foods.
This explains why a bowl of oatmeal cooked with eggs, mushrooms, and vegetables may be another option on a rainy day. Oatmeal provides carbohydrates but comes with fiber, instead of using all cooked white rice in large quantities.
Similarly, green beans, red beans, black beans, or lentils can be included in the appropriate diet.
With whole grains, fiber and grain structure help the process of digestion and absorption of carbohydrates take place slower than many refined grains.
Therefore, a simple meal that helps support blood sugar control includes: a bowl of vegetable soup, a serving of lean fish or meat, boiled/stir-fried vegetables with little oil and a moderate portion of rice, prioritizing brown rice or suitable whole grains.
If eating porridge, you should supplement protein and vegetables instead of just eating a bowl of porridge with a lot of rice.
For people taking insulin or hypoglycemic medication, significant changes in diet should be considered with medical staff to avoid hypoglycemia.
