46 THE QUEENS COURIER • WELLNESS • JUNE 20, 2019 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT WWW.QNS.COM
wellness
7 easy travel snack ideas for diabetics
Do you have diabetes and stress about
fi nding healthy and convenient snack
options while you’re traveling?
See below for smart snacking tips and
healthy recipes for diabetics.
• Choose healthy and satisfying snacks
between meals. Snacking done right can
keep your blood sugar levels as close to
normal as possible and can help prevent
low blood sugar.
• Try almonds. Almonds fall low on your
carb count chart at 6 grams per serving,
they’re easy to stash in your carry
on bag and can be found in practically
every convenience store and airport.
• Balance is everything. Combine a
high-fi ber carb with a protein-rich food
to build your smart snack!
• Maintain a calorie cap. Keep snacks
to less than 200 calories so your snack
doesn’t end up being an extra meal.
• Portability is key. Always carry a snack
with you so you’re prepared for blood
sugar slumps.
• Snack mindfully. Th ink before you eat. Are
you hungry or are you bored? Munching
mindlessly out of boredom is a sure way
to gain unnecessary pounds and interrupt
your diabetes management goals.
• Check your blood sugar before you
sweat. Check your blood sugar before
and aft er you exercise to monitor if you
require a snack. Exercise tends to lower
blood sugar levels, so you may need sustenance
before or aft er.
“Th e health benefi ts of almonds are wonderful
for people with diabetes,” says registered
dietitian, nutritionist and diabetes
expert, Toby Smithson. “Almonds contain
good fats, are a good source of fi ber (4 grams),
and when consumed in moderation, can help
you feel full and maintain your weight.”
Fruit Salad with Almonds
Serves: 1
• 20 grams of carbohydrate
• Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup fresh raspberries
• 1/4 cup red grapes
• 1/2 teaspoon orange blossom water
(found in the ethnic foods aisle)
• 2 tablespoons sliced almonds
• Serve on top of 1/3 cup low-fat cottage
cheese
Preparation:
Mix the fruit, orange blossom water and
the almonds in a small bowl. Serve with
cottage cheese if desired.
Hummus Almond Wrap
Serves: 1
27 grams of carbohydrate
Ingredients:
• 2 tablespoons hummus
• One 8-inch whole grain tortilla
• 6 whole snap peas
• 3 large fresh basil leaves
• 1 tablespoon sliced almonds
Preparation:
Spread hummus over the tortilla. In the
middle of the tortilla, place the snap peas,
basil and almonds. Fold ends of tortilla
over to wrap and eat.
For more snacking tips and recipes, visit
almonds.com.
Courtesy BPT
How to get the most out of your morning meal
Everyone has heard the phrase,
“Breakfast is the most important meal
of the day” at least once in their life, but
many don’t know the extensive benefi ts
of starting the day with a nutritious meal.
Registered Dietitian and Nutritionist
Dawn Jackson Blatner shares her expertise
and off ers simple tips to boost the fi rst
meal of the day.
“Th e name breakfast means to ‘break
the fast’ that happens when you don’t
eat overnight,” explains Blatner. “Because
your mind and body are waking up, you
need to give it the right fuel for the day.”
Eating a sizable breakfast, a modest
lunch and light dinner can help fuel
your body and work positively with your
metabolism as well. Th is is where the saying,
“Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like
a queen and dinner like a pauper” comes
from.
Blatner says eating a wholesome breakfast
packed with nutrients helps you
maintain energy and peak brain function,
something you need for work and
kids need at school. She also notes that
the right breakfast works with your natural
metabolic process throughout the
day, and it can have a positive impact on
weight.
“Skipping breakfast puts your body in
a panic mode, wondering when it will be
getting its next meal,” says Blatner. “If you
go too long without eating, it can cause
you to overeat when you do fi nally eat,
and your body wants to store those excess
calories rather than burning them consistently
throughout the day. Th is can also
cause peaks and pits with energy levels.”
Eating breakfast is a smart idea for the
present, but it also may have a positive
health impact in the future, too. A recent
study published in the Journal of the
American College of Cardiology found
there was an increased risk of cardiovascular
related death, especially due to
stroke, for those who skipped breakfast.
For your heart health and so much
more, breakfast appears to be the most
important meal of the day. But what exactly
should a healthy breakfast include?
Blatner off ers some ideas:
Whole grains: Feel fuller for longer
by eating whole-grain toast, whole-grain
cereal or oatmeal.
Lean protein: Eggs are excellent, but not
all eggs are equal. Eggland’s Best eggs have
25 percent less saturated fat, more than
double the omega-3s, 10 times more vitamin
E, and more than double the amount
of vitamin B12. Eggland’s Best’s patented
method of production and verifi cation
ensures that every Eggland’s Best egg has
these superior qualities.
Fruits and vegetables: Fresh produce
provides super-charged nutrients and
plenty of fi ber. Add a handful of berries,
sliced avocado or spinach to your breakfast
creations.
Low-fat dairy: Get your daily dose of
calcium with low-fat yogurt, cheese or
milk.
Be inspired by this tasty recipe that can
be stored in the fridge for up to four days.
Make it Monday and have a week’s worth
of breakfast ready to go! Pair with fresh
fruit or whole-grain toast and you’ll feel
satisfi ed and have lasting energy.
Turmeric Oven-Scrambled Eggs
Ingredients:
• 8-10 Eggland’s Best extra large eggs
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk or
coconut milk
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• Pinch of black pepper and kosher salt
• Pinch of cumin
• Small sheet pan 18” x 26” with at least 2
inches in height to prevent spillage
Directions:
Whisk EB eggs, milk, spices. Gently
pour on sheet pan.
Place in oven at 375 F for 10-12 minutes.
Remove or gently pull out the oven
rack, stir eggs on the sheet pan with
wooden spatula, then slide back in oven.
Place sheet pan back in oven for about
8-10 minutes or until eggs are scrambled
to your liking.
Remove from oven and stir again.
Serve hot with toppings, like peppers
and cilantro, or store in airtight container
for later.
Alternatively, you can bake the eggs for
15-17 minutes without scrambling and
then slice into baked egg squares.
Optional toppings: cheese, avocado,
salsa, etc.
Courtesy BPT
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/almonds.com
