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Eating Well

Many of our favorite holiday foods are high in sugar and fat. However, you don't have to give up your favorite holiday foods to keep your diabetes in control. Portion control is the real key, but making a few changes to lighten holiday meals can make them healthier for you and your family.

Managing Desserts

The amount of carbohydrate in your meal is the primary determinant of how high your blood glucose rises after a meal. Small portions of regular desserts made with sugar can be eaten without adversely affecting your blood glucose if you reduce an equivalent amount of carbohydrate in the rest of your meal.

• For example, a piece of pumpkin pie (1/8 of a 9"pie) containing 45 grams of carbohydrate can be eaten in place of a small roll (15 g CHO) and 1 cup mashed potatoes (30 g CHO).
• Other desserts such as pecan pie contribute higher amounts of carbohydrate (approximately 65 grams carbohydrate per serving), making it more difficult to limit carbohydrate in the meal.
• Alternatives include reducing the portion size of high carbohydrate desserts or reducing the sugar in some types of recipes to include part sugar substitute.
• Or, if you take rapid-acting insulin before meals, you can learn how much insulin you need to cover a specific amount of carbohydrate. You will need to work with your healthcare team to learn how to do this. Then you can match the insulin with the carbohydrate in your meal.

Holiday Meals

• Consider your carbohydrate count: Identify which foods at your holiday meal contain carbohydrate and decide what and how much you plan to eat. In general, you should try to stick with your usual amount of carbohydrate to keep your blood glucose in control. If your goal is 60 grams of carbohydrate at meals, select the foods that contribute carbohydrate and decide on the portions you'll eat to stay within the 60 grams.
• Consider the fat content: High-fat meals tend to slow the absorption of carbohydrate causing a delay in the rise in blood glucose after a meal. This also results in a delay in blood glucose levels returning to normal or pre-meal levels, so you may notice that your blood glucose levels are still high before your next meal.
  • Insulin pump users: There is a way to spread the delivery of the insulin bolus over an extended period of time before a high-fat meal rather than giving it all at one time. You will need to talk to your healthcare team to learn how to do this.
  • Reducing the fat in holiday meals can be accomplished without compromising taste. Lighter versions of old family favorites are often a welcome treat. Check out lower-fat versions of holiday recipes online and in bookstores.

Staying Active

Remember that physical activity lowers your blood glucose, so take your walking shoes with you if you're traveling over the holidays. Plan for a walk after your holiday meal with family/friends instead of lounging around to help keep your blood glucose in control and make you feel better. You can read more tips for staying active in the links below.

Enjoy Yourself

Lastly, remember to enjoy your holidays. Focus on your favorite aspects of the season-enjoy the decorations, the music, the spiritual aspects, and spending time with family and friends.