Diabetics can eat whatever they want, as long as they control their portion sizes, measure their blood sugar and calculate the correct amount of insulin to take. Generally, recipes that are suitable for those with hypertension are also suitable for those with high cholesterol and diabetes.

Recipes should be lower in salt, animal fat and total fat; lower in protein especially meat protein and higher in vegetable, whole grain and fiber. You can modify any existing recipe by reducing the salt, reducing the fat (skin chicken, use lower fat cuts of meat, use cooking spray and non stick pans instead of fat, cool broths and remove fat, use low fat yoghurt instead of whipping cream, etc etc) and increasing the fibre (whole grains, add beans, add veggies). If you want stronger flavours, add more herbs.

Many ethnic recipes are inherently healthy because they were originated in cultures that ate a lot of grains, veggies, fruit and beans and fewer meat products. Indian, mexican, greek, Italian cuisine is mostly good if you avoid the full cream sauces.

If you can find them in the US, Canadian authors Anne Lindsay and Rose Reisman have each written several cookbooks with light, tasty foods.

"Diabetics can eat whatever they want, as long as they control their portion sizes, measure their blood sugar and calculate the correct amount of insulin to take."

Whilst i am sure the advice given above by Judy is done so in good faith, dietary protocols vary for type 1, and type 2 diabetics, and it is VERY IMPORTANT to clarify this. Within these two groups further dietary adjustments are made taking into account age, methods of diabetes control (insulin v exercise & diet, combinations of both), weight, economic status etc.

High blood pressure and cholesterol coupled with diabetes calls for a trip to a nutritionist/dietician for a specialized diet asap.

John

Here is a link that might be useful: Diabetic dietary overview

Alyithra03,

Have you ever tried stevia? I don't know how much plant it takes to make the tincture, but once you get used to it, it makes a decent sugar substitute. Might want to try some bottle stuff first. I got some at the nearest health food store. It was so concentrated that it only took two drops in my coffee and caused no blood sugar rise at all. I haven't really tried it in anything else.

Stevia

I've just recently started adding lots more fresh garlic to my diet (sorry hubby!) to help with the high blood pressure and high cholesterol. No tests done yet, so I don't know if it will work for me or not.

And I've planted some purslane too--for the omega-3 fatty acids. Too soon to taste it yet, tho

Purslane

This following website is choc full of info. Don't know how accurate it all is, but it's a good starting point. You can search for hypoglycaemic, hypotensive and anticholesterolemic and research the plants that come up.

Plants For a Future database

oh! and I also check the carb amounts and fiber content of foods and plants here:

USDA Nutrient Data database

Important: be sure to subtract the fiber content from the carbs to get the *effective carbs* amount Also, higher fiber is supposed to be very good for cholesterol.