A study done between the years 2000 and 2004 by Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee, followed a group of 64,227 Chinese women for an average of five years and found that 1,608 of them developed diabetes. They found that women who ate 300 grams or more of rice per day were 78 percent more likely to develop diabetes than those who ate less than 200 grams per day. Because rice and carbohydrates are mainstays of the Chinese diet, it is important to omit these foods and make food choices low in carbohydrates when developing a Chinese diabetic diet.
Get Educated and Plan Ahead
It is possible to stay healthy and control your blood sugar while still enjoying your Chinese food. You simply need to plan ahead, be prepared to make wise food choices and be educated in what food choices are the best for you. You can do this by consulting your doctor, nurse, a certified dietician or your diabetes educator.
Round Out Your Plate with More Vegetables
Your plate should be composed mostly of vegetables and grains, with some room for lean meat, poultry and fish. Poultry should be skinned and stir-fried, rather than soaked in larded sauces or deep fried. Or try fresh, steamed fish in a light vegetable oil with scallions and garlic. Avoid the traditionally popular Chinese dishes like sweet and sour pork and lemon chicken, which are deep-fried and high in fat; as well as other favorites, like fried rice and chow mein, which are often high in carbs and fat.
Choose Foods High in Fiber and Low in Fat
Choose traditional Chinese dishes that are high in fiber, with lots of vitamins and minerals, but that are low in fat. Some wonderful and delicious choices include tofu, beans, bean sprouts, peas and dark green vegetables such as choy sum, Chinese spinach, Chinese broccoli, Chinese yard-long beans, watercress and Chinese chives. Try including foods that are rich in iron such as Chinese mushrooms, seaweed, mung beans, yellow and black beans and sweet potatoes. You can even include whole wheat and rye bread, as well as cornbread, which are good sources of fiber.
Pass on the Fat and Salt
Pass on the dishes that are loaded with lard and fat such as Chinese sausages, duck liver and roasted pig. Moon cakes are also loaded with lard, so avoid adding these to your menu. Also pass on the foods that are high in salt, such as salty fish and duck eggs. If you like dim sum, choose the steamed varieties rather than the fried ones. And select fresh vegetables that are steamed or lightly stir-fried in salt-free soup or vegetable oil.
Lastly, watch out for foods that are high in salt such as salty duck eggs and salty fish. For some people who like dim sum, choose steamed dumplings instead of fried dumplings and should limit to five or six servings for brunch. Choose fresh vegetables that are steamed or stir-fried with light vegetable oil or simmer into soup.
You Can Have Your Dessert and Eat it Too
You can have some nice fresh fruit salad with papaya, apples, pears, plums mangos, logan and litchi. These are excellent sources of fiber, vitamins and mineral and contain no fat. Durian fruit is high in saturated fat, so avoid this, or have a very small serving. Sweet potatoes which are high in fiber and nutritious can be made into dessert with taro and tapioca using artificial sweetener.
Limit Your Alcohol and No Sweet Drinks
Avoid drinking alcoholic beverages, or limit drinks to no more than one a day for women and two for men. Be sure to drink them with a meal. Drink water with lemon, unsweetened Chinese tea or diet soda. Avoid Chinese drinks such as tea with tapioca unless they are made with artificial sweetener.
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