“Junk” food for diabetics

We ask dietician Genevieve Jardine for some advice for junk food for diabetics – food that is somewhat healthy but still a treat!

“My favourite food isn’t very good for me… I love braais and chips, hamburgers and hot dogs. Is there any way to make these tasty foods better for me? Help!”

Treats in moderation

While we all want to eat healthy all the time, that’s not reality. All of us like a bit of pleasure in life, and nothing beats a treat now and again. The attraction of junk food lies in its “quick fix” ability to satisfy food cravings. Unfortunately, what makes junk food so delicious is also what makes it unhealthy. Junk food tends to be high in kilojoules, bad fats and refined carbohydrates. Because it tastes so good, it’s also hard to stop eating. You may get away with one biscuit, but 4 or 5 will cause a significant increase in blood sugar.

When relaxing with family and friends, you want to be able to enjoy holiday food: take-outs, braais and easy meals. There are definitely ways to enjoy these times without feeling left out – and without packing on the extra kilograms!

Healthy take-out

Here’s a round-up of diabetes-friendly options at popular South African restaurants. For take-out options, choose grilled chicken breast or beef hamburgers with salad (no chips!). Or try grilled chicken breast, spicy rice, coleslaw and green salad. Choose sparkling water or a diet fizzy drink to go with your meal, and obviously skip the dessert. Try to avoid food that’s high in fat and refined starch and sugar – pizza, deep fried chips and sugary drinks are all a bad idea, I’m afraid.

Braai menu

Who said a braai couldn’t be healthy? Bring chicken or beef kebabs and braaied corn on the cob, with carrot salad and green salad on the side. These are a much better choice, and much lower in fat and carbs than boerewors and chops, garlic bread, pap and gravy or white bread rolls. And they’re delicious!

Tasty diabetic-friendly snacks

If you’re looking for delicious snacks, here are some tasty diabetic-friendly options:

Snack	Portion	Energy	Carbohydrate (including sugar)	Fat
Popcorn (lite)	2 cups popped	636kj	15g*	7g
Dried fruit	2-4 pieces	381kj	21g	0g
Low GI biscuit	1 biscuit (30g)	440kj	15.3g	5.8g
Lean biltong	Handful (30g)	346kj	1g	2g

Remember that one carbohydrate portion = 15g.

Compare those to regular snacks and you’ll see the difference:

Snack	Portion	Energy	Carbohydrate (including sugar)	Fat
Chocolate	1 bar (50g)	1120kj	30g	15g
Energy bar	1 bar (40g)	739kj	22g	7g
Biscuits (with icing)	2 biscuits (33g)	676kj	30g	7g
Sweets (boiled)	125g packet	316kj	18g	0g
Potato crisps	1 packet (30g)	766kj	24g	12g

 What do you think? Do you have any favourite diabetes-friendly snacks that you count as junk food?