Healthy eating plate method is one of the best and simple practical way of meal planning, especially when you are suffering from diabetes. Healthy eating plate method helps you understand and simplify the process of choosing the right food in the right amount.
Obtaining all 7 essential food nutrients is very important for everyone. And healthy eating plate method ensures that you get all the essential food nutrients from the plate.
Healthy eating plate method is not just for diabetics, everyone can get benefits from it. You must give this plate method a try, especially if you are one of the following people:
1. You have Type 2 diabetes
2. You are overweight
3. You feel overwhelmed by a lot of information
4. You don’t like complicated instructions and plans
5. You have problems memorizing sometimes
6. You are stressed and nervous by recent diagnosis
7. You have a busy lifestyle
8. You want to follow a simple and practical diet plan
So, if any of the above points matches your problems, then it’s time to take the right step and give a try to ‘healthy eating plate method’. As this method will help you solve these above mentioned problems in simple easier way.
Now, i am sure, you have a big question here. So, let’s find out the answer together of this question.
What is Healthy Eating Plate Method?
Healthy eating plate method is a very easy, simple to follow, practical way to plate up healthy balanced meals for you and your family. The best things about this method is you don’t need to carry all sorts of measuring tools nor you need expensive food ingredients to create healthy meals.
Your Healthy Eating Plate is a typically 9 inch plate with a cup and bowl of 180 ml or 6 oz.
Let’s understand how you should plate up your food.
Common Measurements: 1 oz = 28 grams, 1 oz = 30 ml, 3 oz = 1/2 cup
Now, let’s explore more about each portion on your plate.
Vegetables: Vegetables are an important part of healthy meal. It can be as delicious fresh salad or cooked vegetables. with cooked vegetables, it doesn’t mean you just have to eat boiled veggies, with right choice you can have beautifully caramelized glazing vegetables, delicious salad too. So, no need to be sad if eating more vegetables idea made you little less excited previously.
But you must make sure that in the vegetable portion you should only choose Non-starchy vegetables such as: broccoli, carrots, spinach, green beans etc.
Theses vegetable will balance your meals by adding fiber, vitamins and minerals, you normally miss when not eating healthy food. Eating fresh non-starchy vegetables helps you control your blood sugar levels significantly.
So, fill your 1/2 half plate with non-starchy vegetables as shown above. But remember, you should not fill your half plate with just a single vegetable only. Try 2 – 3 vegetables combination to make it healthy as well as interesting. For this, you can create a beautiful salad or cook mix vegetables too.
Macronutrients and Calories per serving:
Carbohydrates : 5 gm, Protein : up to 2 gm and 25 Calories.
Vegetables, Serving Size: 1/2 cup cooked or 1 cup raw | ||
---|---|---|
Amaranth or Chinese spinach | Coleslaw, no dressing | Peppers (all varieties) |
Artichoke and Artichoke hearts | Cucumber | Radishes |
Asparagus | Eggplant | Rutabaga |
Baby corn | Gourds (bitter, bottle, luffa) | Sauerkraut |
Bamboo shoots | Greens (collard, kale, mustard, turnip) | Soybean sprouts |
Green beans | Green onions or scallions | Spinach |
Bean sprouts | Hearts of palm | Summer squash |
Beets | Jicama | Sugar snap peas |
Bok choy | Kohlrabi | Swiss chard |
Borscht | Leeks | Tomato (fresh or canned) |
Broccoli | Mixed vegetables (without corn, peas, lima, potato) | Tomato sauce |
Brussels sprouts | Mung bean sprouts | Tomato/vegetable juice |
Cabbage | Mushrooms | Turnips |
Carrots | Okra | Water chestnuts |
Cauliflower | Onions | Yard-long beans |
Celery | Oriental radish or daikon | Zucchini |
Chayote | Pea pods (snow peas) |
Protein: Protein is an essential food nutrient for our body. It helps keeping it in good shape and repairs any damage to our body cells. So, 1/4th portion of your plate must be full of protein rich food.
For this, you can use meat, poultry, fish, eggs, nuts, tofu etc. But remember some meats and poultry can have huge amount of body fat with them which is not good at all especially if you have heart problems, overweight or obesity. So, it’s better to choose lean meats for the portion with less fat in cooking. You can choose different cooking methods such as boiled, broiled and baked to cut on fats in the food.
However, if you are vegetarian or prefer vegan diet, you can eat following options such as lentils, black beans, soybean, edamame (green young soybean), green peas, artichokes, spinach, black eyed peas, broccoli, asparagus, green beans, chickpeas are great source of protein.
Macronutrients and Calories per serving:
Carbohydrates : 0 gm, Protein : 7 gm, Fat : upto 3 gm and 45 Calories.
Protein | Serving Size |
---|---|
Beef, Beef jerky | 1 oz |
Egg substitute, plain | 1/4 cup |
Egg whites | 2 |
Fish (all types) | 1 oz |
Game meat | 1 oz |
Hot dog with 0-3 g fat per oz | 1 |
Lamb: chop, leg, roast | 1 oz |
Organ meats: heart, kidney, liver | 1 oz |
Oysters, fresh or frozen medium | 6 |
Pork (all types) | 1 oz |
Poultry (all types) | 1 oz |
Salmon, canned | 1 oz |
Sardines, canned medium | 2 |
Sausage with 0-3 g fat per oz | 1 oz |
Shellfish: clams, crab, lobster, scallops | 1 oz |
Shrimp and squid (high cholesterol) | 1 oz |
Tuna, canned | 1 oz |
Veal, lean chop, roast | 1 oz |
Vegan Proteins | Serving Size |
---|---|
Beans, baked | 1/3 cup |
Beans, cooked | 1/2 cup |
Edamame | 1/2 cup |
Falafel (spiced chickpea and wheat patties) | 3 |
Hummus | 1/3 cup |
Lentils (brown, green, yellow) | 1/2 cup |
Nut spreads | 1 tbsp |
Peas, cooked | 1/2 cup |
Refried beans, canned | 1/2 cup |
Soy nuts, unsalted | 3/4 oz |
Tempeh | 1/4 cup |
Tofu | 4 oz |
Cheeses blue, cheddar, goat | 1 oz |
Cottage cheese | 1/4 cup |
Feta cheese | 1 oz |
Mozzarella | 1 oz |
Ricotta cheese | 1/4 cup |
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Bread, Grains, Starchy Vegetables
Next 1/4th portion should contain grains which includes breads too and starchy vegetables. This portion helps you obtain fiber, vitamin and minerals as well. Rice, noodles, pasta, cereal, whole wheat breads, chapattis, tortillas fulfill grains portion. If you like having potato, sweet potato, corn, yams, you can add these in this portion too.
Macronutrients and Calories per serving:
Carbohydrates : 15 gm, Protein : upto 3 gm, Fat : upto 1 gm and 80 Calories.
Bread | Serving Size |
---|---|
Bagel, large (4 oz) | 1/4th |
Biscuit ( 2 ½ inches) | 1 |
Bread (whole wheat, white, or rye) | 1 slice |
Bun (hotdog or hamburger) (1oz) | 1/2 bun |
Chapatti, small - 6 inches | 1 |
Cornbread (1 ¾-inch cube or 1 ½ oz) | 1 |
English muffin | half |
Hot dog or hamburger bun (1 oz) | half |
Naan bread Small | 1/2 half |
Pancake 4 inches | 1 |
Pita pocket (6 inches across) | half |
Roll (plain, small, 1 oz) | 1 |
Taco crisp Shell | 2 |
Tortilla, corn or flour | 1 |
Waffle (4-inch) | 1 |
Cereals and Grains | Serving Size |
---|---|
Barley, cooked | 1/3 cup |
Oat bran, dry | 1/4 cup |
Wheat bran, dry | 1/2 cup |
Bulgur, cooked | 1/2 cup |
Cereals, cooked (oatmeal) | 1/2 cup |
Cereals, unsweetened | 3/4 cup |
Couscous | 1/3 cup |
Granola (low-fat) | 1/4 cup |
Pasta, cooked | 1/3 cup |
Polenta, cooked | 1/3 cup |
Quinoa, cooked | 1/3 cup |
Rice, cooked (white or brown) | 1/3 cup |
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Starchy Vegetables | Serving Size |
---|---|
Cassava | 1/3 cup |
Corn | 1/2 cup |
Corn on cob (large, 5 oz) | 1/2 cob |
Hominy, canned | 3/4 cup |
Parsnips | 1/2 cup |
Peas, green | 1/2 cup |
Plantain, ripe | 1/3 cup |
Potato - Baked with skin (3 oz) | 1 |
Potato - Boiled, all kinds (3 oz) | 1/2 cup |
Potato - French fried (2 oz) | 1 cup |
Potato - Mashed with milk and fat | 1/2 cup |
Pumpkin | 1 cup |
Spaghetti/red pasta sauce | 1/2 cup |
Squash, winter | 1 cup |
Yam, sweet potato, plain | 1/2 cup |
Beans (Count as 1 Starch + 1 Lean Meat) | Serving Size |
---|---|
Baked beans | 1/3 cup |
Beans, cooked (all varieties) | 1/2 cup |
Lentils, cooked (all varieties) | 1/2 cup |
Peas, cooked (black-eyed, split) | 1/2 cup |
Crackers and Snacks | Serving Size |
Crackers - Round, butter-type | 6 |
Crackers - Saltines | 6 |
Crackers - Graham cracker (2 ½-inch) | 3 |
Oyster crackers | 20 |
Popcorn - With butter | 3 cups |
Popcorn - Lower fat or no fat added | 3 cups |
Pretzels | 3/4 oz |
Rice cakes, 4 inches | 2 |
Snack chips - Fat-free or baked (3/4 oz) | 15-18 chips |
Snack chips - Regular (3/4 oz) | 10-12 chips |
Fruits: Fruits are great source of carbohydrates, fiber, vitamin and minerals. And most ripe fruits contain a lot of sugar and starch. So fruits are very important in our healthy meal. But to maintain blood glucose levels in diabetes, we should have eat controlled serving of fruits. By controlled serving means, a small fruit of its size such as small apple, small banana, small orange etc. For plating fruits, use the bowl or the cup and fill it only half. So, it’s a half cup of fruits.
Eating whole fruit is much better than drinking only the juice of it. Because whole fruit will make you feel full easily as it has fiber as well rather than only juice. For example: eat a small orange rather than orange juice.
You can eat some non starchy fruits a little more but a little means only a little, such as berries, watermelon, pineapple etc.
Macronutrients and Calories per serving:
Carbohydrates : 15 gm, Protein : 0 gm, Fat : 0 gm and 60 Calories.
Fruit | Serving Size | Fruit | Serving Size | Fruit | Serving Size |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Apple, unpeeled, small (4 oz) | 1 | Grapefruit, Sections, canned | 3/4 cup | Plums, Fresh small (5 oz) | 2 |
Apples, dried rings | 4 | Grapes, small (3 oz) | 17 | Prunes | 3 |
Applesauce, unsweetened | 1/2 cup | Honeydew, cubed (10 oz) | 1 cup | Raisins | 2 tbsp |
Apricots, fresh (5 1/2 oz) | 4 | Kiwi (3 1/2 oz) | 1 | Raspberries | 1 cup |
Apricot, dried | 8 halves | Mandarin oranges, canned | 3/4 cup | Strawberries, whole berries | 1 cup |
Banana, Large/Small (4oz) | 1/2 or 1 | Mango, small (5 1/2 oz) | 1/2 cup | Tangerines, small (8 oz) | 2 |
Blackberries | 3/4 cup | Nectarine, small (5 oz) | 1 | Watermelon, cubes (13 1/2 oz) | 1 1/4 cup |
Blueberries | 3/4 cup | Orange, small (6 1/2 oz) | 1 | ||
Cantaloupe, cubed (11 oz) | 1 cup | Papaya, cubed (8 oz) | 1 cup | Fruit Juice | Serving Size |
Cherries Sweet, canned | 1/2 cup | Peach, Canned | 1/2 cup | Apple juice | 1/2 cup |
Cherries Sweet, fresh (3 oz) | 12 | Peach, Fresh, medium (6 oz) | 1 | Apple cider | 1/2 cup |
Dates | 3 | Pear, Canned | 1/2 cup | Grape juice | 1/3 cup |
Dried fruits | 2 Tbsp | Pear, Fresh, large (4 oz) | 42371 | Grapefruit juice | 1/2 cup |
Figs, medium (3 1/2 oz) | 2 | Pineapple, Canned | 1/2 cup | Orange juice | 1/2 cup |
Fruit cocktail | 1/2 cup | Pineapple, Fresh | 3/4 cup | Pineapple juice | 1/2 cup |
Grapefruit, Large (11 oz) | 1/2 half | Plums, Canned | 1/2 cup | Prune juice | 1/3 cup |
Dairy: Dairy is an important portion as well. it contains protein, vitamins and minerals which are essential for our body. The other cup or bowl can be used for dairy option for the meal.
Fill 1/2 cup of milk or yogurt for this section. It is imperative to use fat free milk, 1% milk and lite yogurt to cut on fat, especially if you are overweight.
Do not use added sugar in the milk or yogurt. Milk and yogurt have plenty of natural sugars already in them.
However, if you can’t drink milk due to lactose intolerance, ask your doctor or dietitian for a good substitute. Because, milk contains essential calcium and other minerals for our body and must be obtained through other food sources to prevent deficiency.
Macronutrients and Calories per serving:
Carbohydrates : 12 gm, Protein : 8 gm, Fat : upto 3 gm and 100 Calories.
Dairy Products | Serving Size |
---|---|
Fat-free or low-fat buttermilk | 1 cup |
Fat-free milk | 1 cup |
Low-fat, 1 % milk | 1 cup |
Evaporated fat-free milk | 1/2 cup |
Fat-free dry milk powder | 1/3 cup |
Soy milk | 1 cup |
Yogurt, Fat-free Plain | 2/3 cup |
Now, there are a few points, you should always keep in mind for better digestion and health benefits.
1. If you are overweight or have heart problems, keep the fat amount (oils) in cooking very little as much as you can.
2. Eat lean meats and avoid high fat meats.
3. Do not eat acidic food when taking milk and vice-versa.
4. Sometimes, instead of fried snacks or crackers, eat healthy dry fruits.
5. Eat your fruits at least 1/2 hour prior to the meal for better digestion and to prevent blood sugar spikes after the meal.
6. Do not drink a lot of water right after finishing meal. Wait at least 30-45 minutes before drinking water. However, you can take 2-3 sips of water in between the meal.
So, that’s how you should follow this healthy eating plate method. Please, consult with your doctor or dietitian first for better results, based on your health condition. Do you like the article? Have any questions or thoughts? Feel free to drop a comment & let us know!
May I use your plate to help me teach parents of Head Start students who either have diabetes or a family history of it? I like the simplicity that you have represented here.
glad to see you liked it. and sure spread the awareness!
excellent advice, it is really useful for diabetics.
Nice post! It reminded me of my friend Sarah. She is really into this plate method and She is gonna love it.
yeah, it’s a good read, Joanne! I am following this method for about 8 years now. it really helped me controlling my food cravings and numbers a lot.
amazing post. Thanks for the simplified info.
This has really peaked my interest in healthy eating.