Nutrition Tips & Recipes for National Diabetes Month

The American Diabetes Association has designated the month of November to focus the nation's attention on the issues surrounding diabetes and the many people who are impacted by the disease. Nearly 26 million children and adults in the United States have diabetes and another 79 million Americans have prediabetes and are at risk for developing type 2 diabetes. At the heart of discussions is the importance of a healthy diet – which foods to avoid and which are best to incorporate into daily meals.

In preparing diabetic-friendly meals, it is important to include at least one of the top 10 “Superfoods” – foods that have a low glycemic index and provide key nutrients. Many people are surprised that fruit is a good option for a diabetes-friendly meal plan. In fact, the American Diabetes Association identifies berries, including strawberries, as one of the top ten superfoods for a diabetes meal plan because they are packed with vitamins, antioxidants and dietary fiber. A serving of eight medium-sized California strawberries has more vitamin C than an orange and contains only 50 calories and 7 grams of sugar.