Seafood is an excellent choice for people with diabetes who want to include heart-healthy, nutritious foods in their diet. Seafood is a good source of healthy fats and protein. It also contains important vitamins and nutrients that boost cardiovascular health and can reduce the risk of diabetes-related complications such as heart disease.
Salmon Cakes Diabetes Meal Plan:
Salmon for Heart-Healthy Omega-3s
What are the common complications of diabetes?
Salmon is high in omega-3 fats, which are great for people with type 2 diabetes. These “healthy fats” can help reduce your risk for heart disease, stroke and heart failure.
You can cook fish in various ways, such as baking, grilling, or broiling. Avoid breading and frying fish, as they add extra calories and carbs.
Jill Weisenberger is a CDCES RD and a certified diabetes education and care specialist from Newport News, Virginia. She’s also the author of A Beginner’s Guide to What to Eat with Type 2 Diabetes. She suggests that you coat cooked salmon in this heart-healthy sauce: 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1/2 tbsp of lemon juice, two garlic cloves, and a few handfuls of freshly chopped basil. She says that “every ingredient is healthy and ideal for people with type 2 diabetes”. She suggests adding a salad with roasted vegetables such as broccoli or asparagus and whole grains like brown rice to create a balanced dinner.
Tilapia: Tons of protein and little fat
Weisenberger claims that tilapia is low in calories, high in protein, and has a mild taste. However, 100 grams (g) of steamed tilapia contains 121 calories and 25 g protein.
Tilapia can be found in both fresh and frozen form and cooks very quickly. This diabetes-friendly Weisenberger tilapia recipe is easy to make: In a skillet, sauté onions, peppers or any other vegetables that you may have. Add tomato sauce, tomatoes (try to find low-sodium varieties) and Italian seasonings. Place the tilapia over the simmering water and increase the heat. Cover the pan and cook until the fish has cooked through. Weisenberger suggests serving it with barley, brown rice or quinoa.
Cod as a Low-Calorie, Versatile Meal
Cod is also a high-protein, low-calorie white fish. It contains 122 calories per 140g fillet and 27g of protein.
Weisenberger loves to use cod in fish tacos, seafood gumbo, and other dishes.
A great way to cook cod is by cutting it into pieces, adding your favorite vegetables, herbs, spices, and a drizzle of olive oil. Wrap each portion with aluminum foil and bake. Weisenberger says this is a wonderful way to provide each member of the family with their own customized meal. “I may choose broccoli and onions, while you might pick mushrooms and asparagus.”
Trout is a good source of heart-healthy fatty acids
You can ask a friend who is a fisherman to treat you with grilled trout or bass. Julie Stefanski, RD and CDCES from York, Pennsylvania, says that fattier fish, like trout, contain more omega-3 fatty acid.
Try baking or broiling the trout in a seasoning free of sodium or with a bit of citrus juice. For people who are learning to cook fish, the challenge is not to oversalt. The AHA recommends that adults consume no more than 1,500 mg of salt per day.
Salt is not necessary in all meals. Just add a few herbs to enhance the flavour.
Weisenberger claims that shrimp is low in calories but high in protein. One cup of shrimp contains 122 calories, 23 grams of protein and 215 mg of cholesterol. This may cause concern to people with diabetes. Research suggests that shrimp, despite having a higher level of cholesterol, has a positive impact on lipids. People who eat it have a lower cardiovascular disease risk than people who don’t.
Other Shellfish, such as Portion Control
You may find it difficult to eat too much crab or lobster on a diabetes diet if you have to spend time removing the meat from these succulent Shellfish. Stefanski adds that crab and lobster have “naturally low fat and calories”. Stefanski says that one cup of crab contains 112 calories, nearly 1 g fat and 24 g protein.
Meanwhile, 1 cup of steamed crab contains 131 calories, 1.3 g fat and 28 g protein.
If you add butter to your dish, the calories and fat can go up. Stefanski suggests that Shellfish can be incorporated into meals made from plants, such as stir-fries and salads with lots of colourful vegetables. Instead of salting your cooking liquid, add a bay leaf to the water. Get creative and use cooked seafood to create a variety of dishes, including salads, pastas, rice dishes, and soups.
Canned Tuna & Salmon at Your Budget
Fresh or frozen fish can be expensive, but they are delicious. Cans of tuna or salmon, which are shelf-stable and affordable, can be kept in your pantry. They count towards your weekly fish goal. Stefanski says that most people do not eat enough fish, but this simple option will help them reach their goal of eating two to three portions of fish each week.
Choose fish canned in water instead of oil-packed fish to reduce fat and calories. Also, keep in mind FDA recommendations to limit mercury levels in fish. Certain types, like canned albacore, can have higher mercury levels, so FDA recommends limiting consumption to just one serving per week. Some types of canned tuna are fine to consume two or three portions per week.
Stefanski suggests mixing one can of tuna, some avocado, mayo, if you like, and lemon pepper seasoning for a quick, easy meal. Spread the mixture on whole-wheat bread.
Sardines with Nutrients and Flavor
Stefanski claims that sardines deserve an “A” on their nutritional report cards. She says that sardines are not only high in Omega-3s but also contain calcium and vitamin D. One standard can of sardines (75 g) in oil contains 286 mg of calcium and 3.6 micrograms of vitamin D.
These attributes make them a great food to include in your diabetes diet and to support bone health.
You can find salt-free brands by reading labels.
Cans of sardines can be purchased for a reasonable price and are delicious on their own or in other dishes. Try grilling fresh sardines if you are adventurous.
Takeaway
- Seafood is a good addition to a diabetes-friendly diet. It’s rich in healthy fats and protein, low in calories and full of vitamins and minerals.
- Experts recommend eating two servings of salmon per week to maintain heart health.
- Salmon and sardines are particularly rich in Omega-3 fatty acid, a healthy fat type that supports heart health and can reduce the risk of certain complications of diabetes, such as stroke and heart disease.
- To avoid adding extra carbs and calories to your dish, you can bake or broil the seafood instead of breading it.
