Simple tips in preventing diabetes

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Department of Health – Health Promotion Branch Dietitian: Yeung Wing Ka

November 14 is World Diabetes Day. Diabetes increases your risk for many serious health problems, including heart diseases, kidney diseases, skin and eye complications. The good news is, diabetes can be prevented by simple lifestyle changes. The following are some easy dietary tips that we can incorporate into our daily routine.

 

When doing grocery shopping

Select healthier food choices:

  • Choose: leaner cut of meat such as tenderloin, pork loin, skinless poultry, seafood such as fish, scallop and mussels.
  • Avoid: fatty meat and its alternatives such as pork or beef brisket, “pork neck” meat, fatty beef, chicken paw, chicken wings, animal skin, fried soybean stick and tofu puffs.
  • Choose: reduced fat or fat-free dairy products, such as skimmed or reduced-fat milk and yogurt.
  • Avoid: high fat dairy products, such as whole milk, cream, evaporated milk; and products containing coconut cream.
  • Choose: fresh food products, such as fresh fruits, vegetables and meat; frozen unseasoned meat and vegetables can be used as an alternative.
  • Avoid: processed food items such as sausage, ham, luncheon meat, bacon, Chinese sausage, seasoned vegetarian meat, salted fish and salted egg.
  • Choose: whole grain products (brown rice, whole wheat pasta and multi-grain bread) instead of refined grains (e.g. white bread)
  • Avoid: grains will added fat and/or sugar (e.g fried rice, pastry, cakes, donuts and pies)

 

When cooking 

  • Use low fat cooking methods such as steaming, boiling, baking, stewing, use non-stick cookware to reduce the amount of oil during cooking. Remove visible fat and skin before cooking.
  • Avoid frying, braising in heavy sauces; pouring sauces over grains (rice/ noodles).
  • Use natural ingredients and herbs such as garlic, onion, ginger, lemon and natural herbs.
  • Avoid ready-to-use sauce (e.g XO Sauce, satay Sauce, curry sauces, oyster sauce, black bean sauce etc). Also avoid shrimp paste, MSG, fermented bean curb.
  • Increase dietary fibre intake, include at least 3 servings of vegetables (one serving = ½ bowl of cooked or 1 bowl of raw vegetables), and 2 servings of fruit (1 serving = 1 medium sized fruit, ½ bowl of fruit cuts) daily.

Other than dietary habit, regular exercise, avoid smoking and refrain from alcohol consumption are also important elements in maintaining a healthy lifestyle. Let’s start today!

 

The following 3 recipes give you an example how to apply the abovementioned tips during meal preparation. All 3 recipes use: 1) lower fat cooking method (baking or non-stick cookware); 2) natural herbs to minimize the need to use of instant-to-use sauces; 3) fresh food items. The last recipe also demonstrate how to remove the chicken fat and skin during cooking.   Videos of cooking demonstration is also available at the links below.

 

Broccoli and Scallop Stir-Fry (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

Scallops, small 8 pcs (approx. 60g)

Broccoli 6 taels (approx. 240g)

Garlic, finely chopped 1 tbsp

Chinese cooking wine 3 tbsp

Vegetable oil* 3 tsp

* Vegetable oils such as peanut oil, canola oil, and corn oil, etc.

 

Marinade:

Salt ¼ tsp

Sugar ½ tsp

Cornstarch ½ tsp

 

Seasoning:

Soy sauce 2 tsp

Sugar ½ tsp

Cornstarch 1 tsp

Sesame oil ½ tsp

White pepper a pinch

Water 2 tbsp

 

Method :

  1. Rinse and trim the hinges of the scallops. Wipe the scallops and mix well with the marinade and ½ tablespoon of wine for about 30 minutes.
  2. Rinse the broccoli and cut into small chunks. Boil some water and blanch the broccoli. Drain the broccoli and set aside.
  3. Heat 1 teaspoon of oil in a non-stick pan and pan-fry the scallops for about 2 minutes. Set aside.
  4. Use the remaining oil to fry the garlic and stir-fry the broccoli. Return the scallops to the pan and pour 2½ tablespoons of wine down the side of the pan. Add the seasoning and stir-fry until the seasoning comes to the boil.

https://www.fhb.gov.hk/pho/main/recipes_seafood_dishes_06.html?lang=2

French Beans Stir-Fry (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

Minced pork 2 taels (80 g)

French beans 4 taels (160 g)

Basil 5 leaves

Garlic, finely chopped 1 tbsp

Shaoxing wine 3 tbsp

Vegetable oil* 3 tsp

* Vegetable oils such as peanut oil, canola oil and corn oil, etc.

 

Marinade for pork:

Soy sauce ½ tsp

Sugar ½ tsp

Cornstarch ½ tsp

White pepper a pinch

Seasonings:

Salt ¼ tsp

Soy sauce 2 tsp

Sugar 1 tsp

Cornstarch 1 tsp

Water ¼ cup (60 ml)

 

Method:

  1. Mix the minced pork with the marinade for about 30 minutes.
  2. Rinse, trim, and section the French beans; rinse and shred the basil leaves finely and add to the minced pork.
  3. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a non-stick pan and stir-fry the pork until it is golden brown. Set aside.
  4. Use the remaining oil to fry the garlic and then stir-fry the French beans until they become tender. Add the pork and pour the wine down the side of the pan. Then add the seasoning and stir-fry until it comes to the boil and the pork is cooked thoroughly.

 

https://www.fhb.gov.hk/pho/main/recipes_vegetarian_dishes_05.html?lang=2


Baked Chicken with Mushrooms (Serves 4)

Ingredients:

Chicken legs 2 pcs (approx. 320g)

Fresh mushrooms, medium 10 pcs (approx. 100g)

Garlic, finely chopped 1 tbsp

Parsley, finely chopped 2 tbsp

White wine 1 cup (240 ml)

Vegetable oil* ⅛ tsp

* Vegetable oils such as peanut oil, canola oil and corn oil, etc.

 

Marinade:

Salt ½ tsp

Cornstarch 1 tsp

White pepper a pinch

 

Method:

  1. Rinse the chicken legs, remove fat and bones and mix well with the marinade for about 30 minutes. Set aside.
  2. Preheat the oven to 200°C.
  3. Rinse and slice the mushrooms. Put the mushrooms and garlic in a baking pan and add the wine. Brush the chicken legs with oil and put them on top of the mushrooms. Bake the chicken legs until they turn golden brown. Make sure there is always some liquid in the pan and add some water or more wine if needed.
  4. Remove the pan from the oven. Baste the chicken with pan juices and turn them over. Continue baking until the chicken legs are cooked thoroughly. Then sprinkle the parsley in the pan and cook for a minute.
  5. Remove the pan from the oven and skim the fat from the pan juices. Layer a plate with mushroom and put the chicken legs that have been chopped into pieces and the juices on top

 

https://www.fhb.gov.hk/pho/main/recipes_main_dishes_08.html?lang=2