6 Tips for Navigating a Buffet If You Have Diabetes

If it feels impossible to pick one thing from the menu, a buffet may sound like a dream that has become true. However, if you live with diabetes, a visit to the buffet also brings with it some challenges, especially when it comes to managing portions and your blood sugar. “Buffets can be particularly difficult for people with diabetes because it is easy to exceed or choose too many low -carbohydrate foods,” says it Caroline Thomason Bunn, RD, CDCES. With endless options, unlimited travel and the chance to try a bit of everything, it is not unusual to feel excessively full. With diabetes, this can also mean a sharp increase in blood sugar, which can be difficult to use, and they feel sluggish or uncomfortable.

The good news is that you don’t have to stay away from the buffet just because you have diabetes. With a few simple strategies you can enjoy your meal and keep your blood sugar in check. Regardless of whether you build a plate in the lunch buffet of your cafeteria or treat yourself to a special dinner, follow this recommended tips for dieticians for a diabetes-friendly meal.

1. Survey before shoveling

The variety of tempting foods in a buffet simply makes it easier to fill your plate well before you have made it to the end of the line. Instead of drawing food as you see them, first walk through the buffet for a short walk. “If you walk around the buffet without a plate Brittany Brown, RD, IBCLC, CDE. This can help you create a mental plan from which food looks the most appetizing, she says. The result? Better portion control and satisfaction so that you can use the best of every bite and enjoy your food without indicating too excessively.

2. Use the plate method

After examining the buffet offer, dieticians recommend using the plate method to create a diabetes-friendly meal. How does it work? “Use the plate as a guide by filling half of your plate with non -strong vegetables, a quarter with lean protein and a quarter with complex carbohydrates,” says Thomason Bunn. “This simple strategy can help to remain more stable,” she explains. It can also help you eat a healthier, more balanced meal.

In a salad bar, this could look like a portion of leafy vegetables with a pinch of carrots and radishes, a ball quinoa, grilled chicken or shrimp and a splash of oil-vinsig dressing. A evening buffet may look a little different, with a ball of brown rice, a large portion of broccoli and green beans and a moderate portion of steak, chicken, fish or tofu.

3. Select a smaller plate

Another strategy that the dietician recommend is using a salad slatten instead of a plate, especially if you want to make more than a trip to the buffet. “Larger plates can make it tempting to overcrowded Macy Diulus, RD, MPH, CDCES. Even if you are not only limited to a plate with food, the smaller size offers automatic portion control and can help you measure your food. This gives you some time to take into account whether you are still hungry before you get on for seconds.

While research is mixed to effectiveness of smaller plates, the best evidence of using smaller shells is. Therefore, it can be particularly advantageous to draw your soup, chilli or stew into a cup instead of a bowl.

4. Take a break between portions

The break before the way back to the buffet for seconds can work wonders. This little break can help you make decisions that are geared towards your goals and help you to eat excessively. “Get up, stretch and give yourself five minutes before you go back to get more” Hilary Raciti, RDN, CDN.

If your second trip to the buffet is for dessert, Raciti recommends sharing a plate with friends or family, including one or two favorites to try. By making a small impression of your favorite delicacies, you end your meal with satisfaction without exaggerating it on the simple carbohydrates.

5. Skip the sugar -containing drinks

Buffets not just about what they eat. Drinks can also have a major impact on their blood sugar. “The selection of drinks such as (still or sparkling) water or unsweetened tea instead of sugar -containing drinks helps with liquid intake without additional calories or causes of blood sugar tips,” says Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDCES, found. At the other end of the spectrum, soda and juice can easily lead to fast blood sugar tips. You can also give your food unnecessary calories, especially if free refilling is an option.

This is not all yet. Studies show that additional sugar in liquid form is associated with a higher level of inflammation than sugary foods, probably due to their high glycemic stress. Over time, this can make your body less able to use your own insulin and accelerate the progression of type -2 diabetes.

6. Concentrate on the natural information of your body

With the opportunity for endless portions of delicious food, it is too easy to overeat in a buffet. Try your body at home during your meal. If you regularly check in the hunger and abundance of your body, you can avoid being stuffed and uncomfortable afterwards.

Even if you limit the amount of carbohydrates on your plate, too many calories from protein and fat can lead to complaints and weight gain. “Try to get slower, actually try your food and find a comfortable abundance,” says Raciti. If you practice careful ingredients, you can choose food that you satisfy and make it easier to end the food when you are comfortably full. If you exaggerate it, don’t beat up. Instead, “think of the next best step for the next meal,” she says.

Our expert

If you manage diabetes, buffets are associated with special challenges. But they don’t have to be subject. In the buffet, dieticians recommend questioning their options before making their selection, following the plate method, using smaller plates, slowing down to avoid and hear the hunger and abundance of your body. With a little planning and these targeted strategies, you can enjoy a delicious meal without having to worry about blood sugar.