Your Guide to Eating Out as a Diabetic

Whether you plan to have an important family dinner, meet a friend for lunch, or just interested in getting take-out due to convenience purposes, eating out does play quite a significant role in our lives. It is important to keep in mind that diabetics need to be much more conscious than other people when they eat out, due to obvious health reasons. Planning ahead is often necessary, as simply looking at a menu for a few minutes is usually not the easiest thing for a diabetic to do. Here, we will take a closer look at some of the very important things that any diabetic should know about dining out.

Eating Out as a Diabetic Tip #1: Skip the Potatoes

It is important to keep in mind that diabetics should not eat a large amount of potatoes, whether they are in French fries form, mashed or baked. The main reason is because the high level of carbohydrates that potatoes contain are known to increase your blood sugar levels. Limiting the amount of potatoes that you eat, or completely eliminating them, is your best option as a diabetic when you eat out. Request a healthy side vegetable or coleslaw instead of French fries or a baked potato whenever possible.

Eating Out as a Diabetic Tip #2: Choose Whole Wheat Products

A common misconception is that diabetics cannot have carbohydrates at all. The truth in the matter is that can, but it is important to know what types are the "good carbs" and the "bad carbs." Whenever possible, it is important to opt for wheat breads and pastas rather than white breads and pastas. It is also important to order brown rice rather than white rice. If you did not already know, fried rice is white rice, so you will want to avoid this type of rice also. Most diabetics find that the hardest place to eat at is an Italian or Chinese restaurant, mostly because white rice or pasta are the main options available to you.

Eating Out as a Diabetic Tip #3: Know What You're Eating