Читать книгу Diabetes Meals on $7 a Day?or Less! - Patti B. Geil - Страница 6

Introduction HEALTHY EATING: A BLUE-CHIP INVESTMENT

It is just a quick trip to the supermarket to pick up a few things. You reach the checkout line and you’re suddenly slammed with sticker shock. How could just a few bags of groceries cost more than $100? You know that healthy eating is vital for people with diabetes, yet once again you find yourself thinking, “I can’t afford to eat healthfully.”

Without a doubt, diabetes is an expensive disease. One out of every 10 health care dollars spent in the United States is spent on diabetes and its complications. Family budgets must stretch to cover the costs of medications, monitoring supplies, and more frequent visits to health care providers. People with diabetes spend $13,243 annually on health care, compared to those without diabetes who spend only $2,560 each year.

It is a common misconception that a healthy diabetes diet must be costly and consist of special diabetic foods and high-priced sugar-free treats. American households already spend 14 cents of every dollar of their disposable income on food. Given the additional expenses associated with proper medical management of diabetes, revising your meal planning and shopping strategies will save you money without shortchanging your health.

Investing a bit of time and money in healthy eating is a blue-chip investment for your future. Results of the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) showed that improving blood glucose control lowers the risk of diabetes complications-such as eye and kidney disease-in individuals with type 1 diabetes. The United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) showed similar results in patients with type 2 diabetes.

Nutrition is a key factor in helping to control your diabetes. Spending the money to eat healthfully will improve blood glucose control now and may help prevent costly complications and expensive medical care later in life.

Eating well and spending less are not mutually exclusive. In fact, healthier foods can actually save you money. Researchers have found that when families went on weight loss diets, they not only lost weight but also reduced their food budgets. The savings came from reducing portion sizes and buying fewer high-calorie, high-priced foods. If you think you must buy expensive special versions of the foods your family usually eats, think again! The American Diabetes Association nutrition recommendations simply suggest eating healthfully-the same advice that already applies to every member of your family.

The nutrition guidance for people with diabetes is the same as that for anyone interested in eating healthfully. It consists of a plate full of low-fat, high-fiber grains, beans, fruits, and vegetables with small portions of meat and protein foods and limited amounts of fats, sweets, and alcohol. Everyone should strive to eat according to these guidelines to lower the risk of heart disease, obesity, and some forms of cancer. Involve your family in your healthy eating, cost-cutting campaign. Your family-and your wallet-will thank you for it.

So leave those costly diet or diabetic foods on the grocery store shelf. Hands off the high-priced sugar-free sweets. The latest nutrition recommendations give you the freedom to enjoy small amounts of regular sugar and sweets, as long as your weight, blood glucose levels, and blood lipids remain in control. If you are used to spending significant amounts of money on artificially sweetened treats, you can use your savings to invest in another treat-like a new exercise video or a stress-free evening out on the town.

SPEND LESS, EAT HEALTHFULLY

Now, more than ever, eating healthfully on a budget is a challenge. When we first published Diabetes Meals on $7 a Day-or Less! in 1999, the

American Farm Bureau Federation Marketbasket Survey showed that purchasing 16 basic grocery items costs $32.51. Today, those same 16 items ring up at $42.95. The good news is that you can eat a wide variety of healthy foods without breaking the bank. The American Dietetic

Association has demonstrated that a 2,000-calorie meal plan costs approximately $6.69 per person per day and only $6.33 if you’re a vegetarian.

You will find that the more time and effort you’re willing to spend, the more money you’re likely to save. For example, it may take a few extra moments to prepare quick cooking oats rather than the microwave instant version, but the trade off of time for money and good health is worth it.

ATTENTION SHOPPERS! ECONOMICAL EATING IN AISLE ONE

The American Dietetic Association has calculated the average daily costs to eat according to the 2005 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Recommendation: 4 1/2 cups of fruits and vegetables (Fresh strawberries, bananas, spinach, romaine lettuce, carrots; frozen blueberries, broccoli, cauliflower; canned peaches) $2.12

Recommendation: 6 ounces of grains (Oatmeal, brown rice, whole-wheat bread) $0.88

Recommendation: 3 cups of fat-free or low-fat milk or equivalent (Yogurt, fat-free milk, cheese) $1.60

Recommendation: 5 1/2 ounces of protein (Cooked lean beef, chicken, pork, or ground turkey; eggs; fresh fish) $1.72

Recommendation: 6 teaspoons of fats (Olive oil, vegetable oil, light salad dressing, low-fat mayonnaise) $0.37

TOTAL = $6.69 per day

Economical diabetes meal planning doesn’t mean deboning countless chickens, serving endless meals of leftovers, or driving all over town for grocery store specials. You can even take an occasional night off kitchen duty for a carefully chosen fast-food meal. But keep in mind that drive-through deals may have hidden costs.

While upsizing a meal costs you only $0.67 for 400 extra calories from fries and soda, it may be draining your wallet in unexpected ways. For every 100 calories a person eats beyond his or her daily needs, the price of food, medical care, and gasoline-heavier passengers reduce a car’s fuel efficiency-rises anywhere from $0.48 to nearly $2. The heavier a person is, the greater the cost. Fast-food deals may not be deals at all. The tips in Chapter 6 will enable you to enjoy eating out while still watching your nutritional and financial budgets.

Everyone loves to save money, no matter what his or her bank account balance. Diabetes Meals on $7 a Day-or Less!, 2nd Edition will guide you in your quest to eat healthfully on a lean budget. The recipes are quick and simple to assemble, and contain easy-to-find ingredients.

If you are eligible for food assistance programs, such as food stamps, WIC (Women, Infants, and Children), or Meals-on-Wheels, you’ll find that the recipes and menus in this book will help you make the most of the foods available through these sources. Pick a few new recipes, take a look at the meal plans, and review the shopping tips before your next trip to the supermarket. You may be pleasantly surprised to find that the small changes we suggest will quickly add up to make you healthier and wealthier.

Money Saving Tip

Saving just $5 a week on food can fatten your piggy bank by more than $250 a year. You can spend less and eat healthy!