How do I create a healthy meal?

This is a question asked by many people who have diabetes.

To begin with, there are no foods that are off limits.
It's all about creating a balance.
There is not one single correct way to eat.
This applies irrespective of whether you have type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes.

It all depends on what you want to achieve.
Do you want to lose weight, for example?
Do you want to maintain your weight?
Do you want to eat less meat or do you want to achieve a more stable blood sugar?

When you eat, it's not just about healthy or unhealthy food.
It's also very much about how you create your meals and how much you eat.
You might consider choosing a plate that is not too large.

Most of us fill up the plate without thinking about it.
This means that the larger the plate, the larger the portion we eat.

When you put food on your plate, you can benefit from using the so-called Y-plate model.
It can help you visualise the composition of your meal.
Imagine you have a large Y on your plate.

Place the vegetables on one side of the stalk on the Y.
On the other side, you put potatoes, rice, pasta or bread.
And here it is a good idea to select whole grain products.

In the middle of the Y there is room for lean meat, chicken, fish or legume vegetables.
There is also room for some gravy or sauce.
Just choose something lean.

If you are still hungry, it is a good idea to continue with the same distribution.

If you want to lose weight or eat less carbohydrates, it is a good idea to divide your food up by using a different model,
which is he T-plate model.
Then it is a good idea to start with the vegetables.

Stack them well on your plate to make sure there’s enough room for them.
Fill half of the plate up with vegetables.
They can be cooked or raw.
Choose what you like the best.

In one quarter, you then place lean meat, chicken, fish or legume vegetables.
On the second quarter you put potatoes, rice or pasta.
Here it remains a good idea to choose whole grain products, and you can also complement with some lean sauce or gravy.

If you're still hungry, it would be a good idea to eat more vegetables, but no more pasta or meat.