“I am originally from Brazil, and one of the things that I see is that the portion sizes here in the United States are crazy,” says Moreinos Schwartz, a Rio de Janeiro native and author of My Rio de Janeiro: A Cookbook, who calls Greenwich, Connecticut, home these days. The rich food eaten in many Latin countries wasn’t meant to be eaten in supersized American-style portions, she points out. “We have a saying in Brazil: ‘One is too little, two is okay, and three is way too much.’” RELATED: The Best and Worst Food to Eat in a Type 2 Diabetes Diet Downsized portions are particularly important for people with type 2 diabetes, who must limit the amount of carbohydrates — particularly sugars and starches — that they eat and drink to manage their blood sugar. (There’s no one-size-fits-all carb recommendation, so ask your healthcare team what’s right for you.) Portion control also helps with weight loss in particular, which can be helpful in managing type 2 diabetes or preventing it, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). Working with your healthcare team is the best way to know what your particularly portion sizes should be, though the ADA lists some food portion guidelines. Specifically, the ADA recommends:
3 ounces (oz) of protein, such as lean sources like chicken, turkey, or fish, or plant-based sources like tempeh, beans, or tofu; equates to about the size of your palm1 oz of cheese; around the size of your thumb1 cup of dairy, such as milk or yogurt; roughly the size of a tennis ball1 cup of nonstarchy veggies, such as broccoli, asparagus, or kale1 slice of bread (preferably whole grain)1/3 cup of grains, rice, or pasta (preferably brown and whole grain)½ cup of starchy veggies, such as white potatoes or corn¾ cup of cereal (preferably whole grain)
Another aspect of Latino culture to avoid overlooking is keeping family at the center of mealtime. “Do not isolate a member of the family if they have type 2 diabetes,” Moreinos Schwartz says. “My burning passion is to inspire people to make food that is good for the whole family.” Consider sharing diabetes-friendly fare with the whole family to support the person who has the disease, or is at risk for it, in sticking with their diet. It’s a lesson that Moreinos Schwartz learned after her paternal grandfather died after having complications from type 2 diabetes. “My grandmother really didn’t have the right access to information, education, or literacy about type 2 diabetes,” she says. “So it was kind of like a struggle for her to help him manage the disease, and it was a struggle for all of us in the family. His death prompted my entire family to review and reevaluate the lifestyle that we were living. It sparked us to start making small changes toward the direction of helping reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.” That resolve also led to her participation in the 2019 documentary A Touch of Sugar, which features a culturally diverse cast of people who are living with diabetes and their families, and a film that actress Viola Davis narrated. The project is part of America’s Diabetes Challenge (ADC) campaign, which is backed by Merck, the pharmaceutical company behind the type 2 diabetes medication Januvia (sitagliptin). Moreinos Schwartz shares several recipes on the ADC website. RELATED: 8 Easy and Flavorful Chicken Recipes for People With Diabetes But that’s not all you can do to make over your Latin food so it’s more diabetes-friendly. Moreinos Schwartz offers more tips for whipping up heart-healthy, diabetes-friendly food with Latin heart and flavor below.
1. Skip the Salt and Season Your Food With Herbs and Spices
Earlier research shows that eating too much salt can contribute to high blood pressure, which is a risk factor for heart disease. People with diabetes are 2 times more likely to die of heart disease compared with people without diabetes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). One way to maintain the flavor while cutting your salt intake is turning to alternative seasonings, Moreinos Schwartz suggests. “I feel that using herbs and spices is one of the most important things in cooking because everything is so flavorful.” For instance, she likes to liven dishes with a homemade sofrito, which is a popular sauce in Latin cuisine that gets its spiciness from garlic, cilantro, peppers, and tomatoes, the latter of which is optional. Moreinos Schwartz likes to add paprika, nutmeg, cumin, oregano, and parsley to the mixture. “There is so much depth in its flavor that you need a lot less salt when using sofrito,” she says. Chicken stock can also boost the flavor of soups, sauces, and rice dishes, but opt for the low-sodium variety or make your own. “I am a huge advocate for homemade chicken stock,” says Moreinos Schwartz. “I never throw the bones of a rotisserie chicken away. Instead, I simply add cold water and make chicken stock at home.” If you crave yellow rice, a staple of Spanish and Caribbean dishes, ditch the boxed variety and keep the fragrance and golden hue by adding saffron or turmeric, she recommends. RELATED: How Type 2 Diabetes and Heart Disease Are Connected
2. Choose Leaner Meats, Such as Poultry, Over Red Meat
Consuming too much food that’s high in saturated fat and cholesterol can also increase the risk for heart disease, the CDC notes. An easy way to limit how much you eat is by choosing lean protein sources. While, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), plant protein sources such as tofu, tempeh, and beans are zero-cholesterol foods with fewer calories and less saturated fat per serving than animal proteins, if you prefer meat, simply choosing chicken over beef is also wise for your heart. A 100-gram (g) chicken breast has 1 g of saturated fat and 59 g of cholesterol, per the National Chicken Council, versus the same portion of ground beef, which has 4 g of saturated fat, 9.82 g of total fat, and 67 g of cholesterol, according to the USDA. Registered dietitians agree that removing the skin from chicken can lower the saturated fat content. And, they advise, if you’re choosing beef, consider the total fat content in addition to the saturated fat content, and opt for the highest percentage of lean meat (for example, 90 percent lean versus 80 percent lean) when possible. Similarly, go on and enjoy a sausage and black bean soup, but consider replacing pork or beef sausage with turkey or chicken sausage. Or you could replace the pulled, stewed beef of a Cuban ropa vieja with slow-cooked chicken, Moreinos Schwartz recommends. RELATED: What Makes for a Good Type 2 Diabetes Diet?
3. Go for Higher-Fiber, Less-Processed Versions of Your Favorite Starches
“Instead of white rice, use brown rice. Instead of regular pasta, you can use whole-wheat pasta,” says Moreinos Schwartz. The fiber in brown rice can help keep you fuller for longer, helping you to avoid overeating and better manage your weight, according to the Mayo Clinic. Same goes for whole-wheat pasta, which has 6.6 g of fiber per cup versus 1.4 g of fiber per cup in white pasta, per the USDA. Likewise, instead of a sugar-packed dessert of arroz doce or tres leches cake, opt for a small portion of fruit. For example, ½ cup of pineapple has a glycemic load of 6.39 according to the USDA, meaning that despite its carb content, the food poses a low risk of spiking your blood sugar. You can calculate a food’s glycemic load by taking its glycemic index, as indicated by Harvard Health Publishing, multiplying this by its total carb content per portion, and dividing that value by 100, according to the Glycemic Index Foundation. RELATED: 8 Best Fruits for a Diabetes-Friendly Diet
4. Set Aside the Time to Actually Cook These Healthy Dishes
If you don’t make time to meal-plan, you may find yourself scrambling and tempted to order the takeout versions of your favorite Latin dishes instead. A study published in August 2017 in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity found that eating home-cooked meals more than five times per week compared with less than three times a week resulted in eating more fruit and veggies. Researchers also concluded that people who ate at home were 28 percent less likely to be overweight according to their body mass index (BMI), and were 24 percent less likely to have too much body fat compared with participants who tended to dine out more. Of course, that doesn’t mean you need to eat at home every night. But try starting small by picking a day of the week to cook and then using the leftovers for additional meals, Moreinos Schwartz says. “I like to cook on Sundays, not just as a chef but as a home cook for my own family,” she says. “That way, I can prepare meals for the rest of the week.”
