Chapter 17
The Plate Method
IN THIS CHAPTER
Understanding the ins and outs of the Plate Method
Choosing the best options to fill your plate
Getting additional portion control tips and tricks
It may seem simple, but portion control is one of the most important aspects of healthy eating with diabetes. Today, portion sizes for packaged and restaurant foods are larger than ever, and many people eat much larger portions than they need without even realizing it. So if losing or maintaining weight is one of your goals, portion control can make a big difference in your diet. Eating the right portion sizes and balanced meals can help with weight and carbohydrate management. Fortunately, a few easy methods can help you put portion control into practice.
The Plate Method, also known as Create Your Plate, is a meal planning strategy that helps to manage portion sizes and promote healthy food choices. In this chapter, we walk you through the steps of the Plate Method and touch on a few other portion control tips. After you understand the basics of the Plate Method, you can ask your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian (RD) or registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN) if this is the right meal-planning strategy for you!
Using the Plate Method
The Plate Method, also known as Create Your Plate, is a straightforward and effective strategy for managing diabetes and losing weight. Unlike some other diabetes meal-planning methods, the Plate Method doesn’t require a lot of food label reading or counting; all you need is a dinner plate. This means you can practice the Plate Method just about anywhere you go — at home, in restaurants, even at dinner parties.
There are so many healthy foods for people with diabetes to enjoy, and the Plate Method is a great tool to help you combine these foods in the right proportions to create balanced, nutritious meals. (For more information on healthy food choices, see Chapter 1.)
This method appeals to many people with diabetes because it allows you to eat the foods you choose, but it focuses on the portion sizes with an emphasis on eating more nonstarchy vegetables and less starchy foods and proteins.
In the following sections, we explain the Plate Method and address some common concerns people often have. Then we give you some examples of nonstarchy vegetables, starches, and protein options that will help you build healthy and tasty meals.
Divide and fill
The Plate Method is simple: Take a dinner plate and divide it into sections (either mentally or physically); then fill each section with the appropriate type of food. Want to try it yourself? Using Figure 17-1, follow these easy steps to get started:
- Using a dinner plate (approximately 9 inches in diameter), draw an imaginary line down the middle of the plate dividing it in half; then on one side, divide that section in half as well, so you have three sections on your plate.
- Fill the largest section (half of your plate) with nonstarchy vegetables.
- In one of the smaller sections, you can include grains and starchy foods such as brown rice, corn, potatoes, or whole-wheat pasta or bread. Remember that fruit, milk, and yogurt also contain carbohydrate and should be taken into consideration in this section of the plate.
- Fill the other smaller section with your protein.
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Choose healthy fats in small amounts when preparing or serving your meal.
For example, use plant-based oils for cooking. Try topping salads with nuts, seeds, avocado, and/or vinaigrettes.
- Add a low-calorie or zero-calorie drink like water, unsweetened tea, or black coffee to your meal.
Courtesy of the American Diabetes Association
FIGURE 17-1: The Plate Method is an easy way to manage diabetes and lose or maintain your weight.
It’s that simple! By filling most of your plate with nonstarchy vegetables and eating smaller portions of starches and proteins, you can reduce your calorie, fat, and carbohydrate intake and enjoy more balanced meals.
What about breakfast?
Most people don’t eat a lot of nonstarchy vegetables for breakfast, so you may be wondering how you use the Plate Method at breakfast time. You may not need to follow the Plate Method exactly at breakfast. But even if you’re not enjoying vegetables as part of your meal, the Plate Method can still be helpful. Keeping the Plate Method in mind during breakfast can help you choose appropriate portions of leans proteins and starchy foods.
Choose healthy options from at least a few different food groups when deciding what to eat for breakfast. Breakfast is an important part of your day and can help keep your appetite in check the rest of the day. And don’t forget — plenty of recipes incorporate nonstarchy vegetables into breakfast dishes! Try a delicious egg white omelet with spinach, or a fruit-and-vegetable smoothie.
Where do combination foods fit?
Many foods, like lasagna, chili, and stews, are made up of some combination of proteins, starches, and vegetables. So where do these foods fit into the Plate Method? A good rule of thumb is to put combination foods on half of your plate, and make sure you fill the rest of the plate with nonstarchy vegetables. Or, depending on the dish, you can incorporate a large portion of nonstarchy vegetables into the combination food. If you’re making bean, meat, and veggie chili, for example, make sure you add those ingredients in proportions similar to the Plate Method — about half of the chili should be nonstarchy vegetables.
Healthy options for your plate
The Plate Method gives you the freedom to choose the foods you want to add to each section of your plate. But some options are better for you than others. Here’s a look at a few of the healthiest choices for people with diabetes.
Nonstarchy vegetables
There are two types of vegetables: starchy vegetables and nonstarchy vegetables. Starchy vegetables contain more starch, and therefore more calories and carbohydrate than nonstarchy vegetables. Nonstarchy vegetables should fill the majority of your plate, so it’s important to know which vegetables are considered nonstarchy. Some examples of common nonstarchy vegetables include
- Arugula
- Asparagus
- Brussels sprouts
- Broccoli
- Cabbage
- Carrots
- Cauliflower
- Celery
- Cucumber
- Endive
- Escarole
- Green beans
- Lettuce
- Mushrooms
- Onions
- Peppers
- Radicchio
- Romaine
- Spinach
- Squash
- Tomatoes
- Watercress
- Zucchini
These are just a few of the nonstarchy vegetables you can enjoy! So fill half of your plate with a refreshing and colorful salad, some sautéed green beans or mushrooms, some roasted Brussels sprouts — or whatever nonstarchy vegetables you love.
A few vegetables are considered starchy foods, and they should make up only a small section of your plate if you’re using the Plate Method. Some examples of starchy vegetables include potatoes, corn, peas, and acorn and butternut squash. Starchy vegetable are still an important part of a healthy diet, but they should be eaten in moderation.
Grains and starchy foods
When using the Plate Method, one-quarter of your plate is reserved for starchy foods. Although starches should be enjoyed in moderation, healthy starches can add vitamins and fiber to your diet. Many of us are used to eating refined starches such as white breads, rice, and pastas; these starches add calories and carbohydrate to your meal without adding many vitamins, minerals, or other nutrients. Choosing healthier whole-grain starches, starchy vegetables, or beans and legumes allows you to get more nutrients from the starchy foods section of your plate.
Nutrient-rich starch options include
- Beans
- Corn
- Lentils
- Peas
- Potatoes, white and sweet
- Rice, brown and wild
- Whole grains, such as barley, bulgur, faro, millet, oats, and quinoa
- Whole-wheat or whole-grain breads and pastas
Make the most of your starches by selecting one of these options instead of refined grain products.
Protein
There are several healthy protein options for people with diabetes. The goal when choosing protein is to look for lean cuts of meat and poultry, seafood such as fresh fish, or plant-based proteins such as beans and legumes or soy products. Try to avoid products that have been fried or cooked with a lot of fat.
When it comes to poultry, white meat cuts such as breasts and tenderloins with the skin removed are the best options. Seafood is a great lean protein option for people with diabetes; fish that are rich in omega-3 fatty acids — such as albacore tuna, salmon, herring, sardines, and mackerel — are great choices. Many cuts of red meat and pork contain more fat than other types of protein. Look for lean cuts of meat that have been trimmed of excess fat, and try to avoid high-fat, highly processed meats like bacon, sausage, ground beef, and hot dogs.
Plant-based proteins — for example, beans, lentils, chickpeas, meat substitutes, and tofu and tempeh — are excellent options for people with diabetes. In addition to providing protein, many of these proteins also provide fiber and healthy fats. But keep in mind that plant-based proteins also contain carbohydrate.
More Portion Control Advice
The Plate Method is a simple and effective way to keep portion sizes in check, build healthy meals, and work more nonstarchy vegetables into your diet. But if weight loss is one of your diabetes goals, you may be interested in a few additional portion control tips to help keep you on track.
Simple portion size estimation guidelines
Identifying the correct portion for some everyday food items is a piece of cake if you use common household items as guidelines. These household items make great visualization tools; if you’re familiar with the size of these items, you can estimate how much of the corresponding food to serve yourself and your family. Here are a few of the most common portion size estimation guidelines:
- 1 teaspoon = about the size of your fingertip
- 1 tablespoon = about the size of your thumb
- 3 ounces meat, fish, poultry = the palm of your hand or 1 deck of cards
- 1 ounce cheese = about the size of your thumb or a pair of dice
- 1 cup milk, yogurt, or vegetables = the size of a tennis ball
- 1 medium piece fruit = the size of a tennis ball or an average-size fist
These guidelines will help you visualize correct portion sizes for the foods listed. For other foods and beverages, it’s a good idea to use measuring cups and spoons for a while to acclimate yourself to the right serving sizes. For example, measure out one serving of your favorite healthy breakfast cereal, and pour it into a bowl. Pay attention to how that amount of cereal looks in your bowl. A food scale may also be helpful. Eventually you’ll be able to eyeball the correct serving without measuring.
It’s easy to train your brain to recognize correct portion sizes; after a week or two you probably won’t need to use measuring tools or household items to estimate serving sizes. Most people find that, over time, their portions start creeping back up to where they were before they began practicing portion control. When this happens, it’s a good idea to go back to weighing or measuring your foods for a few days to get back on track.
Some people find it helpful to track the portions they eat for a few days before starting to use any portion control techniques. Simply keep a record of the all food you eat for about 3 days, using a food tracker or pen and paper. Then you can compare the amount of food you normally eat to the actual serving sizes on packages or to the portion size guidelines listed earlier. You may find that you’ve been eating more than you thought.
Portion control tips
Even with the Plate Method and portion size estimation techniques in your arsenal, you may still be tempted to overeat in certain situations. Here are a few tips to make it easier to avoid temptation:
- Instead of serving family meals at the table, serve the food in the kitchen and bring it out to the table. If the leftover food is out of sight, you may be less tempted to reach for a second serving.
- Your body may not recognize that it’s full right away. Eat slowly and savor your food as you’re eating. Take a break between bites and give yourself time to realize that you’re full.
- It’s easy to overeat at parties; food is often all around and it’s easy to grab a little at a time without realizing how much you’re eating. If you eat a light, healthy snack before heading to a party, you may be less likely to overeat.
- It’s especially difficult to control portion sizes when snacking. Many people end up eating several servings of their snack of choice without realizing it. To prevent this, measure out one serving of snack foods instead of eating directly out of the package. Try to avoid eating mindlessly in front of the TV or computer — pay attention to your body so you know when you’re full.
- If you have specific foods you tend to overeat, don’t buy those foods anymore, or at least store them somewhere out of sight. Out of sight, out of mind.
With a little planning and a few simple tips, tricks, and strategies, you’ll be a master of portion control in no time!