7 Healthy Food Swaps (Diabetic/ Whole30 Friendly)

 Hey Everyone!

Once I was diagnosed with diabetes, I had to make some drastic changes in my life. Especially with the types of food I was eating.

I decided no more ketchup, Coca-Cola, chocolate, cakes and cookies, sugar in my coffee, just eating pasta for dinner without a protein or a vegetable. Basically, my eating habits weren’t great and needed to change ASAP!

So, I decided to go all the way and start a Whole30ish journey!

Whole30 is an elimination diet that helps you change your relationship with food and gives you “food freedom.” On this diet there’s no dairy (except clarified butter), no grains, no legumes, no added sugar or sulfites, and no alcohol. Gulp. 

As a religious Jew who eats Challah every Shabbat I have a bit of a dilemma. Do I eat gluten free Hamotzei bread on Shabbat or skip the bread altogether? My husband makes kiddush on wine- does that sip count against the no alcohol? Basically, it’s complicated so that’s why I’m saying Whole30ish.

So, I had to learn to live without some staples of my diet and I’ll share with you the swaps I made.

My Swaps

1.     Sweetened Milky Coffee with Turkish Coffee with Unsweetened Almond Milk and Coconut Cream- They recommend coconut cream in coffee and I tried it. Its ok. But I realized that my coffees were a vehicle for sugar consumption.

2.     Sweetened Milky Coffee with Tea- Either Earl Grey or a Berry tea is my go to.

3.     Soda with Flavored Seltzer- Schweppes and Tempo both have great flavored seltzers or you can flavor it yourself with a bit of berry tea and lemon peel or mint leaves and lemon peel.

4.     Peanut Butter with Unsweetened Almond Butter- almond butter is more liquid-y and sweeter than peanut butter. You’re not going to miss peanut butter.

5.     Sweet Treats with Date Wrapped Almonds- even before I started whole30 I used to wrap almonds in a date. Crunchy, sweet, delicious!

6.     Crunchy Snacks with Carrots or Celery Dipped in Dressing- Make your own Mayo and make a bunch of different flavored dips and dressings! Cilantro Lime, spicey mayo, garlic dill, the combinations are endless.

7.     Any Cheesy Product with Nutritional Yeast- Miss cheese in your eggs in the morning? Not anymore- sprinkle some nutritional yeast on it and there you go cheesy flavor while being whole30 compliant