HEALTHY TAKE Make Carbs Count W hen you have diabetes, foods containing carbohydrates can be a friend or a foe. But carbs don't need to be totally off-limits; you just need to choose wisely so that foods work for you and not against you. Choose WHOLE FRUIT HERE ARE SIX TIPS FOR THOSE OF YOU CONCERNED ABOUT DIABETES, TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF YOUR CARBOHYDRATE INTAKE: * Eat whole fruit instead of drinking juice, which may have sugar added. * When baking potatoes, opt for sweet instead of white potatoes, and season them, lightly. * Opt for whole-grain pasta and bread - but watch the sugar content in some store-bought breads! * Swap brown rice or barley for white rice. These may take a bit longer to cook, but have a great nutty flavor. * Make sure only about one-fourth of your plate includes starchy foods, and eat more leafy vegetables instead. * To keep portions smaller, make sure the depth of food on your plate is no more than a palm's width. Source: www.diabetes.org 20 Cooperative Living/October 2015 GEORGE TSARTSIANIDIS/ISTOCK/THINKSTOCK DIGITALVISION/THINKSTOCKhttp://www.diabetes.org