What is blood sugar balance and why does it matter? To keep it simple, your blood glucose level refers to the concentration of glucose (a type of sugar) in your bloodstream. Glucose levels and blood sugar levels mean the same thing. Keep in mind, blood sugar levels and responses to foods are always individual and vary from person to person.
Certain foods like white bread, white rice and simple carbs — think cookies and candy — ramp up blood sugar levels. This triggers the body to release insulin which causes blood sugar levels to drop. When this process is repeated over and over, it can result in hypoglycemia, a condition in which your blood sugar crashes too low, which is what happened to me. However, when we eat the right foods, like complex carbs, healthy fats, fiber and protein, our bodies don’t have to work so hard. Foods like cruciferous and root vegetables; proteins from meat, eggs, and some dairy if tolerated; sprouted or high-quality grains; and fruit can all be part of a blood sugar friendly plate.
Dill chicken salad is a high-protein, on-the-go lunch. Depending on how hungry you are, the serving size is one to two cups. You can eat it on a sandwich with bread or another high-protein choice, on wholegrain crackers, or put it in a salad to balance blood sugar. Add a half an apple with peanut butter on top for a fiber and fat source, and you’ll feel full and satisfied all afternoon long.
Nourishment Breakdown:
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- Protein: chicken, yogurt
- Fat: none (perfect with tortilla chips)
- Fiber: veggies, pickle
- Carb/Starch: none
Per serving (1½ cups): 202 calories • 15 g fat • 6 g carbs • 15 g fiber • 36 g protein
Excerpted with permission from “The Blood Sugar Balance Cookbook” (Fair Winds Press, an imprint of The Quarto Group, 2024) by Meredith Mann. “The Blood Sugar Balance Cookbook” publishes October 8, 2024 and can be purchased wherever fine books are sold. Learn more at quarto.com.
Dill Chicken Salad
Our go-to lunch for when we’re on-the-go.
- Total Time: 15 minutes
- Yield: Serves 7
Ingredients
- 4 cooked chicken breasts, chopped
- ½ cup (60 g) celery, diced small
- ⅓ cup (75 g) diced dill pickles or (82 g) relish
- 1 shallot, sliced thin
- ¼ cup (16 g) fresh dill, chopped
- 1 lemon, juiced
- ¼ tsp onion powder
- ¼ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp pepper
- 1 Tbsp (11 g) Dijon or spicy brown mustard
- ¼ cup (60 ml) white wine vinegar
- ½ cup (115 g) nonfat Greek yogurt or dairy-free yogurt of choice
Instructions
- Add all ingredients to a large bowl and stir well.
- Store in the fridge.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Lunch
- Method: Quick
- Cuisine: American
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