On medication for Diabetes (apart from Metformin)?

You should check with your doctor or nurse before making a significant change to your diet.

On medication for high blood pressure?

A low carb diet can reduce your blood pressure and you will need to keep an eye on this.

• Traditionally, we often think of a 'good dinner' as consisting of protein e.g. meat, veg and carbohydrates.  Click Here to see an illustration of how many teaspoons of sugar are in some common foods.  
• There are many ways to reduce the carbohydrate component.  You could cut out the 'carbs' part of your plate e.g. potatoes, look at alternative dinner options or consider making some substitutions.
• Sometimes, a reduction can be achieved by avoiding double carbs e.g. lasagne rather than lasagne with garlic bread
• Fajitas: Try substituting a Cos lettuce leaf as a 'wrap' as a sandwich alternative or lettuce fajitas!  
• Rice: Try substituting rice or couscous for cauliflower rice.  Lentils are another good lower carb, higher protein option.
• Pasta: Courgetti, lentil fusilli, edamame spaghetti!   
  
• Go for fruit which grows in our climate as this is likely to contain less sugar - click here to see the amounts of sugar in different types of fruit which helps show why bananas should be avoided
• Healthy fats and protein can help keep you fuller for longer.  
•  What about Cooking fats? Avoid Trans Fats (vegetable oils, seed oils, margarine ) - they are known to increase inflammation and  cardiovascular disease.  Try using olive oil for cooking or on salads.  Coconut oil is great for cooking stir fries, for example.  Butter is a good fat (in moderation). The difference between good fats and trans fats is based on the oxidation qualities.   
• "Turn the white stuff on your plate green!" Dr David Unwin

Meal ideas: