Hi, I'm your plate,

and I'm your guide for planning your portions at meal times.

The goal is to have balanced meals and eat a variety of healthy

colorful foods that give you energy and keep your blood sugar steady.

Let's look at how I'm divided.

One quarter includes starches or carbohydrates.

These are some of the foods that raise your blood sugar.

By keeping the amount of carbohydrate foods to the one quarter section of the plate,

you can keep your blood sugar stable while eating the foods you love.

Choosing whole grain starch options is healthy.

Whole grains can improve digestion, lower cholesterol, and blood pressure.

Even when choosing whole grains,

starches should still only take up a quarter of the plate.

Even though they are vegetables,

these foods belong in the starch portion of your plate.

Like rice and bread,

they contain carbohydrates that are digested into

glucose and increase your blood sugar.

Perhaps you're used to having both bread and pasta at a meal

or both tortillas and rice.

At your next meal, choose one instead of having both.

It is important to adjust your habits, since the goal is

to keep your blood sugar levels in a healthy range.

Now let's move on to my next section.

This quarter includes protein like chicken, turkey, tofu, beef, pork, fish, and eggs.

Proteins can help you feel full and keep your blood sugar from rising too quickly.

Beans and lentils also have protein.

Just remember they also contain carbohydrates.

Now, let's move on to my final section.

One half of me includes non-starchy vegetables.

Vegetables are key to your health.

They improve digestion and help fight off illness.

They lower cholesterol,

blood pressure, and blood sugar and can also help you lose weight.

Eating vegetables, raw, steamed, grilled, or baked are good options.

You may be wondering where dairy, fruit, and healthy fats fit into your meals.

They are all healthy for your body and can make good

snacks, if you can't fit them into your regular meal.

Remember to choose fruit rather than juice and

lower fat milk instead of a flavored kind.

Fruit, milk, and yogurt also contain carbohydrates.

Since they have natural sugar,

eating them in smaller portions is best for your body.

And let's not forget about water.

Water is key to your health.

Every part of your body needs water.

So, always choose water before other beverages and try to

avoid beverages with sugar, like soda and sports drinks.

So, now that you know what the plate method is all about,

have fun putting it into action.

It's like putting together pieces of a puzzle to

make your body healthy and blood sugar stable.

Try following the plate method at one meal a day and then

slowly use it for all of your and your family's meals

for the breakfast plate,

for the lunch plate,

for the dinner plate.

For more information about healthy eating,

ask your doctor about meeting with a registered dietitian or diabetes educator.

You can also get involved with BMC's Demo

Kitchen and learn how to cook tasty and healthy recipes

at www.bmc.org/demokitchen.