The focus of any diabetic person should be on regular exercise, an eye on weight and a healthy diet. Eating well-balanced meals in the right quantity can maintain your blood glucose levels. Make a good diet that constitutes non-starchy vegetables and variety of fruits. As diabetics are more prone to complicated heart problems, a healthy cooking lessens threat of heart diseases. There are many mouth-watering recipes that satisfy your taste buds and are balanced and healthy as well.

There are certain tips for diabetics to "Eat Healthy and Live Healthy":

1- Opt for cuts of beef and pork that end in "loin" such as pork loin and sirloin, called lean meats. Sirloin is low in fat and forms a good meal for diabetics.

2- Take out the skin of chicken or Turkey before you cook them.

3- Avoid using oil and butter as they contain high quantities of saturated as well as trans fats. You can go for liquid oils or a vegetable spray for cooking whenever the recipe demands oil.

4- Boiling and roasting meat preserves vitamins and keeps your meal healthy.

5- Include fish in your diet but season it with lemon instead of using butter.

6- Opt for non-fat dairy such as skimmed milk. Eating cereal with skimmed or 1 percent milk lowers the fat intake without affecting the diet.

7- Always prefer to use olive or canola oil rather than vegetable oil.

8- Replace processed foods with whole grain foods like cereals, whole-wheat spaghetti. These foods are nutrient-rich and are boon to a diabetic person. So a brown rice dish is always better than that made with milky white rice.

Follow some basic tips and time tested recipes to plan you diet, if you are a diabetic person. Do some surfing on Internet and you will land up in some good recipes for diabetes. There are many sites specifically designed for diabetes cooking. One of these, www.diabetes.org offers a Recipe of the Day, and catalog of recipes ranging from appetizers to desserts.

Consult a dietician to prepare a good meal plan that fits in your schedule and eating habits. However, even with diabetes you can have a range of dining options. Since everyone in family enjoys health benefits from balanced diet so the whole family can take part in healthy eating. Only some planning is required to fit your favorite foods into your meal plan and still controlling your blood glucose, blood pressure and cholesterol.

You can always contact the American Association of Diabetes to be taught about balanced diet in diabetes. According to the state you live in or Zip code, it directs you to available nurses, dietitians, doctors, and other health care professionals who can help you to make right decisions regarding your diabetes.