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Book Review: “Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy” by Hope Warshaw

More than a third of American adults have prediabetes (I’ve been flirting with it off and on for over a year now) and more than 20 million Americans live with Type 2 (adult-onset) diabetes (including my husband). I know several people who have diabetes, a condition in which one’s body doesn’t manage blood sugar very well. Having too much sugar in your blood has some pretty nasty consequences, so managing your blood sugar is pretty darn important. The first line of defense is what you eat. However, planning out your meals so that you remain healthy, manage your weight and blood sugar and enjoy your food all at the same time is a common challenge for folks with diabetes. Therefore, when I saw Hope Warshaw’s book Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy I was intrigued.

Book Review: "Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy" by Hope Warshaw

Summary of Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy

This is the 5th edition of this resource book for people who need to either reverse prediabetes or manage Type 2 diabetes. This edition came out in 2016 and was updated with the 2015-2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans from the American Diabetes Association (ADA). It provides a step-by-step guide to slowly and surely make the changes one needs to make in their food choices and eating habits to align with these guidelines.

Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy is broken down into three major sections:

  1. Nutrition and Healthy Eating Basics
    This section gives an overview of Type 2 diabetes and prediabetes, the basics of nutrition, and some tips on creating your own meal plan and weight loss and management.
  2. Foods by Group
    This section discusses the various food groups — starches, vegetables, fruits, dairy, protein, fats, sweets, beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) and even “free” foods.
  3. Putting Healthy Eating for Diabetes Control Into Action
    This section brings it all together and helps the reader apply the information from the first two chapters. It discusses eating behavior, planning, portion control, eating out, and more.

What Worked for Me

As with so many books published by the ADA, Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy is designed to be easy to read. The font is a good size, the layout has plenty of white space, and the charts are organized well.

Because of how the book is organized, it is easy to find the specific information you’re looking for and go straight to the content you want to learn. It is user-friendly and practical. Also, at 6″x9″ in size, it is small enough that you could conceivably take it with you on the road and use it as a reference while out and about.

The writing is straightforward and easy to understand.

What Didn’t Work for Me

I’m sorry, but I got nothing here. This book is a reference and doesn’t make airs about being anything else.

What I’d Love to See in the Sixth Edition
of Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy

Well, now that it is 2020, I’d like to see a new edition with the new guidelines for 2021 and beyond. I’d also like to see the book use modern technology and provide downloadable versions of all the charts. Perhaps even an app that you could install on your phone with them.

Diabetes meal planning is important and making this book more interactive and available on-the-go would be a wonderful way to engage the readership and achieve successful results for the millions of Americans who are affected by diabetes.

Recommendation

Have you just been diagnosed with prediabetes or Type 2 diabetes? Have you been struggling with Type 2 diabetes for a while now and still challenged with meal planning? Then get this resource! It is an easy read and filled with valuable, practical and easy-to-access information.

Rating for Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy

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Specs

Full Title: Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy
Author: Hope S. Warshaw, RD
Format: Paperback, 176 pages
Publisher: American Diabetes Association
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1580405436
ISBN-13: 978-1580405430

Diabetes Meal Planning Made Easy cover

Pick up your copy on Amazon.com here.

NOTE: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. If you’ve read past book reviews, you’ll know that I don’t pull my punches when I believe they are warranted. I also try to provide balanced information so you can make your own decision to read or not read the book, even if you disagree with my opinion.

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About the author

Carma Spence has been experimenting in the kitchen since she was four years old and loves trying out new recipe ideas. She is the author of Bonkers for Bundt Cakes and Your Perfect Pie, as well as author and contributor to several more non-food-related books. With Carma's Cookery, she is taking her passion for empowering people and blending it with her passion for cooking, gift-giving and entertaining.

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