The plate method is all about the veggies. Veggies help increase the portion size of your meals without overloading the meal with carbs and calories.
People with diabetes control carbs by counting carb servings. A serving of carbohydrates equals 15g of carbohydrates.
Mind you, not all veggies are created equal within the plate method. For both carb and weight control, veggies are grouped into starchy veggies and watery veggies.
Starchy veggies include potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, peas, parsnips, plantains, and yucca. These veggies are high in carbohydrates and calories so they need to be portion controlled. A single carb serving is 1/2 cup. Starchy veggies take up a quarter of a plate.
Winter squash and pumpkin are also starchy but still kind of watery so their carb portion size is one cup.
If you eat a starchy veggie, you shouldn't have any other starchy foods at that meal like bread, pasta, or rice.
Watery veggies are all the other veggies like greens, broccoli, carrots, beets, cauliflower, tomotoes, cucumbers, etc., etc. These veggies are low in carbs and calories and can essentially be eaten without restriction as long as they are not swimming in high-calorie fat-based sauces or dressing. You have to eat 1 1/2 cups of watery veggies to equal the carbs in 1/2 cup of starchy veggies.
Fill up half of your plate with these veggies. They'll fill you up while adding a lot of nutrients and very few calories.
The last quarter of your plate is your protein -- 3 oz of beef, chicken, or fish or one egg or vegetable protein like tofu, tempeh or legumes. If you have diabetes and need to watch your carbs, the vegetable protein also counts towards your carb total since all plant foods have carbs. 4 oz or 1/2 cup of each counts as one carb serving.
Outside the plate is a small portion of fruit or a glass of milk to round out the meal.
