Cookbooks offer ideas for healthy eating for diabetics

NEW YORK (AP) -- The difficult business of keeping lively variety in a diet constrained by special needs is eased by the constant flow of cookbooks catering to those needs.

Diabetes is one of the conditions that attracts resourceful cooks who write to help others find solutions to menu and diet challenges. Here are some recent titles:

* "Carol Gruber's Type 2 Diabetes Life Plan" (Broadway Books, 2002, $25) by Carol Gruber.

Gruber writes from the experience of coping with her own Type 2 diabetes, and with a distinguished academic background in nutrition and food studies.

Hers is not a recipe book. Rather, it suggests principles, a structure to help people "take charge, take care and feel better than ever." It includes biology and genetics, but also day-to-day advice about how to eat and keep fit.

From the American Diabetes Association:

* "Guide to Healthy Restaurant Eating," 2nd edition (American Diabetes Association, $17.95 paperback), by Hope S. Warshaw. The book lists menu items in chain restaurants from Arby's to Wendy's by way of Krispy Kreme, with plenty of nutrition statistics.

* "Last Minute Meals for People With Diabetes" (American Diabetes Association, 2002, $16.95 paperback) by Nancy S. Hughes. About 100 recipes are offered, for dishes using only six ingredients or less -- many manage to make good use of fresh ingredients in addition to pantry-shelf items.

* "Sweet Kids" 2nd edition (American Diabetes Association, 2002, $16.95 paperback) by Betty Page Brackenridge and Richard R. Rubin offers "how to balance diabetes control and good nutrition with family peace."

* Expresslane Diabetic Cooking" (American Diabetes Association, 2000, $16.95 paperback) by Robyn Webb has suggestions for putting dinner together fast using ingredients from the deli, salad bar and freezer sections of the grocery store.