Lupus
Patient Resources | Healthy Eating and Diet

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Diet Tips for Lupus Patients

While there is no special diet for people with lupus, proper nutrition and wise food choices are essential to maintaining wellness. Recommended food choices for a healthy diet include low-fat milk, low-fat / low-sodium cheese, lean beef, turkey, chicken, fish, fresh or frozen vegetables, fresh fruit and high-fiber / low-sugar cereals. A low-fat, low-cholesterol diet can also help protect against the increased risk of heart disease associated with lupus.

Visit the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website for information about balanced nutrition.

Daily Food Guide

Food Groups	Daily Amount	Serving Size
Grains	6 to 11 servings	1 slice of bread; 1 biscuit, roll or muffin; ½ cup hot cereal, potato, pasta or rice ; ¾ cup cold cereal, 1 pancake or tortilla; 6 crackers
Vegetables	3 to 5 servings	½ cup cooked; 1 cup raw
Fruits	2 to 4 servings	1 medium fresh; ½ cup canned; 4 ounces 100% juice
Protein	2 to 3 servings	2 to 3 ounces cooked meat or fish; Or protein equivalent: 1 egg, 2 tablespoons peanut butter, ½ cup cooked beans
Dairy	4 servings	8 ounces 2% milk; 1 cup low-fat yogurt; 1 ½ to 2 ounces cheese

This chart gives you an idea of the foods you should eat each day. The choices from the basic food groups are needed for growth and good health.

Sample Menus

Here are some sample menus that include all of the food groups.

Meal	Grains	Vegetables	Fruits	Protein	Dairy
Breakfast 1 cup high-fiber cereal 1 cup milk 1 banana	2		1		1
Lunch Peanut butter sandwich 1 cup yogurt Carrot sticks	2	1		1	1
Snack 1 apple 1 piece string cheese			1		1
Dinner Hamburger on bun 1 slice cheese Side salad 1/2 cup broccoli 1 cup milk	2	2		1	2
Snack 2 fig bars 1 pear	2		1

Meal	Grains	Vegetables	Fruits	Protein	Dairy
Breakfast 1 cup high-granola bar 1 cup yogurt 1 cup orange juice	2		1		1
Lunch 1½ cup chicken noodle soup 1 serving crackers 1 serving carrots 1 cup yogurt	2	1		1	1
Snack 1 apple 1 piece string cheese			1		1
Dinner Chicken stir-fry with rice 1 piece fruit Side salad 1 cup milk	1	2	1	1	1
Snack Light popcorn Light lemonade	1

Meal	Grains	Vegetables	Fruits	Protein	Dairy
Breakfast 1 egg Whole wheat English muffin 1 slice low-fat cheese 1 cup orange juice with calcium 1 banana	2		2	1	1
Lunch Grilled chicken salad Low-fat salad dressing ½ cup mixed fruit 1 dinner roll 1 cup milk	1	1	1	1	1
Snack 1 cup fat-free, sugar-free hot chocolate 3 small graham crackers	2				1
Dinner Baked pork chop 1 cup green beans 1 baked potato ½ cup mandarin oranges 1 cup milk	2	2	1	1	1
Snack 100 calorie snack pack Light lemonade	1

Snack Suggestions

Snacks can be an important part of a healthy diet if you choose them wisely. Healthy snacks can help prevent you from being too hungry between meals and provide you with additional nutrients to meet your daily goals. Too many high-calorie snacks can cause weight gain.

It is always important to read labels and practice portion control. Combining the right foods at snack time, such as protein sources and complex carbohydrates that are high in fiber, can take away the hunger without adding too many calories and fats.

Protein Sources	Complex Carbohydrates (high in fiber)
*String cheese (light) or 2% milk cheese slices	High fiber fruits such as apples
One serving of almonds, other nuts	Crunchy raw vegetables, including: peppers, carrots and celery
Low-fat cottage cheese (good source of calcium)	1 serving of cereal with 5 grams or more of fiber per serving
Low-fat yogurt (good source of calcium)	Air popped or reduced-fat popcorn
Peanut butter	High-fiber whole grain crackers or whole grain English muffin
Hot chocolate, fat-free, sugar-free with calcium added, mixed with skim milk (good source of calcium)
Lean deli meat (turkey or chicken breast)	High-fiber breads (3 grams of fiber per slice)

Examples of Healthy Snacks

These healthy but tasty snacks can be enjoyed after school or when you have a couple of hours before dinner.

Apple or celery with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter or 1 serving of almonds
Fruit stick: Skewer together fruit chunks and some low-fat cheese on a toothpick or wooden skewer
Yogurt sundae: Layer fruit, yogurt and cereal in a small cup
Low-fat cottage cheese with fruit or fresh vegetables
Mini pizza: Add pizza sauce to a high-fiber whole grain English muffin or mini bagel; top with shredded mozzarella cheese and melt
1 slice whole wheat bread with 1 slice 2% milk cheese, melted
1 flavored rice cake with 1 tablespoon of peanut butter
Trail mix: Add 2 tablespoons peanuts to ½ cup Chex cereal or Cheerios with 3 cups low-fat popcorn
Graham crackers (3) with hot chocolate: Mix 1 packet of fat-free, sugar-free hot chocolate with 1 cup skim milk
Nachos: Sprinkle ¼ cup 2% milk shredded cheddar cheese over 1 ounce of low-fat tortilla chips; melt cheese in microwave and add salsa
Turkey sandwich: Add ½ ounce turkey and ½ slice low-fat cheese to 1 slice of high-fiber bread

Fast Food

Fast food places offer a convenient way to eat and a popular way for teens to socialize. Unfortunately, fast foods are typically very high in fat, calories and sodium. If you do eat fast foods, never super size any meal regardless of cost savings. Always choose the smallest size possible.

Healthy Fast Food Choices

Restaurant	Meal	Suggested Meal	Calorie Savings
McDonalds	Big Mac Large fries Large soda	Hamburger Side salad, low-fat dressing Ice cream cone Diet soda	960
McDonalds	Crispy chicken sandwich Medium fries M&M McFlurry Diet soda	Grilled chicken classic Small fries Caesar salad (no chicken), low-fat dressing Diet soda	640
McDonalds	Chicken nuggets, 6 pieces Medium fries Small chocolate shake Small soda	Crispy chicken Asian salad with low-fat dressing Fruit and yogurt parfait Diet soda	640
Taco Bell	½ lb beef and potato burrito Side of nachos Large soda	2 grilled steak soft tacos Side of nachos Diet soda	640
Taco Bell	Fiesta taco salad Side of cinnamon twists Diet soda	1 crunchy taco, 1 chicken gordita Baja Side of cinnamon twists Diet soda	480
Taco Bell	Grilled stuffed beef burrito Side of Mexican rice Large soda	2 chicken or steak Enchiritos Side of Mexican rice Diet soda	660
Wendy's	Classic double hamburger with cheese Large fries Medium frosty Medium Sprite	Junior cheeseburger Side salad with low-fat dressing Baked Lays Diet soda	743
Wendy's	Frescata club Bacon and cheese potato Medium sweet tea	Frescata turkey (no mayonnaise or cheese) Small chili Light lemonade	450
Wendy's	Chicken BLT salad and dressing Large chili Diet soda	Cranberry pecan chicken salad and dressing Yogurt with granola Diet soda	410
Chipotle/Qdoba Mexican Grill	Burrito (steak, rice, beans, salsa, cheese)	Naked burrito (rice, grilled veggies, chicken, salsa, light sour cream, no tortilla)	550
Chipotle/Qdoba Mexican Grill	Nachos (chicken, cheese sauce, sour cream, salsa)	Naked taco salad (chicken, lettuce, salsa, light dressing or cheese)	720
Chipotle/Qdoba Mexican Grill	Quesadilla (chicken, salsa, cheese, guacamole, sour cream)	Quesadilla (grilled veggies, salsa, guacamole)	610
Panera	Cinnamon crunch bagel Plain cream cheese Large iced Chai mocha tea	Plain bagel Reduced-fat cream cheese Iced Chai latte tea	730
Panera	Frontega chicken panini ½ apple chicken salad	Smoked turkey sandwich Fruit cup Roll	360
Skyline	Regular 3-way chili	Small 3-way chili	380
Skyline	Cheese Coney	Regular Coney (no cheese)	120
Subway	6" chicken and bacon ranch hero sandwich 1 bag chips 1 chocolate chip cookie	6" oven roasted chicken hero sandwich Apple slices Water/diet soda	640
Subway	6" double meat Italian BMT 1 chocolate chip cookie Large soda	6" Subway club sandwich Baked Lays Water/diet soda	705
Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)	3 original recipe chicken drumsticks Side of mashed potatoes and gravy Side of coleslaw	2 original recipe chicken breasts (no skin/breading) Side of green beans Side of large corn	240
Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC)	Pot Pie Side of baked beans Side house salad and dressing	Oven roasted twister (no mayonnaise) Side house salad (light dressing) Side of green beans	730
Papa John's Pizza	2 slices thick crust sausage pizza 2 cheese sticks Garlic sauce	2 slices thin crust veggie pizza 1 breadstick	840
Starbucks	Café mocha (grande, whole milk, whipped cream)	Café mocha (tall, non-fat milk, no whipped cream)	230
Starbucks	Double chocolate chip blended crème frappuccino (grande, whipped cream)	Mocha frappuccino light (tall, no whipped cream)	440
Starbucks	Java chip blended frappuccino	Java chip light frappuccino (tall, no whipped cream)	320

Other Helpful Hints for Weight Control

Chew food slowly and thoroughly, swallowing one bite before putting the next in your mouth. This helps your brain have time to signal to the stomach that you are full.
Practice the 4 hour rule. Do not wait longer than 4 hours between eating. This will prevent you from getting too hungry and overeating at your next meal.
Use crunchy raw fruits and vegetables, such as a salad, before a meal to help start to fill you up on healthy foods before you even eat your meal.
Pay attention to behavioral eating, such as eating due to boredom or because of changing moods. Overeating often results from reasons other than truly being hungry.
Put a time limit on your snack. Give yourself 10 or 15 minutes to have your snack and then plan another activity.
Read labels and take only one serving out of a box. Never eat out of big boxes or bags. Always put the food on a plate or in a single serving bag.
Make a habit of having only one helping at meals.
Use a smaller plate, but always try to have 4 to 5 food groups at your meals. This helps give you a variety of nutrients. Remember to follow serving sizes for each one. Your plate should be divided up as follows: ¼ of the plate starch, ¼ of the plate meat and ½ of the rest of the plate fruits and vegetables.
When eating out, split meals or ask for a container to box up half of your large serving to save for the next day. This way you won't be tempted to eat it all in one sitting.
Always eat breakfast. This gives you a good start for eating healthy and feeling good the rest of the day. Make sure your breakfast includes a protein source.

LupusPatient Resources | Healthy Eating and Diet

Diet Tips for Lupus Patients

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Lupus
Patient Resources | Healthy Eating and Diet