I have Type 2 Diabetes. What should I eat?!
What and how much you should eat is different for each person, especially if you have any other health issues. You'll need to see your doctor and registered dietitian regularly. These professionals can give you guidelines that are specific for you.
For most people with diabetes, however, there are a few main points to keep in mind with your diet. The main thing to remember? It's about your whole diet, NOT one specific food, or even just one meal.
For most people with diabetes, however, there are a few main points to keep in mind with your diet. The main thing to remember? It's about your whole diet, NOT one specific food, or even just one meal.
Cut back on added sugars.
All carbohydrates cause an increase in blood sugar, but added sugar has the worst effect. Candy, cookies, and other sweets aren't the only foods to be aware of though. Sugar is added to many packaged products, like yogurt, cereal, and even pasta sauces and peanut butter. Nutrition labels aren't yet required to show how much sugar is added and how much is natural. So it's important to look at the ingredients as well. If sugar (or any of the other names for sugar listed here) are in the first few ingredients, it's best not to eat much (or any) of that food. Check out our No Added Sugar Recipes for meal and snack ideas.
|
Focus on fiber.While refined grains (think white flour, white rice, white pasta) cause spikes in blood sugar and give you very little nutrition, foods high in fiber help slow those spikes. Women need about 25g of fiber per day, and for men, it's 38g per day. To get more fiber in your diet, aim to make all your grains 100% whole wheat or 100% whole grain. Switch to brown rice instead of white, or sample other types of grains. Quinoa, bulgur, barley, and oats are a few choices that can easily be used instead of rice. Beans (black, kidney, cannellini, garbanzo, etc.) and lentils are also great sources of fiber, as well as berries and non-starchy vegetables. And on that note...
|
Choose non-starchy veggies.
There's no way around it. No pill or trick will take the place of eating vegetables. Starchy vegetables include corn, potatoes, peas, and winter squash. Because these foods contain carbohydrates, folks with diabetes can still eat them, but not in very large amounts. Non-starchy veggies, on the other hand, contain very little carbohydrates, and are important to include in your diet. Try to get at least 4-5 servings per day. If you're at a loss for how to get more veggies in your diet, try roasting them. With a little olive oil and seasoning, vegetables are delish! Check out our roasted broccoli, carrots, or root vegetables for starters.
Avoid skipping meals.
If you're trying to lose weight, it may be tempting to skip meals. It's also easy to go too long between meals on busy days. Going long periods of time between eating leads to large spikes, then drops in your blood sugar. Make it easier for your body to control blood sugar levels by spacing meals 3-4 hours apart. If you eat lunch at noon and dinner at 7 PM, for example, you may need a small, healthy snack around 3 or 4 PM.
Don't overeat.
Overeating makes it harder for your body to control blood sugar, but it can also lead to weight gain, which can make diabetes worse. Practice eating more slowly, so you can feel when you're full and stop eating. You can also use smaller plates and bowls to make reducing portion sizes easier.
Choose low calorie and low sugar drinks.
It's easy to forget about the calories and sugar in drinks. Did you know a 20 oz cola has 16 or 17 teaspoons of sugar?! Avoid sodas, sweet tea, sugary coffee drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, as well as juice. That's right, juice. While 100% juice may not have added sugars, the concentration of natural sugar will still cause your blood sugar to rise quickly. Read more about sugar in drinks here and the truth about juice here. The best drink option is always water, but if you want to mix it up, here are some other ideas that have very little or no sugar.
* What you eat is a key part of managing your diabetes, but exercise is important too. Exercising following meals can help to lower blood sugar naturally. See our exercise tips for ideas. Always discuss exercise and diet with your doctor and Registered Dietitian first.