What Foods Diabetics Should and Shouldn’t Eat

If you have diabetes, your doctor has likely told you the importance of a healthy diet. If you don’t know what to avoid, pay attention to your body.

Certain foods such as carbs can cause blood sugar to rise too quickly. You may feel sluggish, experience high blood sugar, and gain weight.

It’s possible that many of the healthy foods you’ve been thinking about eating are on this list because of their high carb content, lack of fiber, and unvaried nutritional content.

Figuring out what to eat, what not to eat, and how much of it to eat when it comes to a diabetes diet is challenging. But this information is vital to a healthy lifestyle.

Some are shown below and they should be avoided or eaten in moderation if you have diabetes.

Foods to eat

Green Leafy Vegetable

Cereals are a perfect meal and they come packed with all sorts of essential vitamins and minerals. They help with blood sugar levels as they provide protein and fiber to the body. Vegetables are excellent for people with diabetes, because they contain antioxidants and starch-digesting enzymes, in addition to other substances beneficial to diabetics. For this reason, these green vegetables may be helpful in reducing your risk of cardiovascular disease: cabbage, kale, spinach, broccoli, and bok choy. Common vegetables can be eaten in salads, as a side dish, in soup, or on their own. These vegetables can also be eaten in combination with lean meat and tofu for a protein source. 

Whole Grains

It contains more fiber than refined white grains. In doing so, it slows down the digestion process, which causes slower absorption of nutrients in the blood. This entire process is important because it makes blood sugar levels stable. Some whole grains that you can consume are brown rice, whole grain bread, and pasta, buckwheat, quinoa, millet, bulgur, and rye. Choosing to make a change from eating white flour foods to whole grain ones will have a positive impact on the health of diabetics.

Fatty Fish

Fish is a very healthy part of a diet and provides omega-3 fatty acids that promote healthy body function and prevent heart disease and poor mental function. Eating fatty fish rich in unsaturated fatty acids may help control blood sugar levels in people with diabetes. Such fish are salmon, mackerel, sardines, albacore tuna, herring, and trout. Protein alternatives such as Kelp, seaweed, and spirulina can be eaten raw or cooked. Cooked fish is the best way to ensure it’s nutrient-packed. The diabetic patient should avoid frying the fish in saturated or trans fats because this is not good for them. Also, one can add some green leafy vegetables with the fish and this will make it healthier.

Beans

For those suffering from diabetes, beans are good sources of plant-based protein and carb substitutes that regulate blood sugar levels in the body. Beans are made up of complex carbohydrates, which is why it takes a while for the body to digest and absorb them. They also help in regulating blood cholesterol levels, which makes them a popular ingredient in weight loss dishes. Some of the beans that diabetics can eat are kidney beans, navy beans, black beans, and int beans. They are rich in minerals such as iron, potassium, and magnesium. Canned beans can be included in dishes like burritos or salads. In this case, I recommend using canned beans that do not contain salt. If you plan to remove the liquid, rinse the beans beforehand.

Walnuts

They contain omega 3 fatty acids, which help keep the heart healthy. People with diabetes are susceptible to high rates of cardiovascular disease, but if they consume walnuts, they will be in a much safer position. Consuming walnuts not only helps keep blood sugar levels in check, it also contains important nutrients like protein, vitamin B6, magnesium, and iron. A walnut snack can be eaten raw or blended into a healthy salad.

Citrus Fruits

This means that these fruits have the effects of reducing and/or slowing the onset of diabetes and, furthermore, contain numerous vitamins and minerals which can also help reduce or slow the effects of diabetes. Certain citrus fruits, such as oranges, grapefruit, and lemons, contain substances called hesperidin and naringin, which are thought to have anti-diabetic effects. Citrus fruits also have vitamins like C, folate, and potassium.

Berries

Consuming berries will prevent oxidative stress which is associated with many health conditions of heart disease and some cancers. Oxidative stress happens when there is an imbalance of free radicals in the body. Diabetes is caused by chronic oxidative stress, which berries like blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and raspberries contain plenty of antioxidants and fiber. Not only are berries high in antioxidants, they also have high levels of other nutrients like vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese, and potassium. Berries can be eaten on their own or frozen and blended into a smoothie.

Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes have been deemed an effective alternative to white potatoes as they don’t cause sugar levels to rise nearly as much and they provide fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, and potassium. Sweet potatoes can be eaten as part of a green salad or steamed alongside leafy greens, or can be boiled, roasted, or mashed.

Probiotic Yogurt

Probiotics are known to maintain healthy digestion and to keep cholesterol at a healthy level, so as to lower the risk of developing diabetes-related cardiovascular diseases. Yogurt is also good for the stomach and can reduce stress. It can also increase insulin sensitivity in patients with diabetes. Yogurt without any added sugar is perfect for those patients. Start your day off on the right foot with yogurt with berries or salad.

Chia Seeds

These seeds have lots of omega 3 fatty acids and antioxidants, which makes them a great source of plant-based protein and fiber. This makes them an excellent way for people with type 2 diabetes to keep their blood sugar levels controlled. These seeds can be of great help for weight loss and diabetic people may have chia seeds for dinner or on their breakfasts and salads.

Avocados

Foods rich in unsaturated fatty acids may control the blood sugar level, as well as increase insulin sensitivity in people with diabetes. They have been shown to decrease the risk of metabolic syndrome like diabetes but also increase the risk of getting heart disease. Avocados can be used in diabetic desserts.

Garlic

This option is a favorite for those trying to lower their blood sugar levels and for those who don’t want to consume carbs with their meals. It can be added to most meals and can serve as a dressing.

Foods to avoid

There are many foods that may dramatically alter your blood sugar level and have an adverse effect on your health.

Processed Foods

These sorts of processed foods— foods with low nutritional value and a low carb count—may put your health at risk. This also leads to weight problems as it affects the blood sugar level in the body. Processed food items, as a result, should be avoided by those with diabetes. People should be aware that most prepackaged food items are high in sodium and trans fats which can elevate blood cholesterol levels and trigger heart disease. To protect against the unwanted sugar, swap processed snacks for fruit and berries.

Fruit Juice

Diabetic people should avoid drinking fruit juices due to the high fruit sugar content, which will cause their blood sugar levels to spike. If you want a refreshing drink, opt for zero-calorie or naturally-flavoured beverages with lime or lemon. Drinking cucumber and mint-infused water is also a good idea as well as unhealthy snacking. Since dehydrated fruit snacks can raise blood sugar levels, eat whole fruits that have lots of fiber for better control.

Dairy Products

Saturated dairy products like cheese can be problematic in terms of high cholesterol levels, increasing the risk of heart disease. Additionally, high saturated fat intake can worsen insulin resistance. For those with diabetes, it’s best to avoid high-fat dairy products and stick to reduced-fat or fat-free dairy products.

Fried Food Items

Fast foods, such as fried foods and snacks, may be tasty and temporarily satiate you, but they can have a dangerous side effect: Increased blood sugar levels. As such, fast foods should be avoided by diabetic people, who risk these potential spikes in blood sugar and a higher sugar level for a longer period of time. Instead of deep-frying food, consider using an air fryer or oven, which will allow the oil to soak into the food less.

Alcohol

Various alcohols, like red wine and beer, cause blood sugar to spike, so be sure to speak to your doctor to find out if they are safe for you to drink. Diabetic patients who are under prescription of certain medicines must avoid alcohol as the effect of both might overwhelm the body. Flavoured coffee is harmful to a diabetic person as it contains a large amount of carbohydrates. Preferably instead of flavoured coffee, consider espresso or plain coffee.

Sugar Or Sweeteners

Natural sugar, like maple syrup and honey, also cause a rise in blood sugar levels in the person. While they’re not directly consuming sugar, it is present in natural sweeteners which is also a dangerous idea for diabetic people. The easiest way to stay healthy is to cut out any and all sweets.

Carb Rich Food

It is crucial for both type 1 and type 2 diabetic patients to avoid foods such as white bread, pasta, and rice, which contain a high concentration of carbohydrates, but not enough fibre. The consequence of ingesting these foods is a steep increase in blood sugar levels. Consumption of food and drink with type 2 diabetes can affect brain function.

Snacks for when you need something more than water

Handful of Almonds

Almonds are not only very nutritious, but they’re also really convenient to snack on.An ounce of almonds delivers 15 different vitamins and minerals, such as 32% of the recommended daily intake of manganese, 19% of magnesium, and 17% of riboflavin.

Researchers have discovered that people with diabetes who consumed almonds daily for 24 weeks experienced a 3% reduction in their long-term blood sugar levels.

In another study, a control group with a history of diabetes reported a reduction in blood sugar levels by an average of 9% after consuming 60 grams of almonds daily for four weeks.

They also had a lower levels of insulin, a hormone that worsens diabetes if it stays too high.

The likely mechanism by which almonds stabilize blood sugar is by supplying fiber, protein, and healthy fats. All of these substances are known to have an important role in diabetes management.

Moreover, almonds have been shown to benefit heart health by reducing cholesterol levels and may also promote weight management, both of which are important factors in preventing and treating type 2 diabetes.

Eating almonds for a snack is all well and good, but because they’re high in calories, you’ll want to only have a small handful.

Beef Sticks

Beef sticks are convenient, portable, and appropriate for diabetics. Because they’re high in protein and low in carbs, beef sticks make an excellent diabetic snack. Beef sticks tend to contain 6 grams of protein per ounce, which may help maintain a more even blood sugar level.

Choose beef sticks made from grass-fed beef. This beef is richer in Omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for the circulatory system.

It is important to note that beef sticks can be high in sodium, which may lead to high blood pressure in some people if eaten in excess. Thus, if you are going to eat beef sticks, it is best to eat them in moderation.

Tuna Salad

A tuna salad usually is composed of tuna, mayonnaise, and assorted items such as celery and onions. Three ounces of tuna provides 22 grams of protein and no carbohydrates, which makes it a great diabetes-friendly snack option.

Tuna also has a lot of omega-3 fatty acids which have been shown to help control diabetes due to their potential to lower inflammation and control blood sugar.

Making tuna salad healthier and higher in protein is easy – instead of mayonnaise, add cottage cheese or yogurt.

Tips for starting your diet plan

Sad to say, human beings are naturally drawn to the tasty yet unhealthy carbs, sugar, and sweet things.

Sugar stimulates the pleasure centers in the brain, and our appetite and hunger signals, along with blood sugar regulation, are all tied up with different regulating hormones in the body – insulin, leptin, ghrelin, and others.

High blood sugar can make you tired and get cravings for sweets.

Some reasons might be emotional eating and psychological triggers that happen when eating sweet things. Think about why you often turn to these foods for relief. Now that we’re adults, we’re rewarded with dessert, enjoy our celebrations with cake and candy, and we feel happy when we indulge in sugar.

And it’s no surprise that we tend to get emotionally attached to foods that are sweeter in taste because that’s the connection we associate with them.

All we need to do is find the reason behind these cravings. After cutting them out, which you can easily do, it becomes easier.

As an added bonus, managing your blood sugar better may also reduce cravings. It can be a lot harder to resist those sweet, sugary, tempting treats when you have high and low sugar.

Nonetheless, you’ll never have to completely abstain from sweets – that’s just not the case. There are many safe alternatives that are just as tasty.