A healthy diet is an important part of managing diabetes well. These healthy-eating tips should make it easier to keep your type 2 diabetes under control.
A diagnosis of type 2 diabetes often comes with a firm recommendation from your doctor to improve your diet. Because the foods you eat have an effect on your health, following a healthy diet can help anyone improve their well-being. But when you’re living with type 2 diabetes eating smart is essential to managing your condition.
Here's why:
A healthy diet helps you lose weight and maintain a healthy weight.It can help keep your blood sugar levels stableFollowing your diet plan helps prevent complications such as heart disease and high blood pressure
But if you’ve never paid much attention to nutrition, you might find it hard to streamline meals and manage all of the other aspects of good diabetes care at the same time. The answer is to follow some simple healthy-eating tips that can get you on track in no time.
boldKnow your five food groups
VegetablesWhole grainsFruitsLow-fat or fat-free dairy productsLean protein sources such as chicken, fish, and lean beef
Have a meal plan. Taking the time to draw up a meal plan can save you time and stress in the long run. Jan Elsten, RD, CDE, a registered dietitian and certified diabetes educator at Indiana University Health-Ball Memorial Hospital in Muncie, says the first step to healthy eating for diabetes is planning to eat at least three meals a day, spaced four to six hours apart. This is sometimes easier said than done, but eating meals on a schedule can help keep your blood sugar levels where they need to be.
Get comfortable counting carbs. Your doctor or diabetes educator can work with you to create a diabetes meal plan to make sure you’re getting the correct balance of carbs (as well as protein and fiber) at each meal. “Carbohydrates affect your blood sugar quicker than protein and fats do," Elsten explains. "They’re broken down to glucose and used by the body for energy, and the body needs foods with carbohydrates throughout the day.” However, too many carbs at one time could cause a spike in blood sugar, so you want to spread carbs evenly throughout your day. Carbs are in many different types of foods: Whole grains, fruits, and low-fat or fat-free milk and yogurt are healthy options. Soda, candy, and sweets also have carbs, but offer very little nutritional value, so they should be eaten in moderation.
Build a better plate. Make sure that you not only have the right kinds of food on your plate at each meal, but also have them in the right proportions. The American Diabetes Association recommends drawing an imaginary line down the center of your lunch or dinner plate and filling one half with non-starchy vegetables such as spinach, carrots, broccoli, and tomatoes. Next, draw another imaginary line through the other half of your plate and fill one section with a high-quality starch such as a whole-grain roll, pasta, or brown rice. In the remaining section, add a lean protein such as fish, beans, eggs, or a meat substitute. Add an 8-ounce glass of low-fat or fat-free milk and a small piece of fruit to complete your meal. Apply the same concept at breakfast, using a smaller plate or bowl.
Learn the fine points about foods. You don’t have to know everything about every food, but get a grasp of the big picture. For example, foods high in saturated fats, like butter and fatty meats, can lead to heart disease, while foods with fatty acids called omega-3s, like coldwater fish and healthy oils and nuts, can help reduce the risk of heart disease. Foods with high salt (sodium) content — which is often most processed foods — can raise blood pressure, while potassium-rich foods, such as spinach, tomatoes, and bananas, can counteract sodium in the body and help reduce high blood pressure.
Healthy Diabetes Cooking Tips
Ready to take these diabetes diet tips to the next level? Making healthy substitutions and slight modifications to how you cook can mean the difference between successfully managed diabetes and wildly fluctuating blood sugar levels. Try gradually implementing these changes for healthier eating for diabetes:
boldWhat to drink:
Replace sweetened drinks with water or no-calorie beverages.Limit 100-percent fruit juice to one 4-ounce serving a day. Or instead of fruit juice, consider tomato or vegetable juice.
boldWhat to eat:
Substitute crisp, non-starchy vegetables such as sweet peppers, celery, and carrots for empty snacks like chips and pretzels. This will also help increase your veggie intake to at least 3 cups a day.Buy lean cuts of beef such as sirloin instead of marbled cuts like rib eye, and try ground turkey instead of ground beef when making tacos, chili, or burgers.Use low-fat or fat-free dairy products instead of full-fat varieties.Substitute Greek yogurt in place of sour cream for a rich, creamy taste with more protein and calcium.Enjoy frozen yogurt instead of ice cream to satisfy your sweet tooth.
boldHow to prepare food:
Limit fried foods and instead use healthy diabetes cooking methods such as baking, grilling, and broiling.Reduce sodium by rinsing canned vegetables with cold water before cooking.Boost the flavor of veggies, fish, and pasta with fresh lemon juice instead of butter and salt.Use non-stick cooking sprays instead of butter and even healthy oils when cooking.Pay attention to portion sizes — keep the measuring cups handy to be sure.
By taking these simple steps toward a diabetes-friendly diet, you can gain better control of what and how you eat. In turn, you’ll improve how well you manage diabetes and protect your overall health as well.