Eating Well With Diabetes

With diabetes, blood glucose (blood sugar) is too high. Glucose comes from food, and the body's cells need it for energy. The hormone insulin helps glucose into the cells:

• in type 1 diabetes, the body doesn't make insulin;
• in type 2 diabetes, the body doesn't make or use insulin well.

Without enough insulin, glucose builds up in the blood. Prediabetes means blood glucose is higher than normal but not high enough to be diabetes; it raises the chance of developing type 2 diabetes.

How food affects blood glucose

Blood glucose comes from carbohydrates ("carbs"). Candy and sweets, sodas, bread, tortillas and white rice are high in carbs, and the more carbs you eat, the higher your blood glucose goes. Some people with diabetes — not all — need to count the carbs in their meals and drinks.

Good food choices matter in both types of diabetes. Keeping blood glucose under control lowers the chance of serious problems such as vision loss and heart problems, and for people with prediabetes or at risk of diabetes, healthy eating may help prevent type 2 diabetes.

Is there a best diet?

No single diet or meal plan works for everyone. A health care provider may refer you to a registered dietitian or diabetes educator to design a plan around:

• your medicines;
• your weight;
• other health conditions;
• your lifestyle and tastes;
• your goals.

Every diabetes eating plan shares one idea: the right foods, in the right amounts, at the right times.

Foods to eat

A variety of healthy foods from every food group:

• fruits and vegetables;
• whole grains — whole wheat, brown rice, barley, quinoa and oats;
• proteins — lean meats, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, nuts, beans, lentils and tofu;
• nonfat or low-fat dairy — milk, yogurt and cheese.

Foods to limit

Limiting doesn't mean never — just less often or in smaller amounts:

• High-carb foods and drinks:
• • sugary foods such as candy, cookies, cake, ice cream, sweetened cereals and canned fruit with added sugar;
  • drinks with added sugar, such as juice, regular soda and regular sports or energy drinks;
  • white rice, tortillas, bread and pasta, especially those made with white flour;
  • starchy vegetables such as white potatoes, corn and peas.
• Fried foods and others high in saturated and trans fats.
• Foods high in sodium (salt).
• Alcohol — if you drink, drink moderately: no more than one standard drink a day for women or two for men.

Amounts and timing

• Eat the right amount every day; your plan will say how much and help you choose foods for each meal and snack.
• If you take insulin, you may need to learn carb counting to work out your dose.
• Plan regular, balanced meals to keep blood glucose from going too high or too low; eating about the same amount of carbs at each meal can help.
• Your plan should also help you stick with it at home and when eating out.

Eating to control blood glucose takes effort, but the reward is the chance to live your healthiest life with diabetes.

Sources

• MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine: "Diabetic Diet," with information from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health.