Living with Type 2 Diabetes? Foods to Eat and Foods to Avoid

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Healthy eating plays a significant role in whether you may develop type 2 diabetes — and a recently published study confirms that further.

According to a study conducted by researchers from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, a considerable rise in people living with type 2 diabetes globally directly results from poor diet. The study found a link between people’s consumption of refined wheat and grains and overprocessed meat — and lack of eating whole grains — correlated with the increase between 1990 and 2018. In fact, the researchers said poor carbohydrate quality was the most significant factor in people developing type 2 diabetes in the 184 countries included in the study.

In addition, the study found that type 2 diabetes incidences affect more men than women and younger adults than older adults.

The study demonstrates just how essential it is to improve the quality of your food. If you have prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, changing your diet is critical to improving your health. With that in mind, we rounded up three food groups you should eat regularly and three you should avoid as much as possible.
 

3 Types of Food to Eat Regularly

Dietary fiber plays a critical role in nutrition because it separates the good carbs from the bad carbs. Plus, including foods packed with fiber — and eating about 25-35 grams daily — slows down your bloodstream’s sugar absorption.

Examples of fiber-rich food include:

• Dried beans
• Peas
• Lentils
• Whole grains
• Seeds
• Nuts
• Fruits
• Vegetables

People with type 2 or prediabetes face an increased risk of developing conditions like heart disease, high blood pressure, and kidney disease. That means eating foods packed with heart-healthy, unsaturated fats is so vital.
 

Examples of heart-healthy fat foods include:

• Fish (i.e. salmon, mackerel, herring, trout)
• Avocado
• Olive oil
• Seeds
• Nuts

High-quality, lean protein helps your metabolism run more efficiently. That, in turn, may help you get to or maintain a healthy weight.


Examples of lean protein include:

• Fat-trimmed, white-meat chicken
• Low-fat dairy
• Seafood
• Eggs
• Tofu
• Tempeh
• Chickpeas
• Edamame
• Black beans
• Quinoa
• Couscous

3 Types of Foods to Avoid as Much as Possible

Sugar is in so many foods many of us eat regularly. While eating a small amount of sugar is unlikely to do much harm, eating it regularly can be detrimental to your health, especially if you have type 2 diabetes, because it boosts the risk of developing heart disease, can cause weight gain, and can even impact your skin and mental wellness.

Examples of foods with too much sugar:

• White bread
• Granola
• Pasta sauce
• Salad dressing
• Baked goods
• Candy
• Canned and dried fruit
• Condiments
• Sweeteners (i.e. honey and maple syrup)
• Juice
• Soda

Dairy packed with fats is a no-go for people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes. Many nutritionists say that those excess fats can interfere with insulin and may be higher in carbs than you expect.
 

Examples of full-fat dairy foods include:

• Whole milk
• Butter
• Cheese
• Sour cream

Whereas lean protein with unsaturated fat is good for you, foods with too much saturated fat are the opposite. That’s because they may boost cholesterol levels and contain haem iron, which scientists suspect contributes to a greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
 

Foods with too much saturated fat include:

• Red meats
• Sausage and bacon
• Cured meats
• Cheese
• Cake
• Biscuits
• Butter

Building a diet plan that avoids the foods you shouldn’t eat and provides you with the ones you should be can be challenging — and that’s okay. We’re here to help! Our Balance-Diabetes meal plan includes diabetes-friendly food that our chefs and nutritionists designed to help you balance blood sugar naturally.

We control the menu for calories and nutrition to ensure it’s heart-healthy, with healthy, restaurant-quality meals delivered right to your door. In fact, U.S. News & World Report recently named our meal plan the best for people with prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.
 

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Author: Caitlin H
Diet-to-Go Community Manager

Caitlin is the Diet-to-Go community manager and an avid runner. She is passionate about engaging with others online and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. She believes moderation is key, and people will have the most weight loss success if they engage in common-sense healthy eating and fitness.

 

Nutrition

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