As with any healthy eating program, a diabetic diet is more about your overall dietary pattern rather than obsessing over specific foods. Aim to eat more natural, unprocessed food and less packaged and convenience foods.
Eat more
Healthy fats from nuts, olive oil, fish oils, flax seeds, or avocados
Fruits and vegetables—ideally fresh, the more colorful the better; whole fruit rather than juices
High-fiber cereals and breads made from whole grains or legumes
Fish and shellfish, organic chicken or turkey
High-quality protein such as eggs, beans, low-fat dairy, and unsweetened yogurt
Eat less
Trans fats from partially hydrogenated or deep-fried foods
Packaged and fast foods, especially those high in sugar, baked goods, sweets, chips, desserts
White bread, sugary cereals, refined pastas or rice
Processed meat and red meat
Low-fat products that have replaced fat with added sugar, such as fat-free yogurt
Choose high-fiber, slow-release carbs
Carbohydrates have a big impact on your blood sugar levels—more so than fats and proteins—so you need to be smart about what types of carbs you eat. Limit refined carbohydrates like white bread, pasta, and rice, as well as soda, candy, packaged meals, and snack foods. Focus on high-fiber complex carbohydrates—also known as slow-release carbs. They are digested more slowly, thus preventing your body from producing too much insulin.
What about the glycemic index?
High glycemic index (GI) foods spike your blood sugar rapidly, while low GI foods have the least effect on blood sugar. While the GI has long been promoted as a tool to help manage blood sugar, there are some notable drawbacks.
The true health benefits of using the GI remain unclear.
Having to refer to GI tables makes eating unnecessarily complicated.
The GI is not a measure of a food’s healthfulness.
Research suggests that by simply following the guidelines of the Mediterranean or other heart-healthy diets, you’ll not only lower your glycemic load but also improve the quality of your diet.
