If you were recently diagnosed with type 2 diabetes or were diagnosed a while ago but are now ready to make diet changes, the prospect of giving up the foods you love may seem daunting. But you may be relieved to discover that a good diet for type 2 diabetes isn’t as tricky as you fear — and that you can still find joy in food while managing this disease. A healthy diet is a pillar of a successful diabetes management plan. Other pillars include taming stress, exercising regularly, and taking any medications as prescribed.
How a Healthy Diet Can Help You Manage Type 2 Diabetes
Type 2 diabetes is characterized by a condition called insulin resistance, in which the body can’t effectively use the hormone insulin to ferry blood sugar, or glucose, to cells and muscles for energy. This causes glucose to accumulate in your blood at higher than normal levels, which can put your health in danger.
Eating a healthy diet is important for everyone, regardless of diabetes status. But for people with this disease, nourishing foods eaten in the right portions provide two key benefits:
Reduced blood sugar Lowering blood sugar that is high can help reduce diabetes symptoms and lower the risk for health complications.
A healthier weight
Weight loss is associated with a better A1C result, a two- to three-month average of blood sugar levels.
What Is a Good Diet for Type 2 Diabetes?
A smart diabetes diet looks a lot like the healthy eating plan doctors recommend for everyone: It includes whole, minimally processed foods, with fiber-rich fruits and vegetables, complex carbohydrates in moderation, lean protein, and healthy fats, and limits added sugars and refined grains.
“There is no ‘diabetic diet,’” says Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDCES, the author of 2 Day Diabetes Diet and Belly Fat Diet for Dummies, and based in Vernon, New Jersey. “The guidelines are basically the same for healthy eating for everyone, with or without diabetes,” she says.
According to the American Diabetes Association’s Nutrition Consensus Report in 2019, there are several healthful eating patterns you can follow to manage diabetes, including Mediterranean, low-carb, DASH, paleo, and vegetarian.
Work with your healthcare team to determine the right ratio of macronutrients and the best eating plan to accommodate your health risks and goals.
Top Diabetes-Friendly Foods to Eat
While no two diabetes diets will look the same, certain foods are considered staples for people with this disease because they support a healthy weight and blood sugar level. They include:
- Nonstarchy vegetables, such as broccoli and high-fiber fruit like apples
- Lean sources of protein, such as boneless, skinless chicken, turkey, and fatty fish, like salmon
- Healthy fats, such as nuts, nut butter, and avocado (in moderation)
- Whole grains, like quinoa and barley
- Nonfat or lowfat dairy, like milk and plain yogurt