Eating Healthy With Type 2 Diabetes
Create a meal plan
A good diabetes meal plan can help you keep your blood sugar and weight goals on track, and should fit in with your schedule and eating habits.
Make healthy updates to classic favorites
Try swapping out certain ingredients for healthier versions, such as adding crunch to your salad with nuts rather than croutons.
Read food labels
Nutrition Facts food labels can help you track your daily carbohydrates. Be sure to pay attention to both the serving size and total carbohydrate amount.
Be aware of how many calories are in a portion of that food. You can also compare different products to find lower-calorie options.
Know your portions
Controlling your portion size is a great way to keep tabs on your calorie intake. Try this "handy" guide to help ensure your food servings are the right size:
- Your fist is about the size of 1 cup
- Your thumb tip is about 1 tablespoon (the top joint of your thumb)
- The palm of your hand is about 1 ounce of snack food (not a heaping handful)
Counting carbohydrates
When you eat foods that contain carbohydrates, your body breaks them down into glucose (sugar). By tracking your carbohydrates, staying within your carbohydrate limits, and with the right balance of physical activity and medicine, if needed, you can help keep your blood sugar numbers within your target range.
Some portions of foods containing about 15 grams of carbohydrates:
References: 1. American Diabetes Association (ADA). Diabetes meal plans and a healthy diet. http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/planning-meals/diabetes-meal-plans-and-a-healthy-diet.html. Last reviewed June 1, 2015. Last edited July 1, 2015. Accessed November 9, 2016. 2. American Diabetes Association (ADA). Fast food challenge. http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/food-tips/eating-out/the-fast-food-challenge.html. Last reviewed August 1, 2013. Last edited June 30, 2014. Accessed November 9, 2016. 3. American Diabetes Association (ADA). Carbohydrate counting. http://www.diabetes.org/food-and-fitness/food/what-can-i-eat/understanding-carbohydrates/carbohydrate-counting.html. Last reviewed October 2, 2013. Last edited March 11, 2015. Accessed November 9, 2016. 4. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK); US Department of Health and Human Services. Diabetes diet and eating. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/diabetes-diet-eating. Published May 2014. Accessed November 28, 2016. 5. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK); US Department of Health and Human Services. Causes of diabetes. https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/diabetes/causes. Published August 2014. Accessed November 9, 2016.
