Meat, even fatty steaks, won't raise your blood sugar, but the extra calories of supersized portions can hamper weight loss, and being overweight makes diabetes harder to control.
Let's get one thing clear: “There's nothing wrong with red meat in small amounts, since it's rich in high-quality protein and many nutrients,” says Baker. It's always best to choose unprocessed versions that are also lean — so think strip steak and tenderloin cuts of beef, as well as lamb or veal roast on occasion.
For people with diabetes, lean proteins provide energy without a lot of saturated fat, which is linked to heart disease. Animal-based breakfast proteins like eggs and turkey sausage are pretty standard. Good plant-based protein sources include chickpeas, tofu, nuts, and seeds.
It is preferable not to eat white flour bread, but if you must, limit yourself to two medium slices. A slice of bread has about 32 calories in it. The total calories consumed from bread should not be more than 90 for a diabetic patient. Furthermore, diabetics should avoid eating white bread every day.
High in fiber and protein, beans are digested slowly in your body, making them great for managing blood glucose levels in a type 2 diabetes diet.
“When ordering Chinese, focus on dishes packed full of lean proteins and vegetables with limited rice and noodles,” advises Palinski-Wade, who suggests ordering steamed chicken and broccoli with the sauce on the side.
The American Diabetes Association recommends choosing whole grain bread or 100 percent whole wheat bread instead of white bread. White bread is made from highly processed white flour and added sugar. Here are some delicious and healthy breads to try: Joseph's Flax, Oat Bran and Wheat Pita Bread.
Current studies suggest those with diabetes can include one egg a day, but the whole diet should be considered instead of focusing on one food item. The majority of beneficial nutrient content is included in the egg yolk.
A 5-ounce can of tuna provides around 20 grams of protein and no carbs, which makes it a great snack option if you have diabetes. Additionally, tuna provides small amounts of omega-3 fatty acids, which have been shown to help manage diabetes due to their potential to lower inflammation and improve blood sugar control.
Processed or fatty meats
Eating even small amounts of red meat, such as beef, pork, or lamb, may increase the risk of diabetes. A 2020 study showed that eating just 50 g red meat or fish each day can raise diabetes risk by 11%.
Is steak OK for diabetics? If you're choosing cuts of meat with less marbling, steak can certainly fit into a diabetes-friendly diet in moderation.
People with type 2 diabetes should limit or avoid high-fat cuts of meat, such as regular ground beef, bologna, hot dogs, sausage, bacon, and ribs, because like full-fat dairy, they're high in saturated fats, explains Kimberlain.
If you have type 2 diabetes breakfast cereals made with wholegrains can help to manage blood glucose levels, they release glucose more slowly as they are low GI. Weetabix, Oatibix and Shredded Wheat can make for good choices.
According to the diabetes association, starchy vegetables, like potatoes, are perfectly okay to include in a healthy diabetes diet. Being a complex carbohydrate, starch generally takes longer to break down in the body than simple sugars like sucrose. Therefore, starchier potatoes are the best for type 2 diabetes.
Toasted bread is pretty different from untoasted bread. It is lower in GI, fat, and cholesterol and contains complex carbs and fiber, making it suitable for diabetics. The American Diabetes Association recommends whole grain or 100% whole-wheat bread over white bread.
Soups, vegetable sticks with dips, olives, undressed salads, chicken tikka, grilled shish and seekh kebabs are generally healthier choices than spring rolls, samosas and pakoras. Naans are often very large; they're made with low-fibre white flour and may be drenched in butter.
Unless you overturn the original Fish and Chips recipe, you can't reduce its fat and carbohydrate content. For this reason, Fish and Chips are not a dish typically suitable for those who have diabetes.
The most healthful way to cook potatoes is to boil, steam, or microwave them without adding other ingredients. Preparing potatoes in this way will ensure that they are very low in sugar, salt, and fat. Keeping the skins of the potatoes on can provide additional fiber.
Regular Heinz Cream of Tomato soup is one which is best avoided with 6.8g carbs per 100g. We see many ladies try this soup and spike their blood sugar levels.
In case you didn't get the memo: Yes, those of us with diabetes CAN eat ice cream. Even though some outside the diabetes community don't think so, and they try to convince us we can't or shouldn't, the fact remains that an ice cream sundae or vanilla waffle cone every once in a while isn't going to kill us.