According to the World Health Organisation, a whopping 422 million people worldwide are living with diabetes. And while there are medications to help those with this chronic disease, medicine alone can’t stop it from progressing and getting even worse. Because of this, those with diabetes have to drastically change their diet to maintain healthy levels of insulin in the body. But what can they eat? Well, the rules are pretty strict – and even food and drink that seem healthy can actually be detrimental to their health. Read on for a healthier diet!
Diet Soda
When diabetics are given the choice between regular soda or diet soda, there’s a very high chance that they’re going to choose diet soda. But it turns out that both have their downsides, and if a diabetic wants to maintain healthy insulin levels, it’s probably best if they don’t drink any soda at all. After all, the American Diabetes Association found that those who drank diet drinks were 67% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.
Not only that but it’s also been found that diet soda can lead to an increased risk of diabetic retinopathy, which can actually result in blindness for those who already have diabetes.
Artificial Sweeteners
Foods for diabetics come in many different shapes and forms, but they’re usually marketed as low-sugar or low-calorie. This is certainly the case for artificial sweeteners, which have long been marketed as a diabetic-friendly sweetener that diabetics can use instead of real sugar. But if you’re diabetic and regularly put this stuff in your coffee, we have some bad news for you: some artificial sweeteners can still affect your insulin levels.
However, only certain artificial sweeteners fall under this category. Popular choices such as tagatose and Stevia have been found to be safe for diabetics, as they don’t impact the blood glucose levels in any way.
Low-Fat Milk
In a world full of low-fat, full-fat, and plant-based milks, it can be hard to know what to drink – especially for diabetics. And while there was once a time when it was recommended for diabetics to drink low-fat milk, times have changed and research has found that low-fat milk isn’t actually the best option for diabetics. That’s because low-fat milks actually replace the fat content with extra sugar, which can be harmful for diabetics.
Because of this, it’s suggested that diabetics skip low-fat milk for full-fat milk instead. Especially after one Swedish study found that a high-far dairy diet could actually reduce your chances of developing diabetes.
Flavored Yogurt
Some people love to start their day with a bowl of yogurt and granola, but diabetics need to be careful with the yogurt that they buy in the grocery store. While whole, unsweetened yogurt is perfectly safe and healthy for diabetics to eat, flavored yogurts topped with extras can lead to spikes in the glycemic index. This is especially true if the flavored yogurts are then topped with high-sugar additions such as fruit and syrup.
Because of this, diabetics should focus on making their own delicious yogurt in the morning. You can do this by topping the unsweetened yogurt with nuts and healthy granola to keep insulin levels in check.
Canned Fruits and Vegetables
In a world where fruits and vegetables are expensive and not readily available to everyone, canned fruits and veggies seem like a handy and cost-effective solution. And while there was a time when canned healthy goods were considered to be just as nutritious as fresh fruits and vegetables, it seems as though research has found some downsides. That’s because canned foods items are almost always covered in sugar and salt to preserve them for longer.
Of course, adding any kind of unhealthy preservative to a can isn’t going to work in a diabetic’s favor. Especially when they also include the harmful bisphenol A (BPA), which can lead to a higher rate of type 2 diabetes.
Coffee
Most people can’t start their day without a fresh cup of Joe. But no matter whether you opt for a skinny latte, cappuccino, espresso, or even a matcha latte, you need to be careful as a diabetic when drinking coffee. Although coffee won’t increase your chances of getting diabetes, caffeine can naturally destabilize and increase your blood sugar – sometimes by as much as 8%. Of course, this is exactly what you don’t want to happen.
Naturally, adding cream and syrups to a coffee only heightens its sugar content, which is why diabetics who still want to drink coffee should try and drink decaf black coffee as much as possible.
Dried Fruit
Dried fruit is a great option for the average Joe. This fruit is normally smaller and easier to eat for those who don’t particularly like the taste of fresh fruit, and it also lasts a lot longer. But it’s important to note that dried fruit shouldn’t be part of a diabetic’s diet. That’s because dried fruit has a higher concentration of sugar, which can ultimately cause spikes in your blood sugar levels.
Not only that, but most people also eat more dried fruit than they would fresh fruit, which means that they’re putting even more sugar into their bloodstream. So, it’s best to stick to the fresh stuff where you can.
High-Salt Cheese
When it comes to food for diabetics, cheese is a tough one. On the one hand, certain cheeses have been found to actually lower the chance of someone developing type 2 diabetes. On the other hand, however, cheese is full of salt that can ultimately make your diabetes even worse. Because of this, it’s best to be strict when it comes to your cheese intake and opt for low-salt options if you have diabetes.
For example, it’s best to ditch feta in favor of something lower in salt, such as mozzarella. It’s also a good idea to get clued up on cheeses, as some cheeses have more nutrients than other cheeses.
Fast Food
When you think of fast food, you probably think of burgers and fries. And everyone loves burgers and fries, right? Although this food is both cheap and delicious, fast food can be detrimental to the health of diabetics. That’s because this food is generally very high in saturated fat, carbs, sodium, and sugar. Of course, diabetics should do everything in their power to avoid spikes in these nutrients and maintain healthy levels at all times.
That doesn’t mean that diabetics can’t eat fast food at all, though. With many chains now offering low-card and low-fat options, there will almost always be a healthier alternative that you can order.
Fat-Free Salad Dressing
In the food world, we’re often told that the ‘fat-free’ options are healthier for us. And while there’s no doubt about the fact that fat-free salad dressings have less fat in them, that doesn’t mean that they’re necessarily healthy. That’s because food manufacturers simply substitute the fat for something else, such as sugar or salt. Not only that, but research has actually found that full-fat dressings contain healthy fats to help the body to function normally.
So, next time you decide to add some dressing to your salad, don’t worry about choosing the fat-free option. In this instance, the full-fat option is a healthier food for diabetics.
Cereal Bars
Perfect for on-the-go snacking or light lunches, it’s no wonder that cereal bars are so popular. And while there are many healthy cereal bars on the market, it’s safe to say that many cereal bars are also very unhealthy. These bars are normally filled with carbohydrates and sugar, which means that they’re not too dissimilar to a normal candy bar. Yes, this is even the case for some of the biggest brands out there.
Nature Valley and Quaker Oats cereal bars could cause a spike in your blood sugar, which is why most nutrition experts would suggest eating fruit and nuts in place of your cereal bar.
French Fries
French fries can be found across the world, and it seems as though people can’t get enough of these sticks of potato goodness. And while potatoes themselves are fairly healthy in small doses, eating anything in excess is bad for you – especially when that food is then fried in unhealthy oil. French fries are particularly bad for diabetics as the combination of carbs in the potatoes and trans fats in the oil will cause a huge spike in blood sugar.
Even a small portion of fries could be detrimental to your blood sugar levels, which is why it’s best to avoid them if possible. Alternatively, make your own healthier and non-fried alternatives.
Orange Juice
Many people assume that fruit juice is just as healthy as eating fresh fruit. And while this drink is certainly a good way to add more vitamins to your diet, it’s important to remember that fruit juices are very high in sugar, calories, and carbohydrates. Because of this, it’s recommended that those with type 2 diabetes avoid fruit juices at all costs to avoid any negative or detrimental health concerns.
If you juice your own oranges and make your own 100% orange juice, though, you should be able to get away with drinking small amounts here and there. Alternatively, buy a low-sugar orange juice.
Energy Drinks
You’re probably not surprised to see these on this list. Energy drinks are designed to give you a burst of energy, and they do this by pumping the drinks full of sugar, caffeine, and other additives. As a diabetic, you want to avoid any burst of anything, which is why you should avoid energy drinks at all costs. This has been backed up by science, and one study found that a single energy drink can increase your blood glucose levels by 30%.
Not only that, but some energy drinks companies don’t reveal every single ingredient in their drinks, which makes them even more dangerous for those who need to monitor what they’re putting in their bodies.
Potato Chips
While there’s nothing wrong with eating the odd potato chip or two, it’s important to note that potato chips aren’t the best foods for diabetics. As we all know, potato chips are deep-fried and then salted and flavored using ingredients that are high in salt and sugar. This can result in a spike in your blood sugar and salt levels, which will ultimately impact how much insulin you need to control your glycemic index.
As if that wasn’t enough, the high salt content in potato chips also makes them highly addictive to the point where you just want to eat more and more. So, you need to stay under control around chips.
Sports Drinks
Sports drinks are perfect for non-diabetics who want to rehydrate and reinvigorate themselves quickly. They’re both delicious and practical, and readily available in almost every grocery store across the world. But when you think about these drinks from a diabetic point of view, it should probably come as no surprise to learn that they’re not diabetic-friendly at all. After all, anything that causes a drastic change to the internal bodily system isn’t good.
That’s not to say that diabetics should avoid all sports drinks. With so many diabetics in this world, there are now diabetic-friendly sports drinks that are free from caffeine and sugar.
Pre-Packaged Baked Goods
It’s easy to assume that there are no foods for diabetics, but that’s not the case at all. Diabetics can eat most foods in small quantities, and this is also the case when it comes to pastries and sweets. This is especially true if they’re homemade to be low-fat and diabetic-friendly, but not so true if these pastries and sweets are pre-packaged. That’s because these goods are made with extra preservatives to make them last longer.
Alongside this, pre-packaged baked goods are also full of refined carbohydrates, which then become sugar when they’re inside the body. Of course, this means your body will rely more heavily on insulin if you eat them.
Flavored Oatmeal
You might be wondering what oatmeal is doing on this list. After all, it’s generally considered to be one of the best breakfast options for those with diabetes as it’s full of all the good stuff and is a slow-release food that will help to maintain your blood sugar levels. However, flavored oatmeal is a whole different story. This type of oatmeal is full of added extras, such as extra sugars and preservatives.
Of course, if you don’t like the taste of regular oatmeal, you can flavor this food yourself using fresh and natural ingredients such as homemade granola, nut butters, and diabetic-friendly toppings.
Processed Meats
No, diabetics don’t have to become vegetarian. But if you’re already diabetic or in the pre-diabetic stage, it’s probably best to cut processed meats out of your diet. This notion has been backed by a study undertaken by Harvard University. they found that eating processed meats has the ability to increase your chances of developing type 2 diabetes by a whopping 19%. That’s because these processed meats are extremely high in preservatives and salt.
Fresh meat is perfectly healthy for diabetics to eat, but processed meat is a no-go. This is especially true as it’s also been found that processed meats can also increase the body’s resistance to insulin.