Diabetes Management

What is diabetes?

If you have diabetes, your blood glucose, or blood sugar, levels are too high. Glucose comes from foods you eat. The cells of your body need glucose for energy. A hormone called insulin helps the glucose get into your cells.

With type 1 diabetes, your body doesn’t make insulin. With type 2 diabetes, your body doesn’t make or use insulin well. Without enough insulin, glucose builds up in your blood and causes high blood sugar levels.

Prediabetes means that your blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not high enough to be called diabetes. If you have prediabetes, you are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

Nutrition and physical activity are important parts of a healthy lifestyle when you have diabetes. Along with other benefits, following a healthy meal plan and being active can help you keep your blood glucose level, also called blood sugar, in your target range. To manage your blood glucose, you need to balance what you eat and drink with physical activity and diabetes medicine, if you take any. What you choose to eat, how much you eat, and when you eat are all important in keeping your blood glucose level in the range that your health care team recommends.

You may worry that having diabetes means going without foods you enjoy. The good news is that you can still eat your favorite foods, but you might need to eat smaller portions or enjoy them less often. Your healthcare  team will help create a diabetes meal plan for you that meets your needs and likes.

Eating the right foods for diabetes means eating a variety of healthy foods from all the food groups:

Fruits and vegetables

Whole grains, such as whole wheat, brown rice, barley, quinoa, and oats

Proteins, such as lean meats, chicken, turkey, fish, eggs, nuts, beans, lentils, and tofu

Nonfat or low-fat dairy, such as milk, yogurt, and cheese

fried foods and other foods high in saturated fat and trans fat

foods high in salt, also called sodium

sweets, such as baked goods, candy, and ice cream

beverages with added sugars, such as juice, regular soda, and regular sports or energy drinks

Drink water instead of sweetened beverages. Consider using a sugar substitute in your coffee or tea.

Carbohydrate counting is very important for people with diabetes who take insulin, but not all people with diabetes need to count carbohydrates. Your health care team can help you create a personal eating plan that will best meet your needs.

Most carbohydrates come from starches, fruits, milk, and sweets. Try to limit carbohydrates with added sugars or those with refined grains, such as white bread and white rice. Instead, eat carbohydrates from fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and low-fat or nonfat milk.

Choose healthy carbohydrates, such as fruit, vegetables, whole grains, beans, and low-fat milk, as part of your diabetes meal plan.

Eating the right amount of food will also help you manage your blood glucose level and your weight. Your healthcare team can help you figure out how much food and how many calories you should eat each day.

What’s the best diet for diabetes?

There isn’t a specific diet or meal plan that works for everybody. Your health care provider may have you see a professional dietcian or nutritionist who can help design the best eating plan for you. The plan will consider:

Any medicines that you take

Your weight

Any other health conditions you have

Your lifestyle and tastes

Your goals

All eating plans for diabetes have a few things in common, including eating the