What Are Good and Bad Foods for Managing Diabetes?

By Kim Richardson, RN, CDCES
Phelps Health

Your diet plays an important role in your overall health and well-being. What you eat matters, especially if you have diabetes, a condition that can raise your blood sugar to higher than normal levels.

An estimated 700,000 Missourians have diabetes.

While nothing should be off limits if you have diabetes, knowing how different types of food affect your body is important to managing this condition.

For instance, carbohydrates (or carbs), which break down into sugar when digested, affect your blood sugar the most. Bread, rice, pasta, potatoes, fruit and even milk are all considered carbs.

Sugar, or glucose, is the best source of energy for our bodies, but if you have diabetes, you aren’t able to use glucose well for energy. If you have too many carbohydrates at one time, your body may not be able to handle that many, which can lead to high blood sugar levels.

Carb counting is one method you can use to plan meals and snacks. With carb counting, you have a target number of grams of carbohydrates for a meal.

Let’s say your target is 45 grams of carbs. A piece of bread is about 15 grams of carbs, so a sandwich with two pieces of bread would account for 30 grams. Then, you have 15 grams left for a medium piece of fruit or 10-12 potato chips.

Eating smaller amounts, frequently throughout the day, can help you better manage your diabetes and keep your blood sugar close to your goal.

Portion sizes are key. You may have heard about the diabetes plate method, a way to have appropriate portions of protein, carbohydrates and non-starchy vegetables as part of your meal.

Using a 9-inch plate, fill half with non-starchy vegetables like salad greens, broccoli, cucumbers, carrots, mushrooms or onions. These foods will add a lot of vitamins, minerals and fiber (as well as flavor) to your meal.

Then one quarter of your plate should include a protein like meat, fish, cheese, eggs or nuts. The last quarter of your plate is for a carbohydrate like pasta, corn, peas, rice or potatoes.

Adding in an unsweetened beverage and a small serving of fruit would complete your meal.

The diabetes plate method is an easy way to get close to the recommended portions without having to weigh or measure your food.

While carbs have one of the biggest effects on your blood sugar, other food groups like proteins and fiber also play a factor.

Having protein with any carbohydrate can help decrease the impact on your blood sugar.

Adding high-fiber foods will help with keeping your blood sugar levels stable. High-fiber foods – such as beans, lentils, fruits, vegetables, nuts and whole grains – take longer for our bodies to digest, which helps slow how fast the sugar enters our bloodstream.

Lean meats and healthy fats like avocado, nuts, olives and olive oil also help improve heart health and feelings of being full without impacting blood sugar too much.

Unhealthy fats like bacon and other animal fats not only contribute to higher cholesterol and can lead to clogged arteries and heart disease, but they also can increase insulin resistance and cause a delayed rise in blood sugar.

Even alcohol can affect your blood sugar levels. If you have diabetes and drink alcohol on an empty stomach, the alcohol can cause low blood sugar up to 12 hours later because your liver is busy processing the alcohol and doesn’t respond appropriately to the low blood sugar.

In addition to being aware of the effect different foods have on your blood sugar levels, remember these other helpful tips for managing diabetes.

• When grocery shopping, look at the Nutrition Facts labels. Pay attention to the serving size and the nutrients included or not included. Total carbohydrates will tell you how the food will impact your blood sugar.
• If traveling, nuts, protein bars, granola bars, fruit and cheese make great snacks for people with diabetes.
• Keep a food journal. Writing down or recording your diet can help you see what you are eating. You can tweak your routine to get closer to meeting your health goals.
• Apps like MyFitnessPal, MyPlate, Plate Joy and Lose it! are great for keeping track of what you eat, including calories and nutrients.