Diabetic Diet

A healthy diet for diabetes is one that would be healthy for just about anyone. It focuses on four major categories of nutrition:

• Healthy carbohydrates, including fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.
• Fiber-rich foods, such as nuts and legumes (beans, peas, and lentils).
• Lean meats, especially fish.
• Good fats, like those found in avocados, almonds, pecans, olive, and some oils. 

Foods People with Diabetes Should Limit

Likewise, there are foods that people with diabetes should limit or avoid:

• Saturated fats
• Trans fats
• Cholesterol
• Sodium
• Added sugars

This means limiting your intake of foods such as beef, hot dogs, sausages, bacon, baked goods, stick margarine, egg yolks, processed snacks, and sodium.

Diabetic Diet Plan

The next step is creating a diet plan you can live with. There are several ways of doing this. For example, the American Diabetes Association recommends the plate method: at every meal, give over half your plate to non-starchy vegetables, a quarter to lean meats, and a quarter to a whole grain or starchy item. 

Nutrition and Diabetes at Baptist Health

Baptist Health can help with a healthy diet. Our diabetes educators will work with you to map out your long-term goals and create a meal plan that’s right for you.