Food for people with diabetes: why is it important to eat healthily if you have diabetes?

What does a typical diet look like for people with diabetes? 

For people with diabetes, including foods in their diet that help to keep blood glucose levels controlled and stable is essential. Additionally, carbohydrates should be avoided, as they have a significant impact on blood glucose levels.

A person with diabetes will normally calculate the amount of carbohydrates that can be included in each of their meals, with priority given to quality carbohydrates, such as whole grains, and some legumes and vegetables, as these are digested more slowly and do not cause blood sugar spikes. 

What foods should you include in your diet if you have diabetes?

According to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, choosing what you eat and being mindful of portion sizes is extremely important for people with diabetes. Changing your diet, by eliminating some foods, and incorporating others, can also you help to:

• Manage your blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Prevent or delay problems caused by diabetes.
• Improve your mood and increase your energy levels.

As you can see, these are some very important points, so with that in mind, let's take a look at a selection of key foods that people with diabetes can eat. 

Vegetables and greens

As we mentioned earlier, vegetables and greens are among those foods that a person with diabetes can eat to stay healthy and avoid blood sugar spikes. These foods are known for being low in calories and carbohydrates, so they also help us to maintain a healthy weight.

What's more, vegetables and greens can be prepared in numerous ways; you can steam them, roast them, sauté them, or use them in salads. As a result, you can enjoy a variety of flavors and textures in every recipe, which is key when preparing meals suitable for people with diabetes. 

Lean proteins 

Lean proteins are an excellent source of essential amino acids that help to repair and maintain tissues. What's more, eating certain fish such as sardines or salmon can also help protect heart health, according to Diabetes UK.

Other examples of lean proteins that you can include in your meals if you have diabetes are skinless chicken, beef or pork steaks, and turkey. Other sources of protein such as low-fat dairy products, egg whites, and some legumes can also form part of this diet. 

Healthy fats 

Healthy fats that are rich in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids can help improve insulin sensitivity. Olive oil, nuts and avocados, among other foods, are great sources of these types of fats.

Eating these fats helps keep blood sugar levels stable, as they help the body respond better to insulin.

It is important to work alongside a health professional when creating a diet for people with diabetes, as there are often other factors that may play a role in determining which foods should be included in the diet. Understanding how to select these foods in order to eat in a healthy and balanced way is key. 

Foods people with diabetes should avoid

Based on the work of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, which we mentioned earlier, here are the main foods that should be avoided when preparing food for people with diabetes:

• All foods that are high in saturated fats and trans fats, such as fried foods.
• All foods high in sodium.
• Processed foods and those with added sugars.

People who have diabetes are also advised to regulate alcohol consumption, as it can aggravate their medical condition and affect their health. 

Diabetes-friendly recipes

Recipes for meals suitable for people with diabetes should meet their nutritional needs, help maintain blood sugar levels and, of course, be as tasty as any other meal.

With this in mind, here are some diabetes-friendly alternatives for breakfast, lunch and dinner. These suggestions are designed to help you know what to eat throughout the day, prioritizing your health above all else. 

Breakfast ideas for people with diabetes

A suitable breakfast for someone who has diabetes can be as delicious as any other meal, you just need to have a little imagination when it comes to cooking. Also, it is a good idea to avoid eating carbohydrates, especially processed flours.

Here are some great alternatives: 

Scrambled eggs with vegetables 

We recommend using: 

• 2 eggs.
• Peppers, onion & spinach, finely chopped.
• Olive oil. 

Sauté the vegetables in a frying pan with olive oil and add the beaten eggs until they are cooked. 

Oatmeal with cinnamon and apple 

We recommend using: 

• ½ cup whole grain oats.
• 1 small apple, finely diced.
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon. 

Cook the oatmeal with water or low-fat milk and add the apple and cinnamon before it comes to the boil. You can also serve it with nuts. 

Lunch ideas for people with diabetes 

There are also many different recipes for diabetes-friendly lunchtime meals. Typically, these recipes usually replace carbohydrates with salads, especially those that include leafy greens, tomatoes, cucumbers and peppers. 

Grilled chicken salad 

We recommend using: 

• Grilled chicken breast in strips.
• Large lettuce leaves.
• Spinach, cherry tomatoes & cucumber.
• A lemon vinaigrette. 

The idea is to mix all the ingredients in a bowl, together with the lemon vinaigrette, and serve depending on the portion size you wish to consume. 

Turkey taco lettuce leaf wraps 

We recommend using: 

• Turkey cooked with spices.
• Large lettuce leaves
• Finely diced tomato & onion
• Low sodium tomato sauce. 

This dish is prepared in the same way as a traditional taco. The only difference is that it is much healthier because we swap the tortillas for crunchy lettuce leaves. 

Dinner ideas for people with diabetes 

Last but not least, to wrap up our list of diabetes-friendly, healthy meals, we have to talk about dinners. Here is one of the options that we found most interesting. 

Eggplants stuffed with turkey and quinoa

We recommend using: 

• Eggplants hollowed out and cut in half.
• A mixture of ground turkey, cooked quinoa and vegetables. 

Stuff the eggplants with the turkey mixture and bake until cooked through. 

Healthy snack options

Diabetes Care Community points out that there is a wide variety of snacks available for people with diabetes. They even have a list of healthy snacks that include yogurt, fruit, nuts, and some vegetables.

These snacks help avoid spikes and drops in blood glucose levels and keep energy levels steady throughout the day. What is important is to stick to healthy foods and portion control, because the number of diabetes-friendly snack and meal options is endless. 

Tips for eating out

In most cases, eating out can be a challenge, especially since very few restaurants offer a diabetes-friendly menu. This means that, at best, the options are very limited.

It's a good idea to check ahead of time to see what the restaurant has to offer, this way you can find out if there are any options for people with diabetes. Many establishments now have their menu available online, so this should not be a problem.

Special requests can also be made when ordering meals, such as changing side dishes and ordering garnishes or dressings separately. 

The importance of a balanced diet

Having a balanced diet is extremely important for managing diabetes, especially because it helps to regulate and stabilize blood glucose levels. In addition, a diet that has been carefully planned by a nutritionist also ensures that the body receives all the nutrients it needs to stay healthy.

This is precisely why we talk about food for people with diabetes, and why we wanted to highlight why certain types of food should be consumed over others. It is best to cut down on carbohydrates and have a balanced diet with more protein and healthy fats.

Another point worth bearing in mind is that foods rich in nutrients and low in empty calories help to maintain a healthy body weight. This is important, because excess weight worsens insulin resistance, and makes it more difficult to maintain blood sugar levels.