Diabetes and healthy eating

If you have diabetes, it helps to follow a healthy eating pattern based on plenty of vegetables and legumes, such as chickpeas, lentils, low-salt baked beans and kidney beans. Include some high-fibre, low glycaemic index (GI) carbohydrates such as wholegrain breads and cereals and fruit, along with some lean protein and reduced-fat dairy products.

Reduce your intake of saturated (unhealthy) fat and added sugars, and choose foods that are low in salt. Reducing your serving sizes can also help you maintain a healthy weight and manage your blood glucose. It is a good idea to see a dietitian, who can work with you to develop an eating pattern that suits you.

Healthy eating for people with diabetes is no different from healthy eating for everyone else. You do not need to prepare separate meals or buy special foods, so you can relax and enjoy healthy eating with the rest of your family.

Physical activity and diabetes#

Along with healthy eating, regular physical activity is an important part of managing diabetes. Being active can help to:

• lower your blood glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure
• increase muscle and bone strength
• reduce stress and anxiety
• improve your mood, self-esteem and sleep

Aim for at least 30 minutes of moderate-intensity activity on most, if not all, days of the week. If your goal is weight loss, aim for at least 60 minutes on most days. If that seems like too much to start with, break it into smaller blocks of 10 to 15 minutes spread across the day.

Resistance activity is also highly recommended, especially for people with diabetes. Aim to do resistance-type activities at least twice a week, this could include joining a gym, doing weights, using resistance bands, or body-weight exercises like push-ups, squats or lunges at home. An exercise physiologist can help you set up a safe resistance program.

It also helps to reduce the time you spend sitting. Small changes add up:

• take the stairs rather than the lift
• park further away and walk the rest of the way
• get off public transport one stop earlier and walk
• get up for a drink of water at least once an hour
• do chores, such as ironing, while watching TV
• play with your children or grandchildren in the park
• walk over and talk to colleagues rather than emailing them

A simple healthy eating plan#

If you have diabetes, a simple plan can make a big difference:

• eat regular meals throughout the day
• fill at least half your plate with non-starchy vegetables or salad at both lunch and dinner
• include a small serving of high-fibre carbohydrate at each meal, such as wholegrain bread, oats, wholemeal pasta, brown rice or quinoa
• watch your portion sizes, as eating too much can lead to weight gain and make diabetes harder to manage

Limit the unhealthy (saturated) fats found in full-fat dairy products, butter, cream, fatty and processed meats, fried foods, cakes, pastries, and foods containing palm or coconut oil. Replace them with healthier unsaturated fats such as olive, canola or sunflower oil, monounsaturated or polyunsaturated margarines, oily fish, avocado, seeds and nuts.

Oily fish is great for heart health. Aim to include oily fish such as salmon (tinned or fresh), sardines, mackerel, herring or tuna at least 2 to 3 times a week. Save cakes, biscuits and desserts for special occasions, and reduce the salt you add when cooking or at the table.

Carbohydrates and blood glucose#

Carbohydrates are digested to form glucose in the blood, which your body uses for energy. It is the amount of carbohydrate in your meal that has the greatest effect on your blood glucose levels. By eating regular meals and spreading your carbohydrate servings evenly through the day, you can keep your energy up without causing large rises in blood glucose. Depending on your diabetes medication, you may also need snacks between meals, check with your diabetes educator or dietitian about how much carbohydrate is right for your meal plan.

Some carbohydrate foods release glucose into the bloodstream more slowly than others. These are described as low GI and can be helpful for blood glucose management. Healthy low-GI choices include some high-fibre breads and cereals (especially grainy bread and oats), pasta, basmati or low-GI rice, quinoa, barley, most fruit, legumes and low-fat dairy products. Aim to include at least one low-GI food per meal. Foods with a GI of 55 and below are considered low GI.

Portion sizes still matter with low-GI foods, as large servings can still raise blood glucose and lead to weight gain. Some low-GI foods, such as ice cream and chocolate, can also be high in saturated fat, added sugar and energy, so always check the ingredients and energy content of packaged foods. GI values are only an average, and people can react quite differently to the same food, so it helps to self-monitor your blood glucose before and about 2 hours after a meal to see how particular foods affect you.

A small amount of sugar can be included in your diet, but it is best eaten as part of a nutritious meal, for example, a teaspoon of honey with plain porridge, or tinned fruit in natural juice with a high-fibre breakfast cereal.

Choosing healthy fats#

Fats are high in energy, and eating too much can lead to weight gain, which can make blood glucose harder to manage and can raise blood fats such as cholesterol. The type of fat you eat also matters. People with diabetes have a greater risk of heart problems, so try to eat less saturated fat and replace it with healthier unsaturated fat.

Foods high in saturated fat include meat fat, full-fat dairy foods, cream, solid cooking fats (such as butter, lard and ghee), palm and coconut oils, and products that contain these fats, such as fried foods, some cakes and biscuits, and convenience foods.

When you do eat fats, choose mainly unsaturated fats:

• polyunsaturated fats and oils, found in sunflower, safflower, soybean, corn, cottonseed, grapeseed and sesame oils, as well as oily fish, nuts, seeds and polyunsaturated margarines
• monounsaturated fats and oils, found in canola and olive oil, avocados, nuts and seeds

Protein foods#

Most people need only 2 to 3 small servings of meat or other protein foods each day. Most protein foods do not directly affect your blood glucose. They include lean meat, skinless poultry, seafood, eggs, unsalted nuts, soy products such as tofu, and legumes (dried beans, lentils, chickpeas and kidney beans). Legumes also contain carbohydrate, so they can have some effect on blood glucose.

Putting meals together#

Include a small serving of carbohydrate in each meal or snack to help manage blood glucose. You can eat your main meal at either lunch or dinner. Some examples include:

• Breakfast: wholegrain toast with thinly spread peanut butter, baked beans, grilled tomato with avocado, poached or boiled eggs, or ricotta and tomato, with tea, coffee or water
• Light meal: a sandwich or roll made with wholegrain bread, with tea, coffee or water
• Main meal: lean meat, skinless poultry, fish or other seafood, or a cup of cooked legumes such as beans or lentils, with vegetables, and tea, coffee or water

Not everyone needs snacks between meals, talk to your diabetes educator or dietitian if you are unsure. If you do include snacks, choose healthy options such as a slice of wholegrain bread with thinly spread peanut butter, ricotta or cottage cheese.

Key points#

• Healthy eating helps you manage your blood glucose, blood pressure and blood fats, and maintain a healthy weight, and can help prevent or slow diabetes complications.
• Make vegetables the main part of your meal, watch portion sizes, and include a small serving of high-fibre carbohydrate at each meal.
• The type of fat you eat is important, choose unsaturated fats over saturated fats.
• You can eat your main meal at lunch or dinner; not everyone needs snacks between meals.

Where to get help and trusted information#

For evidence-based global health guidance, see Source: World Health Organization (WHO).