And eating half now and "saving the rest for later" is nearly impossible; foods rich in carbs, fat, and sugar are downright addicting. A University of Montreal study found that mice who had been fed diets with high levels of those very nutrients displayed withdrawal symptoms and were more sensitive to stressful situations after they were put on a healthier diet.
They might be the perfect early-morning shortcut, but it's probably best for you to reconsider your grab-and-go meal if you have diabetes. Granola- and cereal-based bars aren't just high in refined carbs, but they're also coated in countless grams of syrups and sugars to keep them bound.
Cereal bars, in particular, can serve up nearly 30 grams of carbs and 16 of those are straight up sugar. With only 1 gram of fiber, your blood glucose levels will be hitching a ride on the sugar roller coaster. All those smiling models in yogurt commercials obviously haven't checked out the ingredients list on their purportedly healthy snack. Most fruit-flavored yogurts on the market contain little precious fruit and are sweetened with sugar instead. It's not just fruit-flavored yogurts that are the culprits.
There's a reason potato chips are one of the most addicting junk foods. They're pulverized, soaked in fat, and loaded with salt. Pancakes are a breakfast staple but they're almost completely void of nutrition. More of a pastry than a nutritious breakfast choice, pancakes are usually loaded with more unhealthy toppings such as sugary syrup and saturated fat-laden butter.
Vanilla frozen yogurt Shutterstock Frozen yogurt seems like the healthier alternative to ice cream , especially without all the fat, but "when you remove that fat, you add more sugar for taste," Anziani says. Yogurt parfaits are one of the worst offenders of having a health halo—they sound nutritious, but are secretly a sugar and calorie bomb.
Anziani says parfaits are usually all carbs; with flavored yogurt, sweetened granola, and high-sugar fruit puree, they can pack up to 60 grams of blood-sugar-spiking carbs. You're better off opting for unflavored plain Greek yogurt and adding chia seeds and a handful of blueberries. Most people assume skim milk is better since all the fat has been taken out. But that's not the case for diabetics. A salad seems like a healthy meal until you destroy it with a caloric dressing.
Trying to find a diabetic-friendly dressing is like navigating a minefield of sugar and fat. But even fat-free options aren't always better for you. Partially hydrogenated oils are a form of trans fat, which are some of the most inflammatory oils available, explains Anziani. Watch out for vegetable oils that are made with partially-hydrogenated palm and soybean oils, which contain trace amounts of trans fats. Cook with extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil instead.
Don't be fooled by the word fruit; these little gummies are nothing but sugar bombs. Snack on a low-sugar fruit instead, such as blueberries, raspberries, or an apple. Buttery biscuits aren't just pure carbs; they're also potentially laden with other bad-for-you things, too, especially commercial biscuits from the store or a fast-food joint.
In addition to diabetes, inflammation has been linked to other health complications such as obesity and cancer. Although all-natural, unsweetened peanut butter is a good food for diabetics, it's a far cry from the processed peanut butter found in packaged sandwich crackers. These are made with highly refined crackers, Anziani says, and peanut butter made with lots of sugar and salt which will raise blood sugar and blood pressure.
Macaroni and cheese is usually made with white flour and highly refined noodles, mixed with high-fat milk and cheese. Anziani says this combination of refined carbs and saturated fat will lead to inflammation in the body and brain.
Macaroni and cheese also has a high glycemic load. Plain oats are one of our best foods for diabetes because they contain a fiber called beta-glucan, which seems to have an anti-diabetic effect. 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. Becoming more active and making changes in what you eat and drink can seem challenging at first.
You may find it easier to start with small changes and get help from your family, friends, and health care team. 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 health care team will help create a diabetes meal plan for you that meets your needs and likes. The key to eating with diabetes is to eat a variety of healthy foods from all food groups, in the amounts your meal plan outlines.
Learn more about the food groups at the U. Drink water instead of sweetened beverages. Consider using a sugar substitute in your coffee or tea. If you use insulin or diabetes medicines that increase the amount of insulin your body makes, alcohol can make your blood glucose level drop too low. Some people with diabetes need to eat at about the same time each day. Others can be more flexible with the timing of their meals.
Depending on your diabetes medicines or type of insulin, you may need to eat the same amount of carbohydrates at the same time each day.
If you use certain diabetes medicines or insulin and you skip or delay a meal, your blood glucose level can drop too low. Ask your health care team when you should eat and whether you should eat before and after physical activity. Eating the right amount of food will also help you manage your blood glucose level and your weight.
Your health care team can help you figure out how much food and how many calories you should eat each day. If you are overweight or have obesity , work with your health care team to create a weight-loss plan.
The Body Weight Planner can help you tailor your calorie and physical activity plans to reach and maintain your goal weight. To lose weight, you need to eat fewer calories and replace less healthy foods with foods lower in calories, fat, and sugar. If you have diabetes, are overweight or obese, and are planning to have a baby, you should try to lose any excess weight before you become pregnant.
Learn more about planning for pregnancy if you have diabetes. Two common ways to help you plan how much to eat if you have diabetes are the plate method and carbohydrate counting, also called carb counting. The plate method helps you control your portion sizes. The plate method shows the amount of each food group you should eat. This method works best for lunch and dinner. Use a 9-inch plate. Put nonstarchy vegetables on half of the plate; a meat or other protein on one-fourth of the plate; and a grain or other starch on the last one-fourth.
Starches include starchy vegetables such as corn and peas. You also may eat a small bowl of fruit or a piece of fruit, and drink a small glass of milk as included in your meal plan. Carbohydrate counting involves keeping track of the amount of carbohydrates you eat and drink each day.
French fries are loaded with saturated fat, sodium, carbohydrates and calories. Although most fast-food restaurants now offer trans-fat-free fries, that doesn't make them good for you.
You don't have to eliminate french fries from your diet completely, but choose them less often and consider sharing when you're out. Here's a look at the nutritional breakdown for a large order of fries from three fast-food chains.
Make your own french fries at home using our recipe! Swapping out white potatoes for sweet potatoes, which have more fiber and a lower glycemic index, makes this a healthier alternative.
That cookie with all the sprinkles or chocolate chips is full of simple carbohydrates read: sugar and not-so-healthy fats. Plus, who can eat just one?
Most people double that serving size or go for an entire row, a quick way to pile on the calories and carbs. Four Oreo Double Stuf cookies, for example, have 42 grams of carbs. While it's great to treat yourself to a tasty cookie once in a while, reserve it for a time when you need a treat, and don't treat it as something you consume daily.
Also, try making a healthier version at home using oats or whole-wheat flour, like in Bev's Chocolate Chip Cookies. The added fiber will help keep you full and satisfied. Fried chicken is another restaurant staple and all-time favorite comfort food that should be consumed in moderation.
Frying the chicken adds significant carbs, calories, sodium and fat. It turns a good protein choice into a healthy-meal deal-breaker. Here's a look at the nutritional breakdown for a fried chicken breast versus a grilled chicken breast from a leading chicken restaurant, KFC:. Pictured Recipe: Incredible Apple Tart. Tempted to grab a pie while grocery shopping? Store-bought pies are packed with calories, fat and carbs.
Don't want to miss out on the holiday pie this year? Make your own with some healthy swaps like whole-wheat flour or oats, or make a pie with only a bottom crust such as a tart! Here's how a grocery store pie compares to our Incredible Apple Tart. If you're looking for healthier options at the drive-thru window, a fruit smoothie might seem like a good choice. Filled with fruit and sold at colorful, fresh-looking hot spots, smoothies seem like great snacks or lunch choices.
Unfortunately, what you don't see is the sugar they contain, often more than a day's worth. For example, a medium Strawberry Whirl Jamba Juice Smoothie has calories, 77 grams of carbs and 66 grams of sugars. Ordering a small smoothie will slash some of the sugar, but you're best off making your own at home. Limit the fruit to one serving and mix in a protein source like Greek yogurt or silken tofu, like we do in our Strawberry-Almond Smoothie.
Although processed lunch meats are low in sugar, they're full of sodium, a nutrient to keep an eye on if you have diabetes, as it can contribute to high blood pressure. Aim to stay under 2, mg for the day. Read the nutrition labels printed on the packages you buy in the store, or ask a deli attendant to tell you the nutrition information for fresh-sliced meat.
You can reduce your sodium intake by slicing meat you've roasted at home, or by buying low-sodium deli meats at the store. Enjoy sandwiches for lunch or dinner by following our Healthy Sandwich Recipes , developed specifically for people with diabetes. Tip : Don't forget that some sandwich toppings can turn a healthy sandwich into a carb and fat disaster. Pile on veggies like spinach or cucumbers, swap cheese for a heart-healthy fat like avocado, and use spreads like mustard instead of mayonnaise.
Big, cheesy hamburgers are high in saturated fat, the leading factor in high cholesterol levels. Pair that with the bun and fries and it's a triple threat for someone with diabetes.
You don't have to cut out saturated fat completely, but the American Heart Association recommends limiting saturated fat to percent of your total daily calories. That's 13 grams of saturated fat for someone following a 2,calorie diet. Most restaurant chains post nutrition information online, so you can compare burger nutrition information at popular chains before you leave the house, to help you decide where to eat.
If nutrition information isn't available online, ask the staff about lighter menu options when you arrive. Many restaurants have turkey burgers or veggie burgers, both which are lower in saturated fat. Ask to swap your bun for a lettuce wrap, or fries for a side salad, to cut the carbs. Here's a look at the nutritional breakdown for a basic smallest size available hamburger from three fast-food chains:.
Whole wheat and whole grains are lower on the glycemic index GI scale than white breads and rice. This means that they have less of an impact on blood sugar. Fatty fish is a healthy addition to any diet.
It contains important omega-3 fatty acids called eicosapentaenoic acid and docosahexaenoic acid. People need certain amounts of healthy fats to keep their body functioning and to promote heart and brain health. The ADA reports that a diet high in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats can improve blood sugar control and blood lipids in people with diabetes.
People can eat seaweed, such as kelp and spirulina, as plant-based alternative sources of these fatty acids. Instead of fried fish, which contains saturated and trans fats, people can try baked, roasted, or grilled fish. Try pairing this with a mix of vegetables.
Beans are an excellent option for people with diabetes. They are source of plant-based protein, and they can satisfy the appetite while helping people reduce their carbohydrate intake. Beans are also low on the glycemic index GI scale and are better for blood sugar regulation than many other starchy foods. According to a report from North Dakota State University, beans may also help people manage their blood sugar levels.
They are a complex carbohydrate, so the body digests them slower than other carbohydrates. The same report suggests that eating beans may help with weight loss and could help regulate blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Beans also contain important nutrients, including iron, potassium, and magnesium.
They are highly versatile — a person might eat them in chili, stew, or a wrap with vegetables, for example. When using canned beans, be sure to choose options without added salt. Otherwise, drain and rinse the beans to remove any added salt. Nuts can be another excellent addition to the diet. Like fish, nuts contain fatty acids that help keep the heart healthy.
Walnuts are especially rich in a type of omega-3 called alpha-lipoic acid ALA. Like other omega-3s, ALA is important for heart health. People with diabetes may have a higher risk of heart disease or stroke , so it is important to consume these fatty acids.
A study from suggested that eating walnuts is linked with a lower incidence of diabetes. Walnuts also provide key nutrients, such as protein, vitamin B6, magnesium, and iron. People might add a handful of walnuts to their breakfast or a mixed salad. Learn about other beneficial nuts for diabetes here. Eating these fruits can be a great way to get vitamins and minerals without any carbohydrates.
And research has shown that citrus fruits, such as oranges, grapefruits, and lemons, can be beneficial for people with diabetes. Some researchers have found that two bioflavonoid antioxidants , called hesperidin and naringin, are responsible for the antidiabetic effects of oranges, for example. Learn about other beneficial fruits for diabetes here. Berries are full of antioxidants, which can help prevent oxidative stress.
Oxidative stress is linked with a wide range of health conditions, including heart disease and some cancers. Studies have found chronic levels of oxidative stress in people with diabetes.
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