Eating Well with Type 2 Diabetes

Nutrition Know-How

-- By Becky Hand, Registered Dietitian & Tanya Jolliffe, Healthy Eating Expert

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When you have diabetes, your diet plays a key role in controlling your blood sugar levels. SparkPeople strongly encourages everyone with diabetes to meet with a Registered Dietitian or a Certified Diabetes Educator in their area. These health professionals can assess your individual nutritional needs and develop a specific plan to meet your physical needs, work schedule and activities, medication schedule, health goals, tastes and lifestyle. You should not alter your diabetes management plan without discussing your options with your health care provider. With all this in mind, SparkPeople will still be a great resource for you. Use this article to review key points for eating with type 2 diabetes. Note: SparkPeople does offer meal plans designed for people with diabetes. Click here to learn more.

Carbohydrate Basics
Carbohydrates are your body’s main energy source. During digestion, sugar (simple carbohydrates) and starches (complex carbohydrates) break down into blood sugar (glucose). If you consume too much carbohydrate-rich foods at one time, your blood sugar levels may raise too high, which can be problematic.

Carbohydrates are found in cereals and grains, fruits and fruit juices, milk and yogurt, and sweets. Because they are important sources of energy, it's important to include nutritious carbohydrates at each meal and snack. But keep in mind that the healthiest carbohydrate choices are whole grains, vegetables, fruits, legumes, beans, and low-fat dairy products.

Portion Control
Portion control is a problem for many people, but for individuals with type 2 diabetes it becomes even more important—especially when concerning carbohydrates. About half (50%) of your daily calories should come from carbohydrates--even when you have diabetes. A general recommendation is to eat about 2-3 carbohydrate servings (30-45 grams) at each meal for women and 3-4 carbohydrate servings (45-60 grams) at each meal for men. Both men and women should limit carbohydrates at snacks to 1-2 carbohydrate servings (15-30 grams). Click here for a detailed, printable chart that shows single (15-gram) servings of carbohydrate-containing foods.

Your health care professional will help you determine the exact amount of grams of carbohydrates that are right for you each day. If this number differs from SparkPeople's recommendations, you'll need to adjust your Nutrition Tracker to help you better monitor your intake. To make necessary changes follow these easy steps:

Make sure you're logged in and go to your Nutrition Tracker. Near the top of the page, click the button that says "Change Nutrition Goals." Click the "edit" button next to SparkPeople's carbohydrate recommendation. Change this range to reflect the carbohydrate recommendations from your health care provider. Click "save" at the bottom of the page. Scroll down and click "Save your changes" to return to your newly updated Nutrition Tracker.

Other Important Eating Strategies
When it comes to controlling your blood sugar, when and what you eat with your carbohydrates is just as important as the type and amount of carbohydrates you consume. Here are some other important eating strategies for type 2 diabetics:

1. Space your meals evenly. Evenly spacing out your meals and snacks throughout the day will help keep your blood sugar levels stable. General guidelines say to wait at least 2 hours (but no more than 5 hours) between meals and snacks during the day. Eating at regular intervals will help to prevent your blood sugar level from going either too high or too low. You can set-up your SparkPeople Nutrition Tracker with as many meals and snacks as you'd like, using the eating schedule provided by your health care professional. When you track your foods, you'll see your carbohydrate totals (plus calorie, protein and fat) for each meal and snack you eat throughout the day.

2. Consider adding a little lean protein to every meal and snack. Small portions of protein do not raise blood sugar levels. They may help slow down the rate at which carbohydrates are digested, and typically help you feel full longer. The amount of protein you need should be determined by your health care professional. Protein sources include foods like meat (such as beef, pork, chicken, fish and seafood, deli meats, ham, hot dogs, sausage, and turkey) and meat alternatives (such as eggs, egg substitutes, peanut butter, nuts and tofu). Cheeses and cottage cheese are also protein sources but are sometimes categorized as calcium sources. When evaluating your SparkDiet for protein and carbohydrate balance, just remember that meat, meat alternatives and cheese all count as protein sources.

Your health care professional will help you determine how many grams of protein are right for you each day. If this number differs from SparkPeople's recommendations, you'll need to adjust your Nutrition Tracker to help you better monitor your intake. To make necessary changes follow these easy steps:

Make sure you're logged in and go to your Nutrition Tracker. Near the top of the page, click the button that says "Change Nutrition Goals." Click the "edit" button next to SparkPeople's protein recommendation. Change this range to reflect the protein recommendations from your health care provider. Click "save" at the bottom of the page. Scroll down and click "Save your changes" to return to your newly updated Nutrition Tracker.

3. Eat healthy fats in moderation. Fats are an important part of a well-balanced diet. Like protein, eating fats along with carbohydrates can help curb hunger. Fats are found in things like margarine, butter, shortening, cream cheese, gravy, mayonnaise, nuts, seeds, oil, salad dressings, and sour cream. While it is important that you include some fat in your meals and snacks, it is equally as important that you make wise choices about the type and amount that you consume. When you have diabetes, you are at increased risk of heart disease and stroke because diabetes can accelerate the development of clogged and hardened arteries. That is why heart-healthy eating should also be a part of your diabetes diet. Use the following guidelines when making fat selections:

Eat fats in moderation. Your total fat intake should make up no more than 30% of your calories daily—that's about 60 grams of fat for someone who eats 1,800 calories each day. (Your SparkDiet and Nutrition Tracker already reflect this guideline.)
Limit your intake of saturated fat to no more than 7% of your daily calories—that's approximately 14 grams for an 1,800-calorie diet. The following steps will help you adjust your Nutrition Tracker:
- Make sure you're logged in and go to your Nutrition Tracker. Near the top of the page, click the button that says "Change Nutrition Goals." Click the "Add another nutrient to track" button near the bottom. Select "Fatty acids, total saturated" from the drop-down list. Change the pre-selected range to reflect the saturated fat recommendations from your health care provider. Click "save" at the bottom of the page. Scroll down and click "Save your changes" to return to your newly updated Nutrition Tracker.
Avoid artery-clogging trans fats as much as possible.
When you do consume fat, choose heart-healthy fats that are monounsaturated (such as olive and canola oils) and/or polyunsaturated (found in nuts and seeds). Consume no more than 300 milligrams of cholesterol daily. (Your SparkDiet and Nutrition Tracker already reflect these guidelines.)

4. Fill up on fiber. Eating fiber-rich foods at meals and snacks can also help keep your blood sugars stabilized because it slows the rate at which carbohydrates are digested. Dietary fiber comes from parts of plant foods that your body can’t digest or absorb. There are actually two different types of dietary fiber. Insoluble fiber (found in whole-wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts and many vegetables) increases the movement of material through your digestive system. Soluble fiber (found in oats, peas, beans, apples, citrus fruits, carrots, barley and psyllium) is more important for diabetics. It dissolves in water to form a gel-like material and can help lower cholesterol levels. Ingestion of large amounts of soluble fiber (approximately 50 grams) appears to improve blood glucose levels. However, it is unknown if regularly consuming that much fiber each day is realistic for most people. Currently, there are no clinical practice recommendations that suggest people with diabetes should consume more daily fiber than the general public. SparkPeople recommends 25-35 grams of fiber daily, and your Nutrition Tracker already reflects this.

5. Take advantage of “free foods.”Certain foods do not tend to raise blood sugar levels and can be used to help “fill in” your meal plan with little worry about their blood sugar affects. Examples of these foods include:

Non-starchy vegetables, including asparagus, green and wax beans, beets, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, carrots, cauliflower, celery, cucumbers, eggplant, greens, lettuce, onions, pea pods, peppers, radishes, spinach, tomatoes, turnips, and zucchini. These tend to be better choices for diabetics than starchy vegetables.
Foods like club soda, artificially-sweetened coffee and tea, diet soda, sugar-free gelatin, seasonings, sugar substitutes and non-dairy creamer have few carbohydrates and calories and are usually considered “free” foods that you do not have to count in your meal plan.

Meal Planning: Putting It All Together
If you have diabetes, SparkPeople highly recommends that you work directly with a Registered Dietitian or Certified Diabetes Educator to receive personalized nutrition guidelines and meal plans. Together you can develop a diabetes meal plan, based on your health goals, tastes, and lifestyle—as well as the latest guidelines for healthy eating. Click here for examples of two different meal planning systems.

For more specific information or help, talk to your health care provider. The American Diabetes Association's National Call Center also offers live advice from 8:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. EST, Monday through Friday at 1-800-DIABETES or 1-800-342-2383.

This article has been reviewed and approved by Amy Poetker, Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator.

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About The Author

Becky Hand
Becky is a registered and licensed dietitian with almost 20 years of experience. Through her company, An Ounce of Prevention, she makes nutrition principles practical, easy to apply and fun. See all of Becky's articles.

View All Comments (26) Leave a Comment ›

Member Comments

RENATA144

Thank you for this Very helpful article. - 4/25/2013 10:56:22 AM
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LHEEDLES

WHAT DRINKS CAN A PERSON WITH TYPE 2 DIABETES DRINK?? BESIDES DIET SODA??? PLEASE SOMEONE TELL ME, MY HUSBAND-TO-BE NEEDS SOMETHING OTHER THAN DIET SODAS!! HE'S GETTING SICK OF DRINKING DIET SODAS!!! THANKS, LAUREN
- 4/3/2013 4:32:32 PM
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ARTISTSBRUSH

Amen Lee. They are following the party line on how to treat diabetes. There's nothing wrong with saturated fat or cholesterol. The body needs cholesterol to make hormones. It isn't cholesterol that causes heart disease, it's carbs! - 12/31/2012 12:51:56 AM
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YASMIN211

I am a South African, living in South Africa, Cape Town, and we dont always have what is listed on the diet, is there a possibilty for a South African Diet, because i like what i see. i am a dibetic type 2 and on insulin as well.
thanking you June - 8/16/2012 8:30:13 AM
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ALYNNMAHLE

Those who are looking for gluten-free whole grains should try quinoa, millet and chia seeds. Also, brown rice is an excellent gluten-free grain. Quinoa, millet and chia are ancient "new" grains full of protein, fiber and many other healthy nutrients, too. - 7/24/2012 3:28:58 PM
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DAISYLEIN

Dear Mrs. Becky Hand (Author),

i have to also follow a glutenfree diet which makes it very difficult to get whole grain products in my lokal food store here in germany. i wonder how easy it is in USA, because i am planing to visit my daughter in Texas. Could u or anyone here reading give me some advise where to find whole grain but glutenfree bread, oats, cereals + noodles in San Antanio? Do i have to order thru internet like i have to do here in germany?

the glutenfree oats do cost me 10x more than regular, the whole-grain noodles 15x more ...
but including the oats which lowered my blood sugar is very important for me.

i have also heard from different Doctors that chromium is also important for diabetic's, is there anyone who has good experiences?

i apreciate any response - wishing all a gr8 new week with lots of good success in everything - 7/2/2012 8:16:20 AM
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SASSY-NAK

I just love SP. So much information. Diagnosed in Nov. with Type 2 and I try to spend a little bit of time every day on this site to help me learn to manage this disease. I am continually impressed and I really do learn something new everyday. - 12/21/2011 1:30:44 PM
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DIWATSURU

This article and the chart will be of great asistance. - 7/5/2011 9:30:22 AM
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CARDIAZ7

This was a great article. I have had Type II Diabetes for 5 years and still struggle with denial. I appreciated how specific the author was about certain foods and also the step by step instructions on setting the Nutrition Tracker for my needs. Thanks! - 2/16/2011 9:13:50 PM
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IAMSUZIE2

Just joined SP and love it. I am already tracking my daily food and learning the gram counts and calories of everything. This is extremely important as I was just told I have type2 diabetes. I've been off sugar and watching what I eat and trying to limit those carbs and eating good foods and I have already lost weight. This website is a great resource for me. Thanks SP! - 10/14/2010 1:31:23 PM
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HYPERIONREDCAR

This is my first day on here after finding the SparkPeople app on my Blackberry. Likewise, this site was discussed on my employer's wellness page. I've joined to make my "wellness" commitment a little easier to track. One of my main concerns is my carb intake because of type II diabetes. After setting up my profile and having the site set my daily levels for nutrition goals I noticed the site recommended somewhere close to 300 carbs daily as the median. This article reinforced my first thought that I would need to self adjust the carb goals in line with my Dr. recommended meal and snack intake. - 8/11/2010 11:59:02 PM
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7LYNNIE7

Thanks for the updates - having been dx'd with Diabetes in November I have since lost 85 pounds (115 in a year) and eliminated one of my meds! yaaay me.

leestriegel - I am sorry you had to post such a post as you did. A little bit of knowledge and reading would show you that there is a difference in carbs in whole grains and starchy vegetables. Both still have to be eaten in moderation but whole grains are healthier than starchy veg. and your body uses them differently. Managing meals is tricky and if you have diabetes you learn this very quickly. As well, what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for others and you constantly balance.

Please take the time to learn more details about these conditions before you make such an uninformed statement in forums where people are trying to learn not only to eat more healthy but to deal with a medical condition as well. It's hard to do both. - 6/30/2010 11:58:13 AM
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CAROLJ35

It is really sad that people like EMMYDAWNSMOM do not have a Spark Page one can go to to offer some help.
When my doctor told me I was borderline diabetic she sent me to a free class for diabetics. I had only been in SP a couple of months so took all of my info with me, including print-outs of the meals I had been eating and the % of fats, carbs and protein.
The dietitian was so impressed with the SP program she was planning to recommend it to others. Her only suggestion was to try to keep carbs at 50% and up the protein a little. And I have a hard time doing that because the older I get, the less meat I desire. But I love those beans and cook them from dried to keep sodium low.
I do not take meds because I eat healthy and get exercise now. Thanks, Becky and SP. - 6/2/2010 8:28:18 PM
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NJ_SHUTTERBUG

Very good article. I just came from a nutrition class for my husband and what they said at the class was mentioned in this article. I don't know what the woman was complaining about re. the article as it's quoted below.

"But keep in mind that the healthiest carbohydrate choices are whole grains,
vegetables,
fruits, legumes, beans, and low-fat dairy products".

If you're on Medicare, or your spouse is, you can request to go to the nutrition classes at your local hospital. Well worth the time. In my county classes they spend 3 days of 2 1/2 hours each helping you understand what you have, why you have it, you won't heal yourself from it, you can just help it enough that you won't need the meds but, once the pancreas slows down in insulin production which is what causes diabetes II, it will never speed up. You just learn to eat right so your body doesn't need as much insulin so, for a time, you might get off meds. Key word is might and, as they stressed today, even if that happens you still have diabetes II it's just under control. They will also give you a personalized meal plan and so much more. I've had diabetes II for 10+ years and this is the second time I'd been to this class, once with my Dad and it's amazing how much I'd forgotten and how much new information there is out there.

- 4/30/2010 7:58:05 PM
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PNUT65

Wow leestriegel, you need to chill - we need people we can talk to who have the same concerns- you don't have to take anyone's advice, but some people need this and that's why we joined. to feel better about ourselves and know there is other's out there who are going through the same things. - 4/13/2010 5:01:02 PM
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