You’re eager to take care of yourself and live a full and happy life after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. What you eat has a very big impact on your blood glucose levels and eating healthy foods can reduce your need for medication. In this article, we’ll look at foods to avoid if you have been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes. But it’s not all doom, gloom and restrictions. You’ll also find some great alternatives to replace any foods you want to avoid. Let’s dive right in.

Type 2 Diabetes Foods to Avoid: a Focus on “White” Foods

“White” foods refer to food products that are highly processed. So food made with white flour, white rice and white sugar gets digested very quickly and turned into glucose very fast, so your blood glucose levels will go higher.

Whole grain products like 100 percent wholegrain bread, brown rice, low-carb pasta, or wholewheat flour are digested slowly so your blood glucose levels won’t rise so quickly and they also contain more nutrients. All carbohydrates get digested and turned into glucose so small portions are important to.  Eat carbohydrates in moderation and if you need to, check your blood glucose levels in line with your doctor’s instructions.

Although brown sugar is less refined, it will still push raise blood glucose levels quickly. High fructose sweetening has similar effects on the body as glucose. Natural sweeteners like Stevia, and artificial, non-nutritive sweeteners do not affect your blood glucose levels and can be safe if used within recommended limits (too much can cause side effects like diarrhoea).

Ready Meals: Yes or No?

When it comes to foods to avoid, people with Type 2 diabetes in the UK may have a hard time weaning themselves off ready meals. 86 percent of UK adults eat ready, or ready-to-cook, meals several times a week. The good news is that not all these meals will be bad for you. Once again, it depends on the ingredients and mode of preparation.

Many supermarkets offer “ready-to-cook” meals that are nearly as healthy as anything you can prepare at home.  Have a look at the nutritional information and aim for food that are low in sugars, carbohydrates, salt and fat. Labels are often colour coded to make it easier to avoid food high in things that are less good for your health (usually coded red).

At the same time, a lot of easy meals aren’t particularly healthy. A microwave chicken tikka, for example, is high on calories and low on veg. Making your own at home is likely to be a better bet, especially if you avoid rice and have your curry with vegetables or cauliflower rice.

Can You Still Eat Meat?

Yes, you can still eat meat as meat is high in protein and does not raise your blood glucose levels. However some meat can be high in fat and so it is best to eat lean meats like chicken. Fish or vegetarian sources of protein (like lentils or chick peas) are also good for your health. Overall,  it’s best not to eat much red meat or salty, processed meats like bacon and sandwich meats. A plant-based diet can be very helpful in managing Type 2 diabetes, so consider using meat as an occasional treat rather than a staple.

Drink for Your Health

Chances are, you’ve already red-flagged sugary, fizzy drinks. But fruit juices can be as bad, even when they don’t have any added sugar. Choose zero-calorie drinks, or stick to water, carbonated water, tea or coffee without sugar, or herbal teas. You can drink low-fat milk in moderation, and vegetable smoothies are great as long as you remember the carbohydrates they contain when calculating your daily intake.

As for alcoholic beverages, it may be best to avoid them altogether, but you can get away with a glass of dry red wine now and then. It may even be quite good for you. One unit of beer or distilled spirits shouldn’t do any harm, but avoid sugary mixers.

Snack Safely

You’re rightly avoiding sugary snacks and fried or baked snacks containing refined products, but you can still snack safely between meals. While you should eat it in moderation, fruit is a safe bet, and small amounts of dried fruit without sugar will be fine too. Just be aware of portion sizes when eating fruit and avoid very sugary fruits like watermelons and very ripe bananas.

Your snacks aren’t limited to fruits. You can enjoy air-popped popcorn, wholegrain crackers (check the ingredients,) roasted pumpkin seeds, greek yoghurt, and more. Just be sure to check that they’re free from sugar, low on salt, and low on fats and calories.

Add Years to Your Life With Good Diabetes Management

You’ve probably read the depressing statistic that says you’ll shorten your life by up to 10 years owing to Type 2 diabetes. Before you get into the doldrums, think about that statistic. It’s based on averages. The better you manage your diabetes, the less that statistic applies to you. In fact, there’s every reason to suspect that you may live as long, or almost as long, as someone who doesn’t have diabetes if you manage your condition well and keep it under control.

Unfortunately, mainstream insurers don’t take that into account when you’re looking for life cover. Some will offer you insurance at higher premiums. Some may even turn down your application. They’re not looking at you as an individual. They’re looking at you as a statistic. What you want is an insurer who understands you: your needs, your challenges, and your individual circumstances. It’s time you looked at specialised life insurance for people living with Type 2 diabetes. Get the ball rolling right away. It’s as easy as filling out an online application - all you need is 5 minutes to tell us about yourself.

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Reviewed by Dr. Kingshuk Pal