12 Foods to Avoid if You Have Type 2 Diabetes (2024)

Knowing which foods to put in your shopping cart — and which ones to pass up — is key when it comes to managing type 2 diabetes.

What’s on your plate? It’s an important question. One of the most essential steps to avoiding complications from type 2 diabetes is managing your diet, says William Sullivan, MD, a senior physician at Joslin Diabetes Center and an assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston.

This means knowing both what to eat and what not to eat. To keep your blood sugar in check, you’ll want to avoid less-healthy foods, such as foods or drinks with added fats, sugars, and sodium, according to the Mayo Clinic. At the same time, you’ll want to choose heart-healthy fish; “good” fats like nuts, avocados, and olive oil; and healthy sources of carbohydrates, including fruits, vegetables, whole grains like brown rice, legumes like beans and peas, and lowfat or fat-free dairy products.

RELATED: Everything You Should Know About Fats and Heart Health

Type 2 diabetesincreases your risk ofheart diseaseandstroke, so avoiding saturated fats is key.

According to the Mayo Clinic, foods that contain saturated fat include:

• Meat
• Whole-fat dairy products (butter, cheese)
• Coconut oil
• Egg yolks
• Baked goods
• Fried foods

A healthy diet is even more critical if you’re overweight. “Weight loss has a dramatic effect on controlling diabetes,” says Dr. Sullivan. Losing just 10 to 15 pounds may help you prevent and manage high blood sugar, according to the American Diabetes Association (ADA). In fact, losing just 5 to 10 percent of your body weight has also been shown to help some people reduce the amount of diabetes medication they need, according to research.

Here are 12 foods that you should specifically avoid — or at least limit — to help manage type 2 diabetes.

39

Skip Regular Soda and Sip Sparkling Water Instead

If you have diabetes, you’re allotted approximately 30 to 45 grams (g) of total carbs per meal if you’re a woman and 45 to 60 g per meal if you’re a man, says Amy Kimberlain, RDN, a certified diabetes care and education specialist (CDCES) and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics who is based in Miami.

If you down a 12-ounce (oz) can ofsodawith your lunch, you’ve already used up 39 g of your carbohydrates for the day, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) — the equivalent of more than 9 teaspoons (tsp) of sugar. All that sugar not only makes yourblood sugarharder to control, but it can also tax your heart, kidneys, gastrointestinal tract, and immune system, says Bobbie Randall, RD, CDCES, who practices in Wooster, Ohio. Instead of soft drinks, she recommends sparkling water with a refreshing slice of lemon, lime, or cucumber.

40

Smoothies Aren’t Always as Healthy as They Seem

Sodas are a no-brainer, but other drinks that contain loads of sugar aren’t as easy to spot. Take fruitsmoothies: They sound nutritious, but they can pack a sugary carb punch, especially if they’re oversized and made with sweetened fruit, sugar syrup, and sweetened yogurt. Nutrition stats on fruit smoothies vary widely, so always check the label on yours (if bottled), or request this information (if you’re ordering from a restaurant or quick-service spot). In general, a 12-oz fruit smoothie has 52 g of carbs, including 44 g of sugar, per the USDA. It’s possible to make a smoothie at home that’s diabetes-friendly, as long as you plan out the ingredients wisely. As an alternative, Randall recommends sipping sugar-free flavored waters or eating fruit whole to get its beneficialfiber while keeping carbohydrates in check.

RELATED: What Are the Best Fruits for People With Type 2 Diabetes?

41

Cut Back on Sugar-Bomb Coffee Drinks

Other unhealthy beverages, such ascoffee drinks, are seemingly ubiquitous. For example, one popularmedium frozen coffee drink packs a whopping 54 g of carbs, the majority of which come from the drink’s 51 g of sugar. So before you place your next to-go order, see if the item’s nutritional information is listed on the menu so you can choose smarter.

You shouldn’t have to ditchcoffeecompletely — try enhancing a regular coffee with sugar-free hazelnut syrup, some vanilla extract, or a dash of cinnamon. If you crave a little richness, Randall recommends using a few drops of half-and-half.

42

Avoid Fried Foods Like French Fries and Chicken Nuggets

Fried foods are usually breaded, which can add up to lots of carbohydrates, unhealthy fats, andcalories, says Kimberlain. Too much fat in your diet can lead toweight gain, she adds, which can worsen type 2 diabetes. Weight gain also increases your risk of heart disease, a risk that’s already elevated when you have diabetes,according to the American Heart Association (AHA). Rather than eating breaded and fried favorites like chicken nuggets, shrimp, okra, and onion rings, Randall suggests roasting or baking these foods without the breadcrumbs. Try a coating of fresh herbs or spices. If you must have breading, coat the foods with whole-grain crumbs, and bake them instead of frying — “that’s a happy medium,” she says.

RELATED:5 ‘Bad’ Diabetes Foods You Can Enjoy in Moderation

43

Favor Lean Proteins Over Fatty Cuts of Meat

44

Pass on Unhealthy Packaged or Processed Sweets

Packaged snacks and baked goods like cookies, doughnuts, and snack cakes typically contain refined carbs that cause a sharp spike in your blood sugar and can lead to weight gain when eaten in excess, says Kimberlain. They also may still contain unhealthy trans fats, which can further raise your risk of heart disease, she adds. (Trans fats have been phased out as an ingredient because they are so dangerous to health, but as this change takes effect, some foods may still be made with these partially hydrogenated oils, notes theMayo Clinic.) Randall recommends limiting your consumption ofhigh-carb, white-flour,and sugar-sweetened treats (once in a while is okay) and choosingwhole-grainversions whenever possible.

RELATED: 8 Healthy Carbs for People With Type 2 Diabetes

45

Give the Heave-Ho to Heavily Salted Processed Foods

46

Take Biscuits and Sausage Gravy Off Your Menu

Randall singles out this traditional Southern mealas an example of a combination that people who have diabetes should avoid. The biscuits usually are made with white flour, and the sausage gravy is high in fat, calories, and sodium. According to the USDA, a single biscuit with gravy has 493 calories, 32 g of fat (14 g of which is saturated), and 37.4 g of carbs. As an alternative, Randall recommends eggs, whichever way you like them, and a whole-grain English muffin.

RELATED: 10 Foods You Should Absolutely Avoid When You Have Diabetes

47

Eat High-Fiber Fruit Instead of Drinking Juice

It may seem that 100-percent fruit juice is a healthy choice because it contains no added sugar, but a mere ½-cup (equivalent to 4-oz) serving contains 16 g of carbs and about 64 calories, per the USDA. Beyond that, the body metabolizes 100-percent fruit juice in the same way it processes soda, leading to a quick increase in blood sugar levels. Either way, the result is a higher risk for weight gain and heart disease, notes one study.

Therefore, fruit juice isn’t ideal for people with type 2 diabetes, saysLynn Grieger, RDN, CDCES, a health, food, and fitness coach in Prescott, Arizona, and a medical reviewer for Everyday Health.

Other fruit drinks can contain added sugar and even more carbohydrates. Keep in mind that no matter what, it’s easy to drink more than ½ cup of juice, which means the carbohydrates and calories increase as well.

If you simply can’t give up fruit juice, limit your serving size to 4 oz per day, says Grieger. A better choice still is to eat a piece of fresh fruit, which contains valuable fiber that is lacking in juice, and drink water, she advises.

48

Choose Granola, Energy, and Protein Bars Carefully

49

Stay Away From Sweetened Yogurt and Go Greek

Yogurt is often synonymous with “healthy,” but buyer beware, warns Grieger. Unless labeled “plain,” yogurt contains added sugar. In order to best manage blood sugar, you’ll want to limit added sugar in your diet, says the ADA. The very best yogurt option is plainGreek yogurt, she says. For people with type 2 diabetes who are looking to lose weight, nonfat is a great choice — according to the USDA, a typical, 150-g container contains just 5.7 g carbs (and a whopping 16 g protein, 0.265 g of fat, and 5.1 g of naturally occurring sugar). The same serving size of flavored Greek yogurt, on the other hand, contains 18.3 g carbs, 0.2 g fat, and 17.2 g of sugar.

Any yogurt that contains sprinkles, granola, or candies is going to contain even more carbohydrates and fat, not to mention added sugar, Grieger adds.

50

Opt for Plain Oatmeal Over Sweetened Cereals

Hot breakfast cerealis usually made from whole-grains such as wheat (porridge) or oats (oatmeal), which naturally contain carbohydrates, explains Grieger. Sprinkling any kind of sugar (brown included) on top increases carbohydrates dramatically.

To enjoy a truly healthy oatmeal, choose plain steel-cut or old-fashioned oatmeal and add your own fruit and a bit ofcinnamonfor sweetness, she suggests.