Diabetic Diet Food List (+ Shopping List and PDF)

To get the best outcomes when managing diabetes, it’s recommended to include a variety of non-starchy vegetables into your diet. These foods come with many benefits because they offer essential nutrients such as vitamins and minerals, as well as being extremely low in calories. Vegetables also aid greatly with digestion.

When preparing vegetables, it’s best to add as little fat as possible (e.g. think of steaming)and avoid unnecessary fats which add nothing but negative effects.

Protein plays a crucial role in building and repairing tissues in the body. Including lean protein sources in a diabetic diet helps promote satiety and stabilize blood sugar levels. Choose lean cuts of poultry (like chicken breast), fish (such as salmon, tuna, or mackerel), and plant-based proteins like tofu. Eggs and low-fat cottage cheese are also excellent sources of protein

Legumes like lentils, chickpeas, black beans, and kidney beans are among highly recommended foods for diabetic diets. The fiber content sourced from legumes is incredibly beneficial because it helps to regulate carbohydrates’ digestion rate, resulting in glucose release at a more moderate pace. This is significant for controlling blood sugar levels.

Legumes also provide important nutrients like iron, folate, and potassium. Including legumes in your diet offers a wide range of meal options, such as soups, stews, salads, and bean-based dishes.

Fruits offer a variety of natural sweetness with added benefits like fiber, but it’s important to be mindful of portion sizes and the glycemic index (GI) of fruit. Whenever possible, choose berries (blueberries, strawberries and raspberries) over other fruit due to their lower amounts of sugar content.

Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruit & lemons top the list too for being low on calories with high levels of vitamin C. Furthermore, surprisingly enough avocados technically qualify under this category owing to its rich heart-friendly monounsaturated fat, rather than being categorized solely under vegetables.

Including healthy fat in moderation is essential for a balanced diabetic diet. Consuming these types of fats can produce feelings of fullness while making it easier to absorb nutrients.

Healthy fat alternatives include options such as olive oil, avocado oil, nuts (almonds & walnuts), seeds (chia & flaxseeds), and nut butter (almond/peanut/cashew) which offer beneficial components like omega-3 fatty acids & Vitamin E for overall wellness promotion. These fat help promote heart health, reduce inflammation, and improve insulin sensitivity.

For individuals with lactose intolerance or those seeking non-dairy alternatives to cow’s milk, several alternative options such as unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk and soy milk are available. They are generally fortified with essential nutrients including calcium and vitamin D that are necessary for the body. Remember to opt for the unsweetened variety to steer clear of any extra sugars in their diet.