{"id":45483,"date":"2021-11-02T09:30:35","date_gmt":"2021-11-02T13:30:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/?p=45483"},"modified":"2021-11-02T09:50:33","modified_gmt":"2021-11-02T13:50:33","slug":"diabetes-diet","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.singlecare.com\/blog\/diabetes-diet\/","title":{"rendered":"What\u2019s the best diabetes diet?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Being diagnosed with a type of diabetes, or high blood sugar, can be serious\u2014but with the right treatment and care, diabetes can be managed and doesn\u2019t have to affect your quality of life.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

At its core, <\/span>diabetes<\/span><\/a> is a condition where the body can\u2019t maintain healthy levels of glucose, or sugar, in the blood. Because glucose is a primary source of energy for bodies, unhealthy levels of it\u2014too much or too little\u2014can cause both short- and long-term health complications. In the U.S., about <\/span>10.5% of the population<\/span><\/a> has some type of diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n

No matter which type of diabetes<\/a> you have, a major part of living well with the condition includes incorporating a diabetic diet. The right diabetes diet will help you feel your best\u2014but how do you know what you should eat? Read on to find out what diets are best for diabetes, what foods you should add or avoid to your plate, and other forms of diabetes care.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What is the best diabetes diet plan?<\/span><\/h2>\n

A diabetes diet incorporates food choices from the five food groups: vegetables, fruits, grains, protein, and dairy (or dairy substitutes). Eating healthily helps keep glucose levels in check without drastic highs and lows and is a big part of reaching or maintaining a weight range that\u2019s right for your health.<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cThe best diets for diabetes management are the ones that are rated best for nearly all outcomes,\u201d says <\/span>Julie Miller Jones<\/span><\/a>, Ph.D., a licensed nutritionist based in St. Paul, Minnesota. \u201cHighly rated diets that contain all the food groups; can be used for a lifetime by the person with diabetes; and the whole family can be happy, healthy, and satisfied eating the same diet, are the best ones.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n

Diets that diabetes educators recommend include the <\/span>DASH diet<\/span><\/a>, the <\/span>Mediterranean diet<\/span><\/a>, and the <\/span>USDA MyPlate eating plan<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The DASH Diet<\/span><\/h3>\n

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute recommends the <\/span>DASH diet<\/b>, which stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension. The DASH meal plan recommends eating lots of veggies, fruits, and whole grains, and including fat-free and low-fat dairy products, fish, poultry, beans, nuts, and vegetable oils. With DASH, foods high in saturated fat, like full-fat dairy, fatty meals, and tropical oils, along with sweet drinks, processed foods, and added sugars are limited.<\/span><\/p>\n

What makes DASH appealing to many is that it\u2019s flexible and incorporates accessible foods\u2014and it works.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s been studied for almost 30 years,\u201d Miller says, \u201cso it has lots of data showing it\u2019s associated with reduced risk of most chronic diseases.\u201d It\u2019s been <\/span>found<\/span><\/a> to lower blood glucose levels, and insulin resistance, while helping with weight loss, all important when it comes to managing all types of diabetes with diet.<\/span><\/p>\n

RELATED: <\/b>How to start (and stick to) a heart-healthy diet<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n

The Mediterranean diet<\/span><\/h3>\n

A similar healthy diet is <\/span>the Mediterranean diet<\/b>. It centers fruits, vegetables, grains, nuts, seeds, and olive oil; with fish and poultry consumed in low amounts. The main differences between this and the DASH diet is that DASH includes dairy and other types of meat, while the Mediterranean diet recommends healthy fats like olive oil instead.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The USDA MyPlate eating plan<\/span><\/h3>\n

The <\/span>USDA MyPlate eating plan<\/b> offers similar guidelines, focusing on fruits, a variety of vegetables, whole grains, lean protein sources, including beans, poultry, and soy, and low- or no-fat dairy.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Diabetes Plate Method<\/span><\/h3>\n

The <\/span>American Diabetes Association<\/span><\/a> recommends the Diabetes Plate Method, which is a process of making sure your plate is sectioned a certain way:<\/span><\/p>\n