How to manage your diabetes with a healthy diet

While it’s important for everyone to eat a well balanced diet and maintain a healthy lifestyle, it is particularly important if you have been diagnosed with diabetes by your healthcare provider.

Right now, there are 463 million people living with diabetes in the world, according to the International Diabetes Federation.

And statistics released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) shows that there were 1.2 million Australian adults that reported having diabetes during the 2017–18 period.

According to Diabetes Australia, eating a healthy diet and being active regularly will help you manage your blood sugar and your body weight.

Read on to find out how you can manage your diabetes through a healthy diet.

COVER PHOTO: Sasha Woolley (2008)

In a hurry?

Click on the link below to read the section you’re most interested in:

What is diabetes?
What is diabetic retinopathy?
Do I need to eat special foods if I have diabetes?
What foods should I avoid or limit?
What foods should I eat?
How often should I eat?

1. What is diabetes?

According to the World Health Organization (WHO):

“Diabetes is a chronic, metabolic disease characterized by elevated levels of blood glucose (or blood sugar), which leads over time to serious damage to the heart, blood vessels, eyes, kidneys, and nerves.”

There are three types of diabetes:

1. Type 1

Type 1 diabetes is when the pancreas produces little or no insulin by itself. It is an auto-immune disease and people living with it need insulin replacement throughout their lives in order to survive.

2. Type 2

The most common form of diabetes is type 2, and can be related to hereditary factors. Lifestyle choices can also play a part including a lack of proper diet and physical activity.

If you have this type of diabetes you can manage the condition through your diet. Please note that medication or insulin replacement may be needed to control your blood sugar levels, and you should contact your doctor for advice suited to your individual needs.

3. Gestational

During pregnancy, women can develop gestational diabetes. This is a temporary condition that normally subsides after the baby is born. If a woman gets gestational diabetes, it can increase the risk of her developing type 2 diabetes later on.

You can find out more about diabetes through Health Direct including information on symptoms, blood glucose tests, screening tests, and prevention.

2. What is diabetic retinopathy?

Diabetic retinopathy (DR) is a complication of diabetes that affects the back of the eye. When someone has high and varying blood sugar levels, the blood vessels in the retina can become irreversibly damaged.

Most commonly, DR affects both eyes and in most cases starts with no visual symptoms.
In the early stages, the walls of the blood vessels in the retina weaken. Then, a tear-like fluid and blood will leak into the eye, resulting in blurred vision.

Later on, vision will become even more impaired by new blood vessels growing within the retina. This can eventually lead to blindness.

Learn more about eye health and other types of eye diseases here.

3. Do I need to eat special foods if I have diabetes?

The Australian Dietary Guidelines offers the most current information on the types and amounts of food people should eat to maintain good health. There are different guidelines for adults and children.

If you are living with diabetes, having a healthy diet will help manage blood glucose levels and body weight.

But that doesn’t mean you have to eat any ‘special’ foods. You don’t have to go out and buy expensive ingredients that may currently be trending on social media sites like Instagram and Facebook or being peddled by self-proclaimed wellness coaches and influencers on YouTube channels or Pinterest.

Foods that are recommended for people diagnosed with diabetes are the same as for those without diabetes. However, one diet does not fit all, so be sure to reach out to a dietitian who has been approved by your doctor to get advice that is tailored for your individual needs.

The good news is that you can share a healthy meal with your family without having to prepare something separately for yourself or anyone else in your family who has diabetes.

Be careful on special occasions though, especially during the holiday season, at birthday parties or when eating out. Be vigilant in ensuring you’re making healthy choices, and not opting for foods full of sugar, fats or carbs.

Check out these tasty recipes for diabetes from breakfast to dessert, and everything in between that will help you enjoy mealtimes more.

4. What foods should I avoid or limit?

There are some foods that are high in energy and those should be limited. High energy foods give your body a lot of fuel even if you eat a small amount of it. If you don’t burn this fuel (through exercise and physical exertion), it will turn into fat and get stored in your body, leading to weight gain – and that’s not good for managing your diabetes.

Foods to limit include ‘junk food’. These include lollies, chocolate bars, cookies and biscuits, cakes and other sweet baked goods. Sugary drinks are another big one, and even fruit juice should be restricted – it’s better to eat a piece of fruit than to drink a glass of juice.

Savoury snacks such as potato chips, corn chips, and other munchables found in the snack food section of your local supermarket should also only be eaten once in a while and in small amounts.

Takeaway food is another item that should be controlled. It can be an easy trap to fall into – a sausage and egg muffin with a bottle of sugar-laden energy drink for breakfast. A greasy meat pie with a side of sweetened chocolate milk for lunch. A burger with fries or fish and chips for dinner washed down with a can of carbonated drink.

Unfortunately, takeaway shops are available on every street corner, but you can resist the temptation by being prepared. Check out this 7 day diabetes meal planner for guidance on how to meal-prep in advance. Remember to check with your doctor before starting anything new.

5. What foods should I eat?

If you have diabetes, it is essential to eat well. You can do this by including a variety of nutritious foods from each of the five food groups as recommended by Australian Guide to Healthy Eating.

You don’t have to eat something from each food group at every meal. In fact there are foods that you may only have to eat a couple of times a week. Each group has a huge range of choices so you won’t get bored eating the same thing all the time.

The five food groups:

1. Vegetables, legumes and beans
This includes dark greens such as broccoli and spinach, as well as root vegetables like sweet potatoes, beetroot and carrots. Other common veggies include tomatoes, cucumbers and mushrooms. Legumes can refer to lentils, chickpeas and red kidney beans.

2. Grain foods, mostly wholegrain and/or high cereal fibre varieties
Oat, rice, wheat, rye, etc all qualify as grains. Breads, breakfast cereals and foods like pasta all fall under this category.

3. Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds and legumes or beans
This includes chicken, turkey, lean pork or read meats like lamb and beef. Tofu, a soybean product also falls into this category, as do nuts like almonds and seeds like chia or pepitas. Beans and lentils are included here too.

4. Milk, yoghurt, cheese, including alternatives (mostly low fat)
This includes milk from animals like cows or goats, and from nuts or soy, as well as fat-reduced cheeses and yoghurts

5. Fruit
Citrus, tropical and stone fruits, berries and pomes are all great choices. Fruits can be high in sugar and should be limited to 2 serves daily, unless advised differently by your doctor.

To learn more about each of these food groups, go to the Eat for Health Australian government website.

You should visit your doctor to get advice on what foods are good for your health and managing your diabetes.

DISCOVER 7 FOODS THAT WILL HELP YOU CONTROL YOUR BLOOD SUGAR

6. How often should I eat?

Portion control is really important for managing diabetes. Even though some people eat healthy foods, they eat too much of it. Reducing the amount of food you eat is a good way to lower the amount of energy you ingest.

Everyone has a unique daily intake of calories that are ideal for their individual health. This can vary depending on age, metabolism rate, and physical activity levels, amongst other factors.

If you have diabetes, your calorie intake may be slightly different to people who have a similar weight, height and age as you. That’s why it’s really important that you visit your doctor and get their advice on how much and how often you should eat.

People with type 2 diabetes may be able to control their blood glucose by spacing out their meals throughout the day. So instead of three square meals, they may eat six smaller ones equal in portion at each interval. Your doctor or dietitian will have the best information on what’s best for your specific needs.

Learn more

Interested in finding out more about maintaining good eye health?

DISCLAIMER:

The content on this page is not intended to be medical advice. For specific dietary requirements and medical advice, please contact your health professional.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Emily Hodgetts - The Fred Hollows Foundation

Emily is the medical coordinator at The Foundation. Emily has previously worked as a registered nurse for NSW Health Service, and has expertise in international development and relations. She has also developed Health Facility Guidelines to health bodies worldwide in order to aid in the efficient use of public resources.

Latika Mani - The Fred Hollows Foundation

Latika is a digital content writer for The Foundation. With over 15 years of professional writing and message amplification experience, she is committed to raising awareness on eye health issues and sharing ideas on maintaining good eye health.