By taking some basic steps towards healthy eating, people with type 2 diabetes and others can better control their blood sugar (glucose) levels, manage their body weight, and reduce their risk of developing diabetes-related complications.

The basic steps are simple:

• choose regular meals and snacks;
• limit intake of sugars, sweets and higher-fat foods; and
• eat foods that are high in fibre.

Do what you can to take charge of your diabetes or prevent it.  Eat well to be well!

Start with a Basic Eating Plan

Take charge of your eating by developing an eating plan to help you manage your diabetes, or prevent the onset of diabetes. It’s easier than you think!

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Eat regular meals and snacks.  Eating regular meals and snacks helps to keep the amount of sugar in your blood at a stable level.  It’s best to eat every three hours, during the day.  This typically includes three meals, plus two or three snacks per day.

Avoid skipping meals.  Skipping meals makes it very difficult to get the nutrients needed for health and promotes over-eating at other points in the day.

Follow Canada’s Food Guide.  Eating Well with Canada’s Food Guide is an excellent tool that helps people with diabetes and others to plan meals and snacks.  Canada’s Food Guide shows people how to choose foods regularly from the four food groups and  explains portion sizes.

It also recommends that people with diabetes and others limit intake of foods that are high in fat, salt or sugar.  For example, limit your intake of potato chips, nacho chips, cheese spreads, instant noodles, donuts, pastries, cakes, soft drinks, chocolate and candy.

Small Changes that Make a Big Difference
With your basic healthy eating plan in place, you can also focus on other important changes to your eating habits!

Choose foods that are high in fibre.  It’s true – fibre is good for you! Fibre is the part of plants that people do not break down or digest.  It is good for you because it slows the rate that the sugar from foods can enter your blood. This helps to keep your blood sugar (glucose) levels in a healthy range. 

Fibre can also make you feel fuller for longer periods of time.  As a result, your appetite will be easier to control and you may find it easier to lose weight.  Some examples of foods that are high in fibre include vegetables and fruits, legumes, and whole grain breads, pasta, cereals and rice.

Drink water throughout the day. Serve milk with meals. Avoid high calorie or sugary beverages such as pop, fruit punches, fruit juices, and gourmet coffee and tea drinks. Unlike milk or water, these beverages contain relatively large amounts of sugar in a liquid form that can cause blood sugar (glucose) levels to soar.

Your healthy eating plan should include healthy beverage choices! Most adults need to drink 2.7 to 3.7 litres (10 – 14 cups) of fluid each day. Plan to drink water throughout the day. Drink milk or fortified soy beverage with your meals.

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Avoid alcohol.  Alcohol does not fit with a healthy eating approach, as it only provides calories, and few nutrients.  In addition, alcohol may interact negatively with some medications used to treat diabetes. 

Don’t be a victim of portion distortion.  The amount of food we consider to be an acceptable portion has increased significantly over the past 20 years.  Large portions of food provide more calories than more moderate portions do, making it easy to take in more than we really need. 

Keep the amount you eat in check by using small plates and bowls, rather than large ones. Measure your portions and record the amount that you eat.  Be particularly aware of the portions of foods you are served when eating out.  Restaurant portions are often very large and, as a result, can be high in fat, sugar, salt and calories. By becoming more aware of what you’re choosing you’ll be better able to make helpful changes towards healthy eating.

Be Active, Consistent and Positive
Did you know that physical activity can help to lower your blood sugar levels? Get moving and aim to be more active, especially in ways that you can enjoy every day, such as walking or participating in a favourite activity. Visit the Active Living Section of the Healthy Alberta (http://www.healthyalberta.com/) website for more information and advice. 

The benefits associated with healthy eating are best achieved if you are consistent with your healthy eating plan.  By choosing nutritious, wholesome foods consistently over several weeks or months, you will be able to see the positive results of your actions!

Remember to stay positive. Avoid the “all or nothing” approach where you’re either on track or not; this kind of approach can be discouraging.  Instead, focus on making small changes and be consistent over time.

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Type 2 diabetes is a common but serious health condition.  Whether you have type 2 diabetes or not, healthy eating can help you feel better and reduce your health risks. For people with diabetes, healthy eating can reduce the risk of health complications

By putting basic healthy eating habits in place and staying positive, you can impact your own health in a good way! By making small changes in the foods you choose and the amounts you eat, and being consistent can help you take control of your diabetes. 

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Learn more
Getting Started with Healthy Eating for Diabetes.
Alberta Health Services provides practical strategies for creating an eating plan if you have diabetes. 

Food and Activity Tracker
Download this user-friendly chart for tracking your eating habits and identifying areas for change.

Just the Basics.
The Canadian Diabetes Association offers simple, easy to follow eating guidelines to prevent and manage diabetes.