Blog - Diabetes Management
How to Manage Type 2 Diabetes With Nutrition
Eating healthfully is one of the best things you can do to manage type 2 diabetes (T2D) and lead a healthy, active life. Understanding how different foods affect blood glucose is key to using diet as part of your self-care. A continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) system can also be a convenient way to monitor your blood glucose levels as you eat and take more control over your meal planning.
How diet affects type 2 diabetes
People living with type 2 diabetes can’t regulate blood sugar levels effectively with insulin, either because the pancreas can’t produce enough insulin or cells become insulin-resistant.1 Lifestyle factors, such as poor diet, can contribute to a T2D diagnosis.1 Studies have also linked the condition with high sugar consumption.
While there’s no such thing as a type 2 diabetes diet, certain foods can help you better manage glucose levels. It’s even possible for T2D to go into remission through diet and weight loss. Remember that everyone has unique needs and responds to food differently, so talk to your diabetes care team before making dietary changes.
Recommended foods for managing T2D
If you’re considering diet as part of your diabetes management, here are some foods to focus on when meal planning.
1. Complex carbohydrates
Your body breaks down carbohydrates into sugars. Complex carbs contain multiple types of sugars that take longer to digest.4 This means that they cause blood glucose to increase more slowly rather than spike.4 Some examples of this type of carb include black beans, bran cereals, carrots and skimmed milk.4
Your body breaks down carbohydrates into sugars. Complex carbs contain multiple types of sugars that take longer to digest.4 This means that they cause blood glucose to increase more slowly rather than spike.4 Some examples of this type of carb include black beans, bran cereals, carrots and skimmed milk.4
2. Fibres
Fibre is another carbohydrate, but one that your body can’t digest.4 Soluble fibre—which you’ll find in lentils, avocados, and bananas—dissolves in your stomach and slows digestion,5 avoiding glucose spikes.5 Conversely, insoluble fibres stay intact throughout your digestive system, promoting insulin sensitivity while keeping you regular.5 Whole wheat flour, seeds and bran all contain insoluble fibre.5
Fibre is another carbohydrate, but one that your body can’t digest.4 Soluble fibre—which you’ll find in lentils, avocados, and bananas—dissolves in your stomach and slows digestion,5 avoiding glucose spikes.5 Conversely, insoluble fibres stay intact throughout your digestive system, promoting insulin sensitivity while keeping you regular.5 Whole wheat flour, seeds and bran all contain insoluble fibre.5
3. Lean proteins
Protein, which builds muscle and repairs tissue damage, is an important part of any diet.6 Low-fat or lean proteins, including beans, tofu, fish and skinless chicken, are recommended for people living with diabetes.7 Proteins are digested slower than carbohydrates, causing blood glucose to rise gradually after eating rather than spiking.6
Protein, which builds muscle and repairs tissue damage, is an important part of any diet.6 Low-fat or lean proteins, including beans, tofu, fish and skinless chicken, are recommended for people living with diabetes.7 Proteins are digested slower than carbohydrates, causing blood glucose to rise gradually after eating rather than spiking.6
4. Good fats
“Good” fats are unsaturated fats. These are essential for heart health and help lower cholesterol as well as heart disease and stroke risks.8 Unsaturated fats are found in avocados, olive oil, peanut butter, fish and walnuts.8 Fats don’t directly raise your blood sugar levels, but their health benefits make them beneficial to eat.9 Just be sure to monitor portion sizes since fatty foods are high in calories.
“Good” fats are unsaturated fats. These are essential for heart health and help lower cholesterol as well as heart disease and stroke risks.8 Unsaturated fats are found in avocados, olive oil, peanut butter, fish and walnuts.8 Fats don’t directly raise your blood sugar levels, but their health benefits make them beneficial to eat.9 Just be sure to monitor portion sizes since fatty foods are high in calories.
Foods to avoid or eat in moderation
Living with T2D doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy the occasional treat. However, limiting the following foods is recommended for T2D management.*
1. Simple carbohydrates
Unlike complex carbs, simple carbohydrates have one or two sugars in their chemical structure. This makes them easy for your body to digest quickly, causing blood glucose spikes.4 Beverages sweetened with sugar, white rice, white bread and candy are all simple carbohydrates. Foods like fruit and dairy can also contain simple carbs but, unlike candy, their additional nutrients make them healthier options.
Unlike complex carbs, simple carbohydrates have one or two sugars in their chemical structure. This makes them easy for your body to digest quickly, causing blood glucose spikes.4 Beverages sweetened with sugar, white rice, white bread and candy are all simple carbohydrates. Foods like fruit and dairy can also contain simple carbs but, unlike candy, their additional nutrients make them healthier options.
2. Bad fats
“Bad” fats include saturated and trans fats, which can raise cholesterol and heart disease risks.8 Saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature—items like butter, gravy and coconut oil.8 Trans fats are found in processed foods, margarine, and shortening, and often appear as “hydrogenated oils” on ingredient lists.8 Again, fats don’t change your blood sugar levels, but it’s best to limit bad fats to reduce your risk of heart disease.9
“Bad” fats include saturated and trans fats, which can raise cholesterol and heart disease risks.8 Saturated fats are usually solid at room temperature—items like butter, gravy and coconut oil.8 Trans fats are found in processed foods, margarine, and shortening, and often appear as “hydrogenated oils” on ingredient lists.8 Again, fats don’t change your blood sugar levels, but it’s best to limit bad fats to reduce your risk of heart disease.9
3. Sodium
Your body needs small amounts of sodium to function, but eating too much can raise your blood pressure.10 If you live with diabetes, you’re more likely to be affected by high blood pressure risks such as heart disease, kidney disease and strokes,10 even though sodium doesn’t directly alter glucose levels. Try to limit or avoid high-sodium foods like cheese, canned soup and processed foods.
Your body needs small amounts of sodium to function, but eating too much can raise your blood pressure.10 If you live with diabetes, you’re more likely to be affected by high blood pressure risks such as heart disease, kidney disease and strokes,10 even though sodium doesn’t directly alter glucose levels. Try to limit or avoid high-sodium foods like cheese, canned soup and processed foods.
4. Sugar
Eating too many free sugars like table sugar, honey and sweets can make your blood glucose spike and cause weight gain over time.11 Excess weight makes it harder to manage T2D and increases health risks like heart disease and strokes.11 Diabetes UK recommends eating 30 grams (about two tablespoons) of sugar per day at most.11 Keep in mind that this doesn’t include natural sugars in fruit, vegetables and dairy products. In some cases, you may need a sugary drink, tablet or snack to treat glucose lows.*
Eating too many free sugars like table sugar, honey and sweets can make your blood glucose spike and cause weight gain over time.11 Excess weight makes it harder to manage T2D and increases health risks like heart disease and strokes.11 Diabetes UK recommends eating 30 grams (about two tablespoons) of sugar per day at most.11 Keep in mind that this doesn’t include natural sugars in fruit, vegetables and dairy products. In some cases, you may need a sugary drink, tablet or snack to treat glucose lows.*
Using the plate method and carb counting
The plate method is a visual guide that can prevent you from overeating while maintaining a good nutritional balance. Use a 9-inch dinner plate and fill half with non-starchy vegetables, a quarter with lean proteins and another quarter with carbs.12 For example, a healthy dinner might mean half a plate of salad, a quarter plate of skinless chicken and the remaining portion potatoes.
Carb counting can also be an effective way to manage diet by allowing you to adjust activity levels and other diabetes treatments with your food intake.13 Carb counting means tracking all of the carbs you consume throughout the day.
CGM for diet management
Regularly monitoring your blood glucose can give you a better understanding of how food affects your glucose levels and empower you to form better eating habits. A CGM system, like Dexcom Continuous Glucose Monitoring (CGM) Systems, makes it easier to track your glucose levels without needing routine finger pricks.† During and between meals, CGM systems are a convenient way to learn more about how your blood glucose responds to different types of food.
“Using the Dexcom G7 CGM System has allowed me to become more knowledgeable on the impact that certain foods have on my glucose levels. Through the app, I was able to see that foods higher in fat, such as fish and chips from a local takeaway, resulted in spiking my glucose levels close to two hours after the meal. As a result of having this information, I was able to make an informed decision on splitting my insulin doses both pre and post meal to help avoid future dramatic spikes in our glucose levels.”
Dexcom Warrior Ellen‡
Take control of T2D and nutrition with Dexcom
If you’re living with type 2 diabetes, eating nutritious foods—like complex carbs, lean proteins, fibre and unsaturated fats—can help keep your blood glucose more stable. Combining these habits with a Dexcom CGM System can support your diabetes management further, allowing you to make more informed dietary choices in real time. Learn more about using a Dexcom CGM System to manage type 2 diabetes.
* All diabetes management decisions should be discussed with your diabetes care team.
† If your glucose alerts and readings from the Dexcom system do not match symptoms or expectations, use a blood glucose meter to make diabetes treatment decisions.
‡ Warrior Ellen is a sponsored spokesperson for Dexcom.
1 Diabetes UK. Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes UK website. Accessed 6 December 2023. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/types-of-diabetes/type-2.
2 Sami W, et al. Effect of diet on type 2 diabetes mellitus: A review. Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2017;11(2):65-71.
3 Diabetes UK. Reversing Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes UK website. Accessed 6 December 2024. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/type-2-reverse.
4 Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Fiber. Accessed 6 December 2024. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/fiber/.
5 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fibre: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Reviewed 20 June 2022. Accessed 6 December 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/features/role-of-fiber.html.
6 Diabetes.co.uk. Protein and Diabetes. Diabetes.co.uk website. Updated 29 October 2023. Accessed 6 December 2023. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/nutrition/protein-and-diabetes.html.
7 American Diabetes Association. Protein. American Diabetes Association website. Accessed 6 December 2023. https://diabetes.org/food-nutrition/reading-food-labels/protein.
8 American Diabetes Association. Fats. American Diabetes Association website. Accessed 6 December 2023. https://diabetes.org/food-nutrition/reading-food-labels/fats.
9 Diabetes.co.uk. Fat and Diabetes. Diabetes.co.uk website. Updated 29 October 2023. Accessed 6 December 2023. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/nutrition/fat-and-diabetes.html.
10 Diabetes UK. Salt and Diabetes. Diabetes UK website. Accessed 6 December 2023. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/eating-with-diabetes/food-groups/salt-and-diabetes-#.
11 Diabetes UK. Sugar and Diabetes. Diabetes UK website. Accessed 6 December 2023. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/eating-with-diabetes/food-groups/sugar-and-diabetes.
12 American Diabetes Association. Tips for Eating Well. American Diabetes Association website. Accessed 11 December 2023. https://diabetes.org/food-nutrition/eating-healthy.
13 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Carb Counting. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Reviewed 19 April 2023. Accessed 6 December 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/eat-well/diabetes-and-carbohydrates.html.
† If your glucose alerts and readings from the Dexcom system do not match symptoms or expectations, use a blood glucose meter to make diabetes treatment decisions.
‡ Warrior Ellen is a sponsored spokesperson for Dexcom.
1 Diabetes UK. Type 2 diabetes. Diabetes UK website. Accessed 6 December 2023. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/types-of-diabetes/type-2.
2 Sami W, et al. Effect of diet on type 2 diabetes mellitus: A review. Int J Health Sci (Qassim). 2017;11(2):65-71.
3 Diabetes UK. Reversing Type 2 Diabetes. Diabetes UK website. Accessed 6 December 2024. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/diabetes-the-basics/type-2-reverse.
4 Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. Fiber. Accessed 6 December 2024. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/carbohydrates/fiber/.
5 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Fibre: The Carb That Helps You Manage Diabetes. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Reviewed 20 June 2022. Accessed 6 December 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/library/features/role-of-fiber.html.
6 Diabetes.co.uk. Protein and Diabetes. Diabetes.co.uk website. Updated 29 October 2023. Accessed 6 December 2023. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/nutrition/protein-and-diabetes.html.
7 American Diabetes Association. Protein. American Diabetes Association website. Accessed 6 December 2023. https://diabetes.org/food-nutrition/reading-food-labels/protein.
8 American Diabetes Association. Fats. American Diabetes Association website. Accessed 6 December 2023. https://diabetes.org/food-nutrition/reading-food-labels/fats.
9 Diabetes.co.uk. Fat and Diabetes. Diabetes.co.uk website. Updated 29 October 2023. Accessed 6 December 2023. https://www.diabetes.co.uk/nutrition/fat-and-diabetes.html.
10 Diabetes UK. Salt and Diabetes. Diabetes UK website. Accessed 6 December 2023. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/eating-with-diabetes/food-groups/salt-and-diabetes-#.
11 Diabetes UK. Sugar and Diabetes. Diabetes UK website. Accessed 6 December 2023. https://www.diabetes.org.uk/guide-to-diabetes/enjoy-food/eating-with-diabetes/food-groups/sugar-and-diabetes.
12 American Diabetes Association. Tips for Eating Well. American Diabetes Association website. Accessed 11 December 2023. https://diabetes.org/food-nutrition/eating-healthy.
13 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Carb Counting. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website. Reviewed 19 April 2023. Accessed 6 December 2023. https://www.cdc.gov/diabetes/managing/eat-well/diabetes-and-carbohydrates.html.