Best and Worst Foods for Diabetes

Processed grains, such as white rice or white flour
Cereals with little whole grains and lots of sugar
White bread
French fries
Fried white-flour tortillas

Vegetables

Load up! You’ll get fiber and very little fat or salt (unless you add them). Remember, potatoes and corn count as carbs.

Best Choices

Fresh veggies, eaten raw or lightly steamed, roasted, or grilled
Plain frozen vegetables, lightly steamed
Greens such as kale, spinach, and arugula. Iceberg lettuce is not as great because it’s low in nutrients.
Low sodium or unsalted canned vegetables

Go for a variety of colors: dark greens, red or orange (think of carrots or red peppers), whites (onions) and even purple (eggplants). The 2015 U.S. guidelines recommend 2.5 cups of veggies per day.

Worst Choices

Canned vegetables with lots of added sodium
Veggies cooked with lots of added butter, cheese, or sauce
Pickles, if you need to limit sodium. Otherwise, pickles are OK.
Sauerkraut, for the same reason as pickles. Limit them if you have high blood pressure.

Fruits

They give you carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Most are naturally low in fat and sodium. But they tend to have more carbs than vegetables do.

Best Choices

Fresh fruit
Plain frozen fruit or fruit canned without added sugar
Sugar-free or low-sugar jam or preserves
No-sugar-added applesauce

Worst Choices

Canned fruit with heavy sugar syrup
Chewy fruit rolls
Regular jam, jelly, and preserves (unless you have a very small portion)
Sweetened applesauce
Fruit punch, fruit drinks, fruit juice drinks

Protein

You have lots of choices, including beef, chicken, fish, pork, turkey, seafood, beans, cheese, eggs, nuts, and tofu.

Best Choices

The American Diabetes Association lists these as the top options:

Plant-based proteins such as beans, nuts, seeds, or tofu
Fish and seafood
Chicken and other poultry (Choose the breast meat if possible.)
Eggs and low-fat dairy

If you eat meat, keep it low in fat. Trim the skin off of poultry.

Try to include some plant-based protein from beans, nuts, or tofu, even if you're not a vegetarian or vegan. You’ll get nutrients and fiber that aren’t in animal products.

Worst Choices

Fried meats
Higher-fat cuts of meat, such as ribs
Pork bacon
Regular cheeses
Poultry with skin
Deep-fried fish
Deep-fried tofu
Beans prepared with lard

Dairy

Keep it low in fat. If you want to splurge, keep your portion small.

Best Choices

1% or skim milk
Low-fat yogurt
Low-fat cottage cheese
Low-fat or nonfat sour cream

Worst Choices

Whole milk
Regular yogurt
Regular cottage cheese
Regular sour cream
Regular ice cream
Regular half-and-half

Fats, Oils, and Sweets

They’re tough to resist. But it’s easy to get too much and gain weight, which makes it harder to manage your diabetes.

Best Choices

Natural sources of vegetable fats, such as nuts, seeds, or avocados (high in calories, so keep portions small)
Foods that give you omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, tuna, or mackerel
Plant-based oils, such as canola, grapeseed, or olive oils

Worst Choices

Anything with trans fat in it. It's bad for your heart. Check the ingredient list for anything that’s “partially hydrogenated,” even if the label says it has 0 grams of trans fat.
Big portions of saturated fats, which mainly come from animal products but also are in coconut oil and palm oil. Ask your doctor what your limit should be, especially if you have heart disease as well as diabetes.

Drinks

When you down a favorite drink, you may get more calories, sugar, salt, or fat than you bargained for. Read the labels so you know what’s in a serving.

Best Choices

Unflavored water or flavored sparkling water
Unsweetened tea with or without a slice of lemon
Light beer, small amounts of wine, or non-fruity mixed drinks
Coffee, black or with added low-fat milk and sugar substitute

Worst Choices

Regular sodas
Regular beer, fruity mixed drinks, dessert wines
Sweetened tea
Coffee with sugar and cream
Flavored coffees and chocolate drinks
Energy drinks

Figuring out the best foods to eat when you have diabetes can be tough.

That’s because your main goal should be controlling your blood sugar levels.

However, it’s also important to eat foods that help prevent diabetes complications like heart disease.

Your diet can have a major role in preventing and managing diabetes .

Here are the 16 best foods for people living with diabetes, both type 1 and type 2

1. Fatty Fish

Fatty fish contain omega-3 fats that help reduce inflammation and other risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Plus, it’s a great source of protein, which is important for blood sugar regulation.

2. Leafy Greens

Leafy green vegetables are rich in nutrients like Vitamin C, as well as antioxidants that protect your heart and eye health.

3. Avocados

Avocados have less than 1 gram of sugar and are associated with improved overall diet quality. Avocados may also have properties specific to diabetes prevention.

4. Eggs

Eggs may improve risk factors for heart disease, promote good blood sugar management, protect eye health, and keep you feeling full.

5. Chia Seeds

Chia seeds contain high amounts of fiber, which may help you lose weight. They also help maintain blood glucose levels.

6. Beans

Beans are cheap, nutritious, and have a low glycemic index, making them a healthy option for individuals with diabetes.

7. Greek Yogurt

Yogurt promotes healthy blood sugar levels, reduces risk factors for heart disease and may help with weight management.

Nuts are a healthy addition to a balanced diet. They’re high in fiber and help reduce blood sugar and LDL (bad) cholesterol levels.Here are the amounts of digestible carbs, per 1-ounce (28-gram) serving of nuts, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture :