World Diabetes Day is a day dedicated to raising awareness and taking action around diabetes. One common misconception is that there is a one-size-fits-all approach to diet and diabetes. In reality, effective diabetes management should be tailored, taking into account mental health, social well-being, medical management, nutrition needs and physical activity.
While there is no singular ‘diabetes diet’, here are our top 3 nutrition tips to help manage blood sugar levels and promote overall well-being with diabetes!
Tip 1: Add Fibre
Dietary fibre is not just beneficial for managing blood glucose levels; it also supports weight management, gut health and heart health. Since fibre is not fully digested, it helps to slow digestion and slow the rise in blood sugar levels after meals.
Embracing fibre-rich foods and adding fibre into to higher carbohydrate meals can help to slow digestion, reducing the impact on your blood sugar levels and nourishing your whole body.
Some easy ways to include more fibre:
- Swap to wholegrain carbohydrates. Swapping from white breads and cereals to a wholemeal or wholegrain variety is a simple and effective way to get more fibre on your plate.
- Embrace more legumes, fruits, and vegetables (fresh, canned, frozen – the whole lot!). Adding a side salad or seasonal greens with your main meal is always a great option.
- Incorporate unsalted nuts and seeds. Chopping walnuts for a salad or sprinkling hemp seeds on yogurt adds both crunch and fibre!
- Keep the skin on your fruits and vegetables. Try keeping the skins on your carrots and potatoes to start. Simply give them a good wash and they are good to go!
Tip 2: Build a Balanced Plate
Instead of focusing on what to remove from your diet, think about what you can add to improve blood sugar levels and overall health. Including healthy fats, lean protein, and fibre alongside carbohydrates can help reduce post meal blood sugar spikes. These nutrients almost act as “buffers” on your blood glucose as they all slow down the breakdown and digestion of carbohydrates.
To create a balanced plate, aim to include:
- Protein: such as fish, chicken, tofu and eggs to help stabilise blood glucose levels and support satiety.
- Fibre: aim to fill half your plate with vegetables at lunch and dinner.
- Carbohydrates: consider adding higher quality carbs to your meals such as wholegrain or seeded bread, quinoa, corn, and legumes such as lentils and chickpeas.
- Healthy fats: incorporate avocados, extra virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds, or oily fish (like salmon and sardines).
Tip 3: Stay Hydrated
Hydration is one of the most underrated strategies for improved blood sugar control. Without proper hydration, glucose levels can become more concentrated, resulting in higher blood sugar levels.
If you would like to learn more about improving hydration, check out our how-to guide to hydration for some handy tips.
These tips offer general advice suitable for individuals with all types of diabetes. Although each type of diabetes comes with different management strategies, healthy eating is an important foundation for everyone—even those without diabetes!
Remember, diabetes management is personal. Collaborating with a healthcare team, including a dietitian, can help tailor a plan that meets your individual needs. For expert dietary support, book your first appointment with one of our wonderful Accredited Practising Dietitians today.
Happy World Diabetes Day! Let’s continue the conversation and support everyone living with diabetes.
Written by Brianna Caristo, Masters in dietetics student and Ellie Thompson, Accredited Practising Dietitian.
