What should you include in a diabetes-healthy diet? The basics are essentially the same for all people, whether or not they have diabetes. But people with diabetes do need to make especially careful choices in the types and amounts of foods they include in each meal or snack.

If you’re not familiar with diabetes meal planning , then getting started can seem like a challenge. It’s important to learn as much as you can about your food options, as well as the diabetic dietary standards you should set for yourself. It can help to work with a diabetes educator or a registered dietitian (especially one who is knowledgeable about the needs of people living with diabetes).

Even if you’re comfortable with your current diet, it can still be a good idea to meet periodically with a diabetes educator or dietitian. Many aspects of your diabetes care will change over time, and it’s important to review your diabetes meal planning and confirm that it still makes sense for you.

More About Healthy Foods
Carbohydrates, proteins, and fats are not only essential nutritional components, they are also an easy “shorthand” for categorizing many food items. Try to learn more about these three major categories of foods.

Carbohydrates
These come in three basic varieties: Complex carbohydrates, simple carbohydrates, and fiber.

• Complex carbs are what we commonly call “starches” and are found in grains, pastas, starchy vegetables, and beans.
• Simple carbs are also called “sugars.” These include sucrose (table sugar), fructose (found in fruits), and lactose (found in milk).
• Complex and simple carbs both raise your blood glucose. A big part of managing a diabetes-friendly diet involves planning your carb intake.
• In general, you should emphasize complex carbs over simple carbs, because complex carbs tend to convert to glucose more slowly. Foods with complex carbs also tend to be rich in fiber and other nutrients.
• Sugary foods, like candy, often carry little nutritional value. Indeed, table sugar is often referred to as an “empty carb” or an “empty calorie,” because it brings no additional food value with it. And some sweets, such as dessert foods, are often high in fat and calories.
• Although they do have simple carbs, fruits (with fructose) and milk/yogurt (with lactose) should be included in your diet. These foods are rich in vitamins and minerals.
• Fiber is technically a carbohydrate, but humans cannot digest it, so it does not raise your glucose. However, fiber is very good for your health. It helps clean the system and keep you regular. A high-fiber diet has also been shown to lower cholesterol. And, it may also help with glucose control because the carbs in a high-fiber meal tend to impact blood glucose a bit more slowly. Some fiber-rich foods include beans, whole grains, and many kinds of vegetables and fruits.

Protein
Protein is important for health, but not all protein foods are equal. Some, such as red meat, have high amounts of saturated fat. The same is true of cheeses. Poultry and fish may be better choices, from the viewpoint of heart health. And don’t eat excessive amounts of protein. In fact, high-protein diets—so widely publicized as a way to lose weight—are not recommended for people with diabetes because they don’t provide the healthy balance of a more diverse diet. Four to six ounces of protein foods per day is recommended, and that amount can be distributed across different meals. When protein is digested, some of it also turns to glucose. However, that glucose tends to be stored rather than used immediately as blood glucose. As a result, the digestion of protein actually has very little impact on your diabetes.

Fats
Fats should be eaten in moderation, because they add calories to your diet. Fats are called calorie dense, because by weight, they have twice as many calories as carbs or proteins. But not all fats are equal. Some are considered unhealthy and should be avoided when possible, while others have health benefits and should be included in your diet. It really helps to know the differences among the many fats and oils found in foods—especially when buying prepared or packaged items.

Healthy fats

• Monounsaturated fats: These include olive oil, canola oil, and the fats found in peanuts and some nuts and seeds. These are generally considered the healthiest oils to include in your diet.
• Polyunsaturated fats: These include other commonly used vegetable oils, like corn, safflower, and sunflower oil, as well as soft margarines. These are also considered reasonably healthy choices.

Unhealthy fats

• Saturated fat: These fats are mainly found in animal products—in meats, poultry, and dairy products, as well as lard, butter, and cream. Tropical oils used in many processed foods, such as palm and coconut oil, are also saturated fats. These fats are not healthy for your heart, and should be limited as much as possible. Foods containing saturated fats are often high in cholesterol as well.
• “Trans” fat: These are “hydrogenated” fats, which means they are liquid fats that started out as an oil and were processed to become solid. These include solid margarines and vegetable shortenings. These act like saturated fats, and are also considered to be unhealthy. These fats are commonly used in commercial baked goods, and in crackers, cookies, and many other “snack” foods.

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