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What Is Healthy Eating for Diabetes?

November 26, 2019

When you have diabetes, it’s helpful to have a sense of what foods to eat more of and which ones to cut back on. I wrote a guide to general healthy eating when you have diabetes for Eating Well.

Healthy eating for diabetes looks very similar to healthy eating for a person without diabetes. The basis of your nutrition plan should focus on whole and minimally processed foods—think vegetables, fruits, whole grains, legumes, nuts, healthy proteins and fats—with limited added sugars and salt. Patterns of eating that provide an abundance of plants have been linked with a reduced risk of developing diet-related chronic illnesses like high cholesterol and hypertension (learn more about the health benefits of plant-based diets). They’ve also been linked with improved management of diabetes, as well as slowing the progression of diet-related chronic illnesses. The good news is, you don’t need to eat a completely vegan diet—just one rich in plants—to reap the benefits.

Maya Feller

Maya Feller, MS, RD, CDN is the founder and lead dietitian at Maya Feller Nutrition. In her practice, her team provides medical nutrition therapy and nutrition coaching for cardiovascular disease, diabetes, mood disorders, developmental disabilities, disordered eating, and more. Maya believes in providing inclusive nutrition education from an anti-bias patient-centered, culturally humble approach to help people make informed food choices. Maya shares her approachable, food-based solutions with millions of people through regular speaking engagements, writing, her social platforms, and as a national nutrition expert on Good Morning America, is a Healthline Medical Advisor, and on the advisory board for SHAPE and Parents, as well as appearing on TODAY Show, Tamron Hall, and in The New York Times, mindbodygreen, Well+Good, Food Network, Martha Stewart, Real Simple, Good Housekeeping, Cooking Light, Eating Well, Prevention, Glamour, SELF, and more. She is the author of The Southern Comfort Food Diabetes Cookbook: Over 100 Recipes for a Healthy Life and Eating from Our Roots: 80+ Healthy Home-Cooked Favorites from Cultures Around the World (goop Press, January 24, 2023).

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