What Is Healthy Eating for Diabetes?

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.