Diet for Diabetes Brochure online

O UG HT

BR

YO U

BY

TO

SUPPORTED BY

DIET AND TYPE 2 DIABETES Don’t know where to start?

We’ve answered 7 of the most common questions

Eating for diabetes doesn’t need to be complicated.

Whether you’re managing pre-diabetes, type 2 diabetes or simply looking to eat better we’ve covered the most common questions in this booklet.

What’s most important is to find a way of eating that works for you (and your whānau) and supports your blood glucose control and treatment goals.

1. Do I need to follow a special diet if I have diabetes?

No. The good news is that are lots of different ways you can eat to manage your type 2 diabetes. Chat to your health professional (ideally a registered dietitian) around a way of eating that is best suited to you.

General healthy eating Following Ministry of Health dietary guidelines

Mediterranean diet

DASH diet

(Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)

Low-carbohydrate diet (around 150-200g carbs per day)

Vegetarian or vegan diet

TOP TIP:

Instead of focusing on the foods to remove – think about what you can add.

Crowd your plate with fibre-rich vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, wholegrains (i.e. brown rice) and legumes (i.e. chickpeas)

Restrictive or extreme diets like keto (very low carb) and carnivore are not recommended.

Whatever dietary approach you choose, crowd your plate with whole foods!

Include plenty of fibre from minimally processed plant foods.

Reduce your intake of free sugars and refined grains.

Free sugars include sugar added to food/drinks and the sugars naturally found in honey, syrups (like maple syrup and date syrup) and fruit juice.

Refined grains are grains like wheat or rice which have had the fibre-filled outer part of the grain (usually brown) removed.

2. Do I need to cut out all carbs?

It is a myth that people with type 2 diabetes need to cut all carbs from their diet.

Carbohydrates are found in many foods including grains (breads, cereals, rice, pasta), legumes, vegetables, milk, fruit and sugar containing foods & drinks.

When you eat carbohydrates, they are broken down into glucose (sugar) in the body but this is normal and not a bad thing, even for those with diabetes.

A wide range of carbohydrate intakes can support diabetes management.

Instead of cutting out carbs: • swap refined grains for whole grains (see our favourite swaps) •

•

reduce your intake of free sugars crowd your plate with fibrerich whole foods (whole grains, vegetables, fruit, legumes, nuts, seeds).

This will have the greatest benefit on your long-term blood glucose control.

TOP TIP:

Our favourite swaps •

White rice → brown rice, barley, bulgur or quinoa

•

Rice bubbles, cornflakes → oats or muesli low in added free sugar OR <10g sugar/100g

•

White bread, roll, pita or wrap → a whole grain bread, roll, pita or wrap

•

White flour → wholemeal flour

•

White pasta → wholemeal or pulse pasta

Aim for at least 35g of fibre each day

I still eat 3. Can potatoes?

Potatoes, kūmara, taro and corn are carbohydrate vegetables which means they will increase blood glucose levels - which is normal. They are still a whole food and source of nutrients like potassium and fibre.

The best way to eat potatoes is to include them on a balanced healthy plate.

This means eating a fist-sized portion of potatoes alongside protein foods (legumes, meat, seafood, chicken), fibre-rich vegetables and healthy fats (i.e. olive oil, nuts, seeds) to help reduce the glucose spike.

The most important part is the way you cook your potatoes!

Leave skins on and try to boil or roast them instead of frying or deep-frying.

TOP TIP:

Cook homemade chips, mash or roast potatoes alongside plenty of other colourful vegetables and a source of lean protein (i.e. tofu, chickpeas, piece of fish, skinless chicken).

4. Do I need to follow

a keto or very low carbohydrate diet?

The latest guidelines don’t recommend a very low-carb (less than 150g carbs per day) or ketogenic diet (less than 50g carbs per day) due to limited evidence and safety concerns.

A keto diet can be hard to maintain. It often doesn’t align with dietary guidelines, and may increase the risk of high cholesterol and nutrient deficiencies. It may also be unsafe when taking diabetes medications.

Restrictive diets can be tough to stick to and may affect your social life and relationship with food.

5. Is fruit off limits?

Fruit often sparks debate because it contains carbohydrate, but whole fruit is an unprocessed plant food and a great source of fibre, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.

Whole, fresh, or frozen fruit is best.

Dried fruit, fruit juice, and canned fruit are less ideal due to their higher free sugar content.

TOP TIP:

Focus on reducing free sugar found in foods like fruit juice, honey, date syrup, table sugar and added to packaged foods, instead of removing fruit from your diet.

2–3 pieces a day is OK.

6. Can I use a sweetener?

Artificial and natural sweeteners are used in foods, drinks, or as an alternative to sugar at home. They’re sweeter than sugar, so only small amounts are needed. They are usually low or zero calories.

Sweeteners may help some people reduce free sugars and calories.

Sugar-free drinks do not increase blood glucose levels (compared to sugary drinks like fizzy drink and fruit juice which do!)

Always check the label (see tips on next page) as some ‘diet’ drinks may still contain sugar.

Sweeteners also don’t retrain your taste buds to crave less sugar.

TOP TIP: Try cutting back on sugar gradually.

Small changes like reducing the teaspoons of sugar in your tea/coffee can have a big impact over time.

Keep healthy drink options on hand like chilled water, sugar-free flavoured sparkling water or herbal teas.

7. What should I be looking for on a label?

Most supermarket foods are processed in some way. When buying packaged foods, choose the healthiest options available using our tips below.

When shopping for packaged foods, it’s important to read food labels.

You’ll see lots of claims on pack like ‘no added sugar’ or ‘keto-friendly’.

It is best to flip over the packet and look at the nutrition information and ingredients list.

Look for options that are highest in fibre and lower in saturated fat, salt (sodium) and added sugars.

per 100g

TOP TIP:

BR

TO

<5g

Sodium

<420mg

Sugar (in food)

<10g

Sugar (in drinks)

<1g

Fibre Fibr e

>6g

To help manage blood pressure, blood glucose levels, triglycerides and cholesterol.

GET IN TOUCH

YO U

www.myfoodbag.co.nz nutrition@myfoodbag.co.nz

BY

O UG HT

As a general rule look for less than:

Saturated Fat

SUPPORTED BY

Diabetes NZ have a range of free education pamphlets for health professionals www.diabetes.org.nz/ pamphlet-ordering