Top 10 Foods For Diabetics

DishQuo’s top 10 foods for diabetics help stabilize insulin levels. Eating for healthy insulin levels is crucial for diabetics, but the following list of the best foods for diabetics is much more extensive. We include foods that support the whole body and may help prevent additional complications from type 2 diabetes.

These 10 diabetic friendly foods are found in the hundreds of recipes on the DishQuo meal planning app. Get the first two weeks of your diabetic friendly meal plan free.
1. Dark Leafy Greens

Eat dark leafy greens like kale, spinach and collard greens every day. These greens are higher in fiber and nutrients compared to romaine and iceberg lettuce. High fiber foods help slow the rate of food absorption into the bloodstream. This helps prevent spikes in blood sugar. Dark leafy greens are high in polyphenols, an antioxidant believed to also help manage blood sugar regulation.

Dark leafy greens can be enjoyed both raw and cooked. There are plenty of ways to easily add them into your daily diet. Chop fine and mix into scrambled eggs, soups and baked dishes. Greens can also be enjoyed as salads, sprinkled with nuts and seeds.
2. Omega 3 Fatty Fish

Salmon is well known for high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids. Omega 3 fatty acids are a healthy source of fat important in brain and cardiovascular health.

Other great options for fish are sardines, cod, herring, Atlantic Mackerel and trout. According to the CDC, people with type 2 diabetes have an increased risk of cardiovascular issues. Eating fish high in omega 3 fatty acids at least twice a week is recommended by the American Heart Association for heart health.
3. Whole Eggs

The American Diabetes Association recommends eating whole eggs, yolks included, as part of a healthy diet for those with diabetes. Eggs are an excellent source of protein, which helps keep blood sugar levels low. Eggs are higher in cholesterol, so keep your egg intake to no more than 12 a week.

Diabetic retinopathy is an eye condition that causes blurred vision and sight loss in those with diabetes. Egg yolks also contain lutein, an important nutrient for healthy eyesight and brain health. Enjoying eggs a few times a week is a great choice for those with type 2 diabetes.
4. Berries

Fruit does contain sugar; however, it should be a part of a healthy meal plan for diabetics. Blueberries, strawberries and blackberries contain low levels of sugar compared to other fruits with high levels of antioxidants and fiber. Antioxidants help fight inflammation, an important factor for anyone living with a chronic disease like type 2 diabetes.

Enjoy berries alongside a healthy protein, like eggs, to slow the rate of sugar being absorbed into your bloodstream.
5. Broccoli

Non-starchy vegetables are a great choice for managing type 2 diabetes. Research shows that broccoli may be especially powerful in lowering glucose levels. Broccoli contains sulforaphane, a compound that has shown to improve glucose tolerance in rats. While more research needs to be done to prove its effectiveness in humans, eating more broccoli can’t hurt.

Other great non-starchy vegetables to include in your diabetic friendly diet are artichoke, cauliflower, brussel sprouts, cucumbers, tomatoes and onion. Eat broccoli at least 3 times a week and other non-starchy vegetables daily. All non-starchy vegetables are low in carbohydrates and high in nutrients and fiber which is an excellent combination for diabetics.
6. Turmeric

Turmeric is used widely around the world for its anti-inflammatory compound curcumin. Inflammation is a major factor in diabetes, like all chronic diseases. Turmeric is sold as a supplement but can easily be added into your diabetic friendly meal plan. Sprinkle turmeric into scrambled eggs, soups and lean proteins. The DishQuo meal plan includes turmeric in many of its recipes, even smoothies.
7. Walnuts

Small amounts of nuts can be enjoyed on a healthy meal plan for diabetics. Nuts contain fiber, protein and fat, all slowing the rate of absorption into the bloodstream.

Walnuts especially are great because of their high levels of Omega 3 fatty acids. Other great nut choices for diabetics are almonds and Brazil nuts. Finely chopped nuts add a boost of flavor to vegetables and salads. Eat a handful alongside your berries for an easy snack or dessert.
8. Quinoa

Superfood quinoa has many benefits for diabetics. Quinoa is a whole grain high in fiber and protein. Quinoa is very versatile and can be used in place of rice. White rice has minimal fiber and a high glycemic index—not great when you’re trying to manage blood sugar levels. Swapping out white rice for quinoa is an easy change.

Quinoa can also be used in baking and as a breakfast porridge. Trying multiple colors of quinoa adds another layer of variety to your diet. Quinoa comes in red, black and yellow.
9. Seeds

Like nuts, seeds are a great addition to a diabetics diet. Chia and flax seeds are high in omega 3 fatty acids, fiber and protein. Sprinkling seeds on top of salads is an easy way to add a boost of nutrition to your diet.

Blend chia and flax seeds into smoothies without altering the flavor, but adding the protein benefits. Other great seeds to try are sunflower seeds and pepitas.
10. Legumes

Legumes are a healthy, starchy food choice for diabetics. Starchy foods are often not recommended for diabetics due to the higher glycemic index. Legumes, however, contain lean protein and soluble fiber. This macronutrient combination makes it a slow absorbing and digesting food.

Soak and cook dried beans or use unsalted canned beans while cooking. Add a variety of legumes like kidney beans, white beans, chickpeas and lentils. Season with herbs and garlic for a low sodium, flavorful dish. Legumes can easily be added into soups, stews and baked dishes. Blend legumes into a creamy dip served with non-starchy vegetables for a healthy snack.



The DishQuo meal planning app has hundreds of recipes with these top 10 foods for diabetics. If you’re looking for guidance on adding these foods into your diet, try DishQuo meal app for free.



Still curious on ways to better control your blood sugar and insulin levels? We’ve also compiled the top 5 foods that

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7 -Day Diabetes Meal Plan

This 7-day diabetes meal plan will give you an easy-to-follow plan for what and how much to eat to get the healthy nutrition you need as a person living with diabetes.

Equally importantly, all the food in this meal plan tastes great and motivates you to stick to the plan!

It includes instructions on how to find your daily calorie needs and adjust the meal plan to your goals (weight loss, maintenance, weight gain, etc.)

To make following the plans easier, it also includes a downloadable grocery list and a day-by-day overview that you can print out and put on your fridge or bring grocery shopping.

All of the recipes are low-carb so they fit the nutrition preferences of most people living with diabetes.

If you prefer a meal plan with even fewer carbs, you can follow our Ketogenic Meal Plan instead.

Home » Diet » Meal Plans » 7 -Day Diabetes Meal Plan (with Printable Grocery List)

By Christel Oerum On November 5, 2017, Updated April 19, 2021
7 -Day Diabetes Meal Plan (with Printable Grocery List)


This 7-day diabetes meal plan will give you an easy-to-follow plan for what and how much to eat to get the healthy nutrition you need as a person living with diabetes.

Equally importantly, all the food in this meal plan tastes great and motivates you to stick to the plan!

It includes instructions on how to find your daily calorie needs and adjust the meal plan to your goals (weight loss, maintenance, weight gain, etc.)

To make following the plans easier, it also includes a downloadable grocery list and a day-by-day overview that you can print out and put on your fridge or bring grocery shopping.

All of the recipes are low-carb so they fit the nutrition preferences of most people living with diabetes.

If you prefer a meal plan with even fewer carbs, you can follow our Ketogenic Meal Plan instead.




What is a good meal plan for people with diabetes?

A good diabetes meal plan is one that provides you with all the healthy nutrition you need while helping you keep your blood sugar level in your target range.

According to the American Diabetes Association’s 2019 nutrition guidelines, there are many different ways to create a healthy diabetes meal plan, but there is “growing evidence to show that low-carbohydrate eating patterns can benefit people with diabetes and prediabetes.”

This plan is what many will consider “moderately low carb” which means:Less than 25 grams of carbohydrates in each meal or snack
Protein and healthy fats in every meal
Plenty of fiber to aid digestion and help manage blood sugar levels (by slowing down the absorption of carbohydrates)
No processed carbohydrates or added sugars
Limited natural sugars (from fruit, etc.) that can cause blood sugar spikes
Moderate in sodium

Of course, no meal plan will perfectly suit everyone. You may have specific dietary needs or food allergies to take into account or simply like different foods than what’s included in this plan. If so, use this plan as a starting point and substitute the meals that don’t work for you with something else with similar macronutrients.

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The Best and Worst Foods to Eat in a Type 2 Diabetes Diet

Picking the right foods to eat when you have diabetes can help lower your blood sugar or keep it stable. Find out what to put on the menu when planning your diabetes diet.


Following a type 2 diabetes diet doesn’t mean you have to give up all the things you love — you can still enjoy a wide range of foods when managing this disease. Indeed, creating a diet for type 2 diabetes is a balancing act: It includes a variety of healthy carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). The trick is ultimately choosing foods that are naturally rich in nutrients to help keep your blood sugar level in your target range and avoid big swings that can cause type 2 diabetes symptoms notes the Mayo Clinic — from the frequent urination and thirst of high blood sugar to the fatigue, dizziness, headaches, and mood changes of low blood sugar (hypoglycemia), per the American Diabetes Association (ADA).





The Basics of the Type 2 Diabetes Diet: What Should You Eat?

To follow a healthy diet for diabetes, you must first understand how different foods affect your blood sugar. Carbohydrates, which are found to the largest degree in grains, bread, pasta, milk, sweets, fruit, and starchy vegetables, are broken down into glucose in the blood, which raises blood sugar, potentially leading to hyperglycemia according to the Mayo Clinic. Protein and fats have little, if any, impact blood sugar, notes a past review. However, both should be consumed in moderation — along with carbs — to keep calories down and weight in a healthy range.

To hit your blood sugar level target, eat a variety of foods but monitor portions for foods with a high carbohydrate content, says Alison Massey, RD, a certified diabetes educator in Frederick, Maryland. “[Foods high in carbohydrates] have the most impact on blood sugar level. This is why some people with diabetes count their carbohydrates at meals and snacks,” she says.
How Many Carbs Can You Eat if You Have Diabetes?

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there’s no “one-size-fits-all” carb target for people managing diabetes. Ultimately, the amount depends on factors such as your age, weight, and activity level.

As a general rule, though, people with diabetes ought to get about one-half of their daily calories from carbs. To identify your daily carb need, multiply 50 percent by your daily calorie target. For example, if you eat 2,000 calories a day, aim to consume about 1,000 calories of carbs in food and drink. Because the CDC says 1 gram (g) of carbs provides 4 calories, you can divide the calories of carbs number by 4 to get your daily target for grams of carbs, which comes out to 250 g in this example. For a more personalized daily carb goal, it’s best to work with a certified diabetes care and education specialist or a registered dietitian to determine a goal that is best for you.

RELATED: What Is the Ketogenic Diet? Everything You Need to Know


The Best and Worst Type 2 Diabetes Choices by Food Group

As you pick the best foods for type 2 diabetes, here’s a helpful guideline from the NIDDK to keep in mind: Fill one-half your plate (use a 9-inch dish for reference) with nonstarchy vegetables. One-fourth of your plate should feature your protein (such as meat or a plant-based source), and the final fourth should include a grain or other starch, such as starchy vegetables, a piece of fruit, or a small glass of milk.

Because processed and sugary foods are unhealthy carbs, limit them in your diabetes diet, says Massey. That includes soda, candy, and other packaged or processed snacks, such as corn chips, potato chips, and the like. And while artificial sweeteners like those found in diet sodas won’t necessarily spike your blood sugar in the same way as white sugar, they could still have an effect on your blood sugar and even alter your body’s insulin response.

A previous study found that when 17 obese, non-insulin-resistant people ingested a beverage treated with the artificial sweetener sucralose (sold as Splenda) before taking a standardized dose of glucose, their blood sugar and insulin levels rose more than when they drank plain water. On the other hand, a meta-analysis published May 2018 in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that artificial sweeteners didn’t increase blood sugar levels. More research is needed to determine how artificial sweeteners affect people with diabetes.

For now, here’s what you need to know about choosing the most diabetes-friendly foods from each food group.

RELATED: 9 Sugar Substitutes to Consider When Managing Type 2 Diabetes
What Foods High in Protein Are Good for Type 2 Diabetes?

The American Diabetes Association (ADA) recommends lean proteins low in saturated fat for people with diabetes. If you’re following a vegan or vegetarian diet, getting enough and the right balance of protein may be more challenging, but you can rely on foods like beans (dried or canned beans, and bean products like hummus and falafel), nuts and nut spreads, tempeh, and tofu to get your fix, notes the Cleveland Clinic. Just be sure to keep portion size in mind when snacking on nuts, as they are also high in fat and calories, according to Harvard Health. The American Heart Association (AHA) counts a small handful (roughly 1.5 ounces) of whole nuts as one serving. If you opt for unsalted almonds, 1.5 ounces will provide 258 calories and nearly 23 g of fat, per estimates from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA).

Meanwhile, processed or packaged foods should be avoided or limited in your diabetes diet because, in addition to added sugars and processed carbohydrates, these foods are often high in sodium, according to the AHA. Getting too much sodium in your diet can increase your blood pressure and, in turn, the risk of heart disease or stroke, notes Harvard Health. And heart disease and stroke are two common complications of diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic. It’s important to keep your blood pressure in check when managing diabetes.

In addition to getting enough fiber, incorporating protein-rich foods in your diet can help keep you satiated and promote weight loss, per a past review. Losing just 5 percent of body weight has been shown to improve blood sugar control in overweight and obese individuals with type 2 diabetes, according to a review published June 2014 in the International Journal of Clinical Practice.

Best options, according to the ADA:

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Healthy Diabetic Recipes That Are The Best!

Are you looking for healthy diabetic-friendly recipes that can easily be prepared in under 30 mins?

Well, this is exactly why I think it’s important to have healthy diabetic recipes available that are simple, easy, and can be made in under 30 minutes! That way it ensures that when life gets in the way, you have the ability to whip something up that’s quick, nutritious and filling even when you have diabetes.

The majority of these 30 minute meals consist of slow releasing, healthier carbs, as opposed to processed, sugary carbohydrates. Which is why these meals are also perfect for people who are living with insulin resistance, are prediabetic, or have type II diabetic.

And did I mention that these diabetic friendly recipes and meals are healthy and tasty? That’s enough of an advantage to want to cook meals at home any day of the week!

So let’s get started by checking out the following list of 30 minute diabetic recipes below!

For simplicity sake, I’ve divided each section into different categories. Each category is based upon the main ingredient present within the dish. For example, you’ll see a meat section, a vegetarian section, a vegan section etc. Also, I’ve added my personal suggestions next to some of the recipes (based on how I would prepare the meal). 😊
Meatless Dishes (Vegetarian) for Healthy Diabetics


1) 30 Minute Black Pepper Tofu – Dishing Out Health


2) Fresh Corn & Tomato Fettuccini – Taste of Home


3) 5-Ingredient Mexican Brown Rice – Kim’s Cravings


4) One Pot Moroccan Chickpea Quinoa Salad – Ambitious Kitchen


5) Warm Caprese Salad – The Endless Meal (To make this recipe even healthier, I would use chickpea or GF pasta and cashew cheese in place of the mozza ball).


6) Instant Pot Lentil Tacos – My Crazy Good Life


7) 15 Minute Lo-Mein – Pinch of Yum (My suggestions would be to use sodium reduced soy sauce in place of dark soy sauce and coconut aminos in place of light soy sauce. I would also replace sesame oil while cooking the noodles and use avocado oil instead).


8) Thai Peanut Coconut Cauliflower Chickpea Curry – Ambitious Kitchen


9) Baked Sweet & Sour Cauliflower Dish – Crème De La Crumb (My suggestions – Substitute vegetable oil with extra virgin olive oil, soy sauce with sodium reduced soy sauce or coconut amino, and sugar with 2 tbs of maple syrup instead!)


10) Mediterranean Avocado Chickpea Pasta Salad– Ambitious Kitchen


11) Vegetable Asian Stir-Fry Noodles – The Endless Meal (My suggestion would be to use low sodium vegetable broth and coconut aminos in place of soy sauce. This will reduce the high sodium content in the meal. I would also use soba noodles in order to reduce the sugar content by half!)


12) Grilled Garden Veggie Pizza – Taste of Home


13) Quick & Easy Black Bean Soup – Ambitious Kitchen




14) Black Bean Veggie Burger – The Endless Meal

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