Type 2 Diabetes:Eating Healthy

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Video: Perspectives on Eating Healthy
  • Diabetes Keeping Blood Sugar Level Doctor-Patient Video
    Juggling Act
    "Different sugars affect me differently"
    ( 1:23 )
  • Diabetes Food Challenge Doctor-Patient Video
    Meals
    Know your blood sugar before you eat
    ( 2:14 )
  • Diabetes Insulin Desserts Doctor-Patient Video
    Insulin and Food
    "I eat a fair amount of fish"
    ( :51 )
  • Diabetes Food Diary Doctor-Patient Video
    Food Diary
    Writing it down can help you lose weight
    ( :55 )

Why People With Type 2 Diabetes Need Sugar-Substitute Savvy

You don't have to use them, but they can help cut calories
In the past, sugar—we're talking about sucrose, or common table sugar—was a "bad guy" to be avoided by people with type 2 diabetes. But research has shown that all carbohydrates (from sugar to bread, cereals, grains, juice, fruit, and starchy vegetables) can increase blood sugar (called glucose) in roughly the same way...   Read More

How to Snack in the Right Way if You Have Type 2 Diabetes

The trick is knowing which foods make a good snack
If you have type 2 diabetes, you don't need to include snacks in your daily diet, unless you're on a type of medication, such as insulin or sulfonylureas, that can cause hypoglycemia...  Read More

Why Carbohydrates Are So Important in Diabetes

About 90% end up as glucose, so they have a big impact on blood sugar
Carbohydrates are sugar-based molecules found in fruit, vegetables, whole grains, and dairy products. The make up about 45% to 65% of calories in a healthy diet (the exact percentage is hotly debated); the rest come from fat and protein...  Read More

Type 2 Diabetes and Alcohol: Proceed With Caution

Alcohol usually causes blood sugar to drop, but it can raise it too
Hoping for a beer at the ball game, or a glass of wine with dinner? If you have type 2 diabetes, that's probably OK as long as your blood sugar is under control, you don't have any complications that are affected by alcohol (such as high blood pressure), and you know how the drink will affect your blood sugar, according to the American Diabetes Association...  Read More

How I Lost 100 Pounds After a Type 2 Diabetes Diagnosis

"I used to eat 3,000 to 4,000 calories a day, with a liter of Coke and lots of junk food"
I was born in Mexico, and my family came to the United States when I was six months old. When I was a small girl, my mother would boast that it was wonderful to live in a country where there was so much food. For breakfast she'd serve me a plate of four eggs, and I'd eat them all...  Read More

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Expert Hope Warshaw Gives Advice on What to Eat if You Have Diabetes

 Hope Warshaw, RD
Hope Warshaw, RD
Nationally recognized diabetes nutrition expert
Q: Do I need to pay attention to the sugars on the nutrition facts label?

A: No. Pay attention to the total carbohydrates. The sugars content includes the amount of added and natural sugar in a serving. The amount of sugars are included within the total carbohydrate count, which is the key piece of information you need for planning meals and snacks. It's also important to pay attention to the serving size. Today's serving sizes are standardized by food-labeling regulations. Read More

ONLINE RESOURCES

Candy, Carbs, Calories: 9 Food-Related Websites for People With Diabetes

  • Site: CalorieKing
  • Who it's for: Those curious about how many calories are on their plates
  • Why we like it: It has a free downloadable food search toolbar for Internet browsers. Just type in the food about to be eaten and get all its nutritional facts. There are also healthy, low-cal recipes and nutrition quizzes.