Type 2 diabetes - Food and keeping active (2024)

FAQs

Type 2 diabetes - Food and keeping active? ›

Water is the best all-round drink. If your family likes flavoured waters, make your own by adding a squeeze of lemon or lime, or strawberries.

Water is the best all-round drink. If your family likes flavoured waters, make your own by adding a squeeze of lemon or lime, or strawberries.

Drinking water is an excellent way to stay hydrated without consuming sugar. Green tea, cow's milk, and fermented milk (kefir) could also help you manage your blood sugar responses. Coffee also contains compounds that may help regulate blood sugar, but confirming this requires more research.

1. Legumes. Studies have shown that protein-rich legumes can help reduce your blood sugar response to meals you eat later in the day. There's also evidence that following a low-GI diet rich in legumes may reduce blood sugar levels for people with type 2 diabetes and improve blood sugar control.

You limit dairy products, red meat, sweets, added sugars, sodium (salt), and highly processed foods. Some additional guidelines include focusing on seasonal produce and reading food labels to help you avoid added sodium and sugar.

"A low-sugar Greek yogurt with berries and a few nuts is a great balance of protein, fiber, and fat to help keep blood sugar stable, and research shows foods like strawberries and wild blueberries can help improve insulin resistance as well," Harris-Pincus says.

Drinking plenty of water helps your kidneys flush out excess sugar. One study found that people who drink more water lower their risk for developing high blood sugar levels. And remember, water is the best. Sugary drinks elevate blood sugar by raising it even more.

How should a person with diabetes start the day? Eat a big breakfast. Eating a large meal in the morning and smaller meals for lunch and dinner may promote weight loss, lower glucose levels, and decrease daily insulin dose in people with type 2 diabetes and obesity, according to a 2022 review.

What are the three worst drinks for blood sugar? ›

The fastest way to lower blood sugar is to take fast-acting insulin medication. Exercise can also help to bring down blood sugar levels quickly. Diet and lifestyle changes can help manage overall blood sugar levels, but for immediate action, prescription medication or medical assistance may be necessary.

The bottom line: Lemon and cucumber water is better than certain drink options (e.g. sugary ones), and it can help you stay hydrated. However, don't reach for lemon and cucumber-infused water with the expectation that it will single-handedly reduce your blood sugars and diabetes symptoms.

Though bananas are higher in carbs and sugars than some foods, they also contain fiber and resistant starch that slows down the digestion and release of sugar into your bloodstream. These qualities make bananas a healthy, go-to snack for people with diabetes.

Your health care provider will test A1C levels at least two times a year and when there are any changes in treatment. Target A1C goals vary depending on age and other factors. For most people, the American Diabetes Association recommends an A1C level below 7%.