Foods to Avoid with Diabetes

Having diabetes does not mean that you are sentenced to a life of eating only carrots and celery, but there are foods to avoid with diabetes to maintain a balanced diet and add a bit of variety.

Fatty foods, which are very high in trans and saturated fat can lead to severe heart issues.  Examples of these types of food include: ice cream, whole milk, chicken with the skin, cookies, cakes and chips.

Lists of foods to avoid with diabetes:

Carbohydrates or foods high in starch will spike your glucose (blood sugar) levels and should be avoided.  Food items such as white bread, white rice, and white pasta have no nutritional value and make your sugar peak at dangerous levels.

If you must have these foods, it is highly recommended to use brown rice, whole wheat bread and pasta.  High starch vegetables will include peas, parsnips and white potatoes.

Rice cakes are low in calories and eaten by many dieters for weight loss, but they contain a large amount of carbohydrates, and are not recommended for people that struggle with keeping their blood sugar at a healthy range.

Bacon is high in saturated fat, cholesterol and is very high in calories.  This food will easily pack on the pounds, and it is a known fact that weight gain is a major contributor of diabetes.  This is definitely a food diabetics should have on their avoid list.

Regular, non-diet soft drinks (soda and fruit juices for example) are full of sugar and should never be a part of a diabetic’s food list.  I’m a big fan of pure water to quench my thirst and to keep my body properly hydrated.  A freshly squeezed lemon, thinly sliced cucumbers or fresh mint can give plain water an extra boost of freshness.

Alcohol is full of sugar and the ADA (American Diabetes Association) recommends avoiding it completely, if possible.  If you do consume an alcoholic beverage, be sure to consume food to absorb the alcohol before it affects your blood sugar levels.

When you do your food shopping, the best advice is to avoid processed foods which are usually stragically placed in the center aisles of the store.  Save time and keep your body healthy by shopping the perimeter of the store.

This is where you will find fresh vegetables, fruits and lean meats, which are excellent, healthy food choices and are not foods to avoid with diabetes.