5 ways to eat well with diabetes

Whether you’re living with diabetes or not, the whole family will benefit from eating well. And the good news is that it’s easy to get started. Try out these top tips for healthy eating.

1. Eat regular meals
Space your meals evenly throughout the day, and make sure everyone has breakfast.

2. Keep an eye on portion sizes
Be mindful of your overall portion sizes of your food. If you are trying to lose weight, you may need to adjust them.
Try using smaller plates.
For main meals, dish out your vegetables first and let this fill up your plate.
Separate the different foods on the plate rather than piling them on each other.
Resist the temptation for a second helping; have a glass of water first.

3. Carbs count
Include carbohydrates in the food you eat each day. Healthier sources include wholegrain starchy foods, fruits and vegetables, pulses and some dairy foods. As all carbohydrates affects blood glucose levels, be conscious of the amounts you eat.

4. Cut the fat
Everyone needs some fat as part of a healthy diet. But, cut back on saturated fats, which are found in foods that are made of animal products like butter and cheese, red and processed meats, palm oil, coconut oil, ghee, and cakes and pastries.

5. Get your five a day
Aim for at least five portions of fruit and veg a day, so that you and your family get the range of vitamins, minerals and fibre you need to eat well. Choose seasonal produce to cut costs.

…and 2 things you can do to help manage your diabetes

1. Give ‘diabetic’ foods a miss
Foods labelled as ‘diabetic’ offer no benefit to people with diabetes and may still affect blood glucose levels. They are expensive and contain as much fat and calories as ordinary versions, and they can also have a laxative effect.

2. See a dietitian
Diabetes UK recommends that everyone with diabetes should see a registered dietitian at diagnosis, and then have regular reviews. Ask your GP to refer you to see a registered dietitian.