Food & Fitness

Cereal is a good, quick option in the morning. However, navigating the cereal aisle and picking out the healthiest choices can be tricky because of the many options. Not to mention, some cereals that appear to be healthy choices can also be loaded with added sugars.

So, what can you do? A good place to start is the ingredient list on the nutrition facts label. The best cereals will be made mostly with whole grains. Check to see if a whole grain, like whole wheat flour or whole oats, is listed as the first ingredient.

Also, check the label for the grams of fiber per serving. The best cereals will be made up of mostly whole grains and will have 3 or more grams of fiber per serving. If you can find a cereal with 5 or more grams of fiber per serving, that is considered an excellent source of fiber!

Try to refrain from buying sugary cereals – these are less nutritious and will raise blood glucose quickly. This includes cereals that are marketed to children but may also include less conspicuous brands. Limit anything that contains sweet, high-sugar ingredients like chocolate, frosting, marshmallows, honey, and other ingredients that add extra calories, carbohydrates, and fat. The cereals lowest in added sugars will usually be the “original” versions of a cereal, like plain oatmeal or original Total, Wheaties, or Cheerios. Unless the cereal you buy has fruit in it, (which will add natural sugars) look for those that are lower in sugar – around 6 grams or less per serving.

So, the best cereals will be a good source of whole grains and fiber, while also being lower in added sugars. Even if you buy a healthier cereal, it is still important to watch portion size and consider carbohydrates if you have diabetes. All cereals (and milk) contain carbohydrates and will raise blood glucose.

Here are a few more pointers when it comes to cereal:

If you like milk with your cereal, use skim, ½ %, 1% milk. Unflavored regular or light soy milk are also good choices. 1 cup of milk has about 12 grams of carbohydrate. Some cereal boxes include nutrition information with the nutrition facts for a serving of cereal plus ½ cup of skim milk. This is usually shown in a separate column and may make meal planning easier. You may want to measure milk out before pouring it over your cereal to get an idea of how much you are using. It can be hard to know how much you are adding when you pour it straight from the carton.

Whole grain hot cereals are another option. Whether you prefer instant, quick-cooking oats, or old fashioned oats, oatmeal is a hot cereal that is whole grain. Oatmeal also comes in instant packets so you can make them with quickly hot water in the office or at home. Not all hot cereals are whole grain however. Grits and cream of wheat are not whole grain.

Get familiar with the size of your cereal bowl. Research has shown that the bigger the bowl or plate we have, the more we will serve ourselves. Use the nutrition facts label to look up a serving size of cereal. If you have diabetes, the nutrition facts label is also the best way to get an idea of how many carbohydrates you get per serving.

Become familiar with what a serving size of cereal looks like in your bowls at home. This may mean measuring out portions for a week and taking note of what a portion of cereal and milk looks like. You don’t have to measure every day, but it may be a good idea to check yourself and re-measure once in a while.

A lot of people with diabetes wonder if they can eat fruit at all and the answer is yes! Although fruit naturally contains carbohydrates, it is also are loaded with other important nutrients such as fiber and an assortment of vitamins and minerals. In addition, fruit has no saturated fat, sodium, or cholesterol.

Fruit does contain natural sugars in the form of fructose, which is where its carbohydrates come from. But, even if you have diabetes, you can eat any type of fruit as long as you work it into your meal plan. It is a more nutrient-rich source of carbohydrate than some other carbohydrate choices like refined grains, cookies, cakes, pastries, processed snack foods, and candy.

To help you fit fruit into your meal plan, we’ve listed some portion sizes below that have about 15 grams of carbohydrate:

• 1 small piece of whole fruit (about 4 oz)
• ½ cup of frozen or canned fruit
• ¾ - 1 cup of fresh berries or melon
• 1/3-1/2 cup fruit juice
• 2 tablespoons of dried fruit

Fresh, canned, or frozen fruit without added sugars are all good options! You get a similar amount of nutrients from each, so choose what you like best and what fits with your budget. Dried fruit and fruit juice are also nutritious choices, but the portion sizes are small so they may not be as filling as other choices.

When you choose to buy canned fruit, check labels to be sure the fruit has been canned in water or its own juice – not in light or heavy syrup. Fruit is already a source of carbohydrates, so when it is canned in syrup, the carbohydrate content goes up and so do the calories per serving.

There will be certain foods that may be difficult to eat and still control your blood glucose. If you find this happens when you eat specific fruits, you should monitor how your body reacts after you eat that fruit and adjust portion sizes as needed.

Agave nectar is a very popular sweetener right now. It is well-known for having a lower glycemic index than regular sugar or honey. However, it still provides the body with the same amount of calories and carbohydrates, and it will still raise blood glucose.

It is okay for people with diabetes to use sweeteners such as sugar, honey, and agave nectar sparingly. When you decide to include agave nectar in your meal plan, account for it the same way you would account for regular sugar. Consider portion sizes and the amount of carbohydrate when planning meals. A comparison of a few sweeteners is shown below:

1 tablespoon honey = about 64 calories, 17 grams of carbohydrate

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar = about 52 calories, 13 grams of carbohydrate

1 tablespoon white or granulated sugar = about 49 calories, 13 grams of carbohydrate

1 tablespoon agave nectar = about 45 calories, 12 grams of carbohydrate

1 tablespoon maple syrup = about 52 calories, 13 grams of carbohydrate

1 packet of artificial sweetener = about 4 calories,

As you can see, one packet of artificial sweetener is much lower in calories and carbohydrates than the other sweeteners listed above. However, it still provides the same degree of sweetness.

Splenda is a brand name for sucralose, one of the five artificial sweeteners that have been approved by the FDA. Splenda is very low in calories and carbohydrates, and when used in small amounts, it will not raise blood glucose.

According to the FDA, these sweeteners are safe when used in moderate amounts and can help to curb your sweet tooth without adding as many calories and carbs as regular sugar or agave nectar.

Diet sodas usually have zero grams of carbohydrate per serving, so they will not raise blood glucose levels on their own. However, if you have them with other food or drinks that contain carbohydrates, your blood glucose levels will rise.

Diet soda is different from regular soda because it is sweetened with artificial sweeteners instead of sugar or high fructose corn syrup. Removing these added sugars and replacing them with artificial sweeteners removes most of the calories and carbohydrates.

When choosing what to drink, always check the nutrition label to see how many grams of carbohydrate are in a serving. The American Diabetes Association recommends drinking calorie-free or very low-calorie beverages that do not have carbohdyrates. This includes water, unsweetened teas, coffee, club soda, and diet drinks. There are other options too, such as low-calorie drinks and drink mixes which can be found in most grocery stores (for example, Crystal Light). You can also try flavoring tap or mineral water with a squeeze of lemon or lime juice for a refreshing drink with some flavor.

We advise people with diabetes to avoid sugary drinks like regular soda, fruit punch, energy drinks, sweet tea, and the like. These drinks will raise blood glucose quickly and can easily provide over 100 calories in just one serving! So, save your calories and spare your blood glucose – choose zero-calorie beverages whenever possible.

It is important to remember that prediabetes and diabetes are two separate conditions, so the way you manage them will differ slightly. Prediabetes is the state that occurs when a person's blood glucose levels are higher than normal but not high enough for a diagnosis of diabetes.

Research on prediabetes has shown that losing weight by following a reduced-calorie along with regular physical activity (at least 150 minutes/week) can help to prevent or delay diabetes.

When it comes to snacking, people often think of foods that are high in sugar or added fats like chips, cookies, candy, etc. Eating these high-calorie snack foods will not do you any favors if you are trying to lose weight. It is easy to overeat when you choose these types of snacks, and the calories and fat in them will add up quickly.

However, there are still many snack options that can help curb hunger while also adding a nutritious energy boost to your day. Think of snacking as great opportunity to fit in another serving of whole grains, fruits, or vegetables! These foods are lower in fat and calories compared to most salty snacks and sweets. They will also fill you up, give you the energy you need, and tide you over until your next meal.

To keep your snacks lower in calories, you need to focus on portion size as well. It may be helpful to buy individually packaged snacks or to pre-portion snacks beforehand using measuring cups and spoons.

Some light, healthy snacks with less than 130 calories include:

• 1 medium-size piece of fruit (like a banana, apple, peach, or nectarine)
• 1 cup of berries
• 1 tablespoon of peanut butter with celery sticks
• 1 piece of reduced-calorie whole-wheat toast with ½ tablespoon almond butter
• 1 reduced-fat cheese stick
• 3/4 cup of Cheerios or another bite-sized cereal  (add 1/3 cup of skim milk if desired)
• 1/4 cup 2% fat cottage cheese
• Half of a turkey sandwich with mustard, tomato, and lettuce
• 6 ounces non-fat flavored yogurt
• 1 hard-boiled egg
• 3 cups light popcorn

To find more snack ideas, you can visit our Healthy Snacking Page. You may also be interested in our prediabetes and weight loss information.

Carbohydrate counting is a meal planning method that can help you control your blood glucose levels. Before you start counting carbs, you should talk to your healthcare team about how many grams of carbohydrates you should have at each meal and whether or not to include snacks. They can help you individualized your meal plan to help you meet your diabetes goals. 

If you have not yet had a chance to talk to your provider, try starting with about 45-60 grams of carbohydrates per meal. However, you may need more or you may need less.

If you are new to counting carbohydrates, we have a several resources that can help you learn more.

To start you off, you should learn which foods contain carbohydrates:

• starchy foods like bread, cereal, rice, and crackers
• fruit and juice
• milk and yogurt
• dried beans like pinto beans and soy products like veggie burgers
• starchy vegetables like potatoes and corn
• sweets and snack foods like sodas, juice drinks, cake, cookies, candy, and chips

*Non-starchy vegetables also have a little bit of carbohydrate but in general are very low.

Now, here is a short list of different foods and the portion size that contains about 15 grams of carbohydrate:

• 1 slice of whole wheat bread
• 1 small piece of fresh fruit (4 oz)
• 1 slice of bread (1 oz) or 1 (6 inch) tortilla
• 1/3 cup of pasta or rice
• 4-6 crackers
• 1/2 English muffin or hamburger bun
• 1/2 cup of black beans or starchy vegetable
• 1/4 of a large baked potato (3 oz)
• 2/3 cup of plain fat-free yogurt or sweetened with sugar substitutes
• 2 small cookies
• 2 inch square brownie or cake without frosting

You can find a longer, more complete list on our carbohydrate counting page.

As you can see, portion size is important in carbohydrate counting if you want to stay within your recommended carb range per meal. It may be helpful to use measuring cups and spoons until you get the hang of it.

The nutrition facts label is also very helpful when planning meals and counting carbohydrates. Make sure you look at the serving size and check how many grams of Total Carbohdyrate are listed on the label. This will tell you the number of grams of carbohydrate you should count per serving of that food. Use food labels whenever possible.They are the most accurate estimate of carbohydrate in a serving.

Once you learn the basics of carbohydrate counting, work on choosing healthy carbohydrate foods to fill your plate with. Making healthier foods choices may also help you lose weight, control your blood glucose, and feel healthier in general.

In the United States, pumpernickel bread is made mostly with rye flour. It may also contain some wheat flour. However, it is not always made with whole rye flour and whole wheat flour, so it may not be a good source of whole grains.

The best bread choices are those that are made completely with or mostly with a whole grain flour. A good way to tell if the bread you buy is made mostly with whole grains is to check the ingredient list on the nutrition facts label. You should see a whole grain flour (i.e. whole rye flour or whole wheat flour) listed first. It is also a good choice if the package says “100% whole wheat” or “100% whole grain”.

Don’t be fooled by terms like enriched wheat flour, semolina wheat, unbromated wheat flour, multi grain, stone-ground flour, or unbleached wheat flour when you look at ingredient lists. These are not whole grain.

Whole grain bread is a healthy source of carbohydrate that provides fiber, vitamins, and minerals. Remember, one slice is usually about 15 grams of carbohydrate, but this can vary quite a bit so check the nutrition label to see how it can fit with your meal plan.

Wheat and rye are different grains with different tastes. As long as you buy bread that is made mostly with whole grain flour, you should go with your own preference.  

Quinoa is a good carbohydrate choice for someone with diabetes. It is a whole grain food, which means it includes the entire grain – the germ, bran, and endosperm. Whole grains provide more nutrients and fiber than refined grains, like white bread and all-purpose flour, so we recommend choosing whole grains as much as possible.

Although they are more nutritious, whole grains still contain carbohydrate. So you need to watch your portion size when you eat quinoa. Consider the nutrition facts label when you include quinoa in your meal plan. A 1/3 cup serving of quinoa usually has about: 70 calories, 13 grams of carbohydrate, 2 grams of fiber, and 3 grams protein.

Quinoa is naturally higher in protein than other whole grains. It is also a gluten-free grain, so it is a good choice for those who follow a gluten-free diet.

Quinoa just one of many whole grains that you can use in cooking. A list of whole grains can be found below:

• Bulgur (cracked wheat)
• Whole wheat flour
• Whole oats/oatmeal
• Whole grain corn/corn meal
• Popcorn
• Brown rice
• Whole rye
• Whole grain barley
• Wild rice
• Buckwheat
• Buckwheat flour
• Triticale
• Millet
• Quinoa 
• Sorghum

Finding whole grain foods can be a challenge. Some foods only contain a small amount of whole grain but will say they are whole grain on the front of the package. For all cereals and grain products (like pastas, rice, bread, crackers, etc.) make sure one of the whole grain sources listed above is the first ingredient on the nutrition label or that the package is marked 100% whole wheat.

The amount of carbohydrates your husband can eat have per day will depend on his individualized meal plan. You and your husband can work with his health care team can  to set up a plan that will help him meet his health goals. (Goals might include losing weight, lowering A1C, lowering blood pressure and/or lowering cholesterol.)

If he has type 2 diabetes and has not set up a meal plan yet, we suggest having around 45-60 grams of carbohydrate per meal to start. This would mean he would be eating between 135-180 grams of carbohydrate throughout the day. However, he may need more or he may need less.

When discussing his meal plan, his provider may introduce a meal planning method that can help the two of you make good choices and will help him control his blood glucose levels. His provider may suggest using the Diabetes Plate Method, which is one of the simplest ways to meal plan. Or they may also suggest that trying carbohydrate counting. You can find more information about both of these in our Meal Planning section on diabetes.org.

If possible, it may be helpful to work with a registered dietitian (RD) to learn about meal planning. An RD can teach you and your husband about how different foods affect blood glucose and how to plan well-balanced meals. It would be great if you can accompany him to any appointments if you are the one who does most of the grocery shopping and cooking.

Fiber is found naturally in all plant foods - whole grains, fruits, nuts, beans, and vegetables. Soluble and insoluble fibers are two types of fibers that occur naturally in these foods. Sometimes, companies also add more fiber to foods during processing.

As you can see, there are several different types of fiber, but not all fibers raise blood glucose to the same extent. Some are partially absorbed while others are not absorbed at all and have no effect on blood glucose.

Food companies are not required to list out the amount of each type of fiber on the nutrition label. Usually, just the total grams of dietary fiber per serving are given. Due to these labeling rules and the different blood glucose responses from the various types of fiber, the best we can do is estimate.

The recommendation below is used to account for the fiber that does not affect blood glucose. Note that this tip is only useful for those who are intensively managing their diabetes with insulin or are advanced carbohdyrate counters.

Subtracting Fiber: If a food has 5 or more grams of dietary fiber per serving, subtract half the grams of fiber from the total grams of carbohydrate in a serving.

Example 1: A piece of whole wheat bread has 6 grams of fiber and 20 grams of total carbohydrate per serving. So, (20 total grams of carbohydrate) - (3 grams of fiber) = 17 grams of carbohydrate to count in your meal plan

Example 2: A granola bar has 3 grams of fiber per serving and 25 grams of total carbohydrate per serving. In this case, you would not subtract anything and use the 25 grams because there are less than 5 grams of fiber per serving.