Food & Fitness

Popcorn is a whole grain and a good snack choice. Three cups of popcorn is usually considered a serving - a nice large portion compared to many other snack foods! Three cups of plain air-popped popcorn has less than 100 calories, about 15 grams of carbohydrate, and about 3 grams of fiber. One cup of light popcorn is actually considered a free food in the Exchange Lists for Diabetes. Still, it’s always a good idea to measure out portions when snacking to avoid overeating. To make portion control even easier, now you can also buy 100 calorie bags of light popcorn at most grocery stores.

When buying popcorn, choose light microwave versions or buy the whole kernels and make it at home. You can pop the kernels yourself in a large saucepan with just a small amount of vegetable oil. That small amount of vegetable oil will help cook the kernels and also adds a bit of flavor.

Though popcorn is naturally low in calories, topping it with just one tablespoon of extra oil (whether canola, olive, or any other type) doubles the calories in your snack. Keep this snack light by limiting the amount of oil or other added fats you use. Try the popcorn after you pop it to see if it even needs extra flavor or seasoning. If you think it does, measure out 1 teaspoon (or less!) of vegetable oil and drizzle it over your snack.

You should also try your popcorn before salting it. It may already have plenty of flavor and you may find you can skip the salt. Remember that just one teaspoon of salt has 2300 mg sodium, and high amounts of salt in the diet has been linked to high blood pressure. So, it’s best to minimize the amount of extra salt that you add in cooking and to other foods at the table.

If you still can’t live without a little salt, pour a small amount into your hand and sprinkle a few pinches over your popcorn. This can help so that you don’t overdo it. A little bit can actually go a long way! Discard the extra salt in your hands and enjoy your snack.

Also, be open to trying new flavors with your popcorn. Experiment with lower-sodium options in your spice rack like cinnamon, chili powder, smoked paprika, curry powder, or other salt-free seasonings. 

The best yogurt choices are either non-fat plain yogurt or non-fat flavored yogurt with very few added sugars (usually labeled as “light”). The product you asked about would fall into this category. Still, it’s important to pay attention to portion size with dairy products since they can contribute a significant amount of carbohydrates to your meal plan. Low-fat and non-fat varieties of yogurt have less total fat, less saturated fat, and fewer calories than full-fat yogurt.

Greek yogurt is actually made from regular yogurt. To make it, some of the liquid is removed from regular yogurt through a straining process. (This is why Greek yogurt has a thicker consistency.)

Light and Fit Greek Yogurt is a non-fat product and can be a good snack choice. You can buy it in individual size 5.3 ounce cups, which can help with portion control. Each portion has about 80 calories and 9 grams of carbohydrates per serving, which is very manageable for most people with diabetes. The most important thing is to make sure it works with your diabetes meal plan. 

There is a lot of talk about green coffee extract in the media right now, especially since Dr. Oz featured it on his show several months ago. This supplement is usually marketed as a fat-burning weight loss pill and is made from unroasted coffee beans. Remember that because it is a supplement, it is not regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and it is not an FDA-approved weight loss medication. Furthermore, only a handful of small, short-term studies have looked at green coffee bean extract. Currently, there is not enough research to know its long-term effects, and we do not recommend it as a means for controlling blood glucose.

It may sound less glamorous, but the proven methods for controlling blood glucose when you have diabetes is through controlled carbohydrate intake, regular physical activity, stress management, and taking any medications as prescribed by your health care provider. To learn more, the following information from diabetes.org may be helpful:

What Can I Eat?
Planning Meals
Fitness
Weight Loss

When carbohydrate counting for diabetes, you will find that carbs can be counted two different ways: as the grams of carbohydrate (this is the number of grams of total carbohydrate listed on the nutrition label) or by the number of carbohydrate “servings”.

One serving of carbohydrates (sometimes also referred to as a carbohydrate choice) is equal to 15 grams of carbohydrate. So, 30 grams of carbohydrates is 2 servings, 45 grams of carbohydrates is 3 servings, and so on. Using carbohydrate servings or choices is just a way to simplify the process of estimation. The way you want to count carbs is really a personal choice, so use what works best for you!

Obviously, the carbohydrates in the food you eat will not always add up perfectly to a multiple of 15. For example, you may have a snack during the day that has 20 grams of carbohydrate per serving. In this case, you will need to do some rounding. Below is a general rule of thumb for rounding carbohydrate servings:

1-5 grams = do not count in your meal plan
6-10 grams = ½ carbohydrate servings (or choices)
11 to 20 grams = 1 carbohydrate servings (or choices)
21-25 grams = 1 ½ carbohydrate servings (or choices)

For example, a snack with 20 grams of carbohydrate would still count as 1 carbohydrate choice. Remember that carb counting is not an exact science, but it can still help you estimate the amount of carbohydrates you eat throughout the day and can help with blood glucose control.

For a list of foods and serving sizes that have about 15 grams of carbohydrate, check out our pages on Carbohydrate Counting.

This is a very common question among people with diabetes. The truth is, there is not one standard amount of carbohydrates that will work for everyone with type 2 diabetes. If you have diabetes, we recommend following an individualized meal plan that will help you meet your diabetes goals. Your healthcare provider can help you set these goals, which might include losing weight, improving your A1C, lowering your blood pressure and/or lowering cholesterol levels.

If you haven’t set up an individualized meal plan yet, 45-60 grams of carbohydrate per meal is a place to start. However, some people may need more and some people may need less.

Find a time to work with your healthcare provider to set up a meal plan that takes your preferences into account and can help you achieve your diabetes goals. Ask about how many carbohydrates to include at each meal and whether or not to include snacks.

Your provider may suggest using the Diabetes Plate Method to start or they may have you try carbohydrate counting. It may also be helpful to work with a registered dietitian (RD) when learning to plan meals. The RD who has been trained in diabetes is a food and nutrition expert who can help you figure out your individual needs and teach meal planning in more depth.

The Diabetes Food Pyramid is actually quite outdated and is no longer used. If you are looking for a basic meal planning guide, we recommend using the Diabetes Plate Method. It’s an easy way to plan healthy, balanced meals while also controlling portion size. This method focuses on filling your plate with more non-starchy vegetables, which have fewer calories and carbs than starchy foods and sweets. It also helps you control portions of starchy foods and meats. Best of all, it takes just 5 simple steps:

1. Imagine drawing a line down the middle of a 9-inch dinner plate. Then on one side, cut it again so you will have 3 sections on your plate.
2. Fill the largest section with non-starchy vegetables like salad, green beans, broccoli, cauliflower, cabbage, carrots, and tomatoes.
3. Now in one of the smaller sections, put starchy foods such as corn, noodles, rice, or potatoes. If you fill this section with a grain-based food (like bread, pasta, rice, etc.), choose a whole grain option.
4. The other small section is for meat or a meat substitute. Choose lean meats when you can.
5. Add an 8 ounce (1 cup) glass of low-fat milk and one small piece of fruit or ½ cup of fruit salad and you’ve got a great meal!  (If you don’t drink milk, you can add an extra piece of fruit, light yogurt, or a small whole wheat roll.)

If you are looking for a more advanced meal planning method and have set up a meal plan with your health care team, our pages on carbohydrate counting may also be helpful.

Yes, you can still include rice in your meal plan. However, you should know that rice is a high-carbohydrate food, so you’ll want to pay close attention to portion sizes and count it in your plan. For reference, 1/3 cup of cooked rice usually has about 15 grams of carbohydrate. Of course, you should always double check the nutrition facts label for the best estimation of carbohydrate grams and calories. 

There are also a few different types of rice to choose from, and some are more nutritious than others. Brown rice and wild rice are the best options because they are both whole grains. Whole grain foods have more fiber, vitamins, and minerals. White rice is not a whole grain beacuse some parts of the grain (the germ and the bran) are removed during processing. These parts of the grain contain all of the fiber and many other important nutrients.

We encourage choosing whole grains over refined grains like white rice and white bread whenever possible. So, try choosing oatmeal instead of sugary cereal in the morning. Make your turkey sandwiches on 100% whole grain bread from now on. And add small portions of whole grains into your meals by choosing a whole grain rice or experimenting with other whole grains like quinoa, bulgur, or whole grain barley.

When someone has diabetes, they are more prone to infections and it is harder for their body to fight off illness. Infections also make it harder to control blood glucose, and nausea and vomiting can make it even harder. The best way to prevent a minor illness from becoming a major problem is to work out a plan of action for sick days ahead of time. Then when you become sick, you will already know what to do and you will have the supplies that you need on hand.

Work with your diabetes care team to develop a sick day plan if you haven’t already. The plan will include when to call your diabetes team, how often to measure blood glucose and urine ketones, what medicines to take, and how to eat. Most of the time, doctors will advise people with type 2 to keep taking their insulin and/or medication as prescribed, even when they are sick to their stomach. Medications and insulin are important because your body makes extra glucose (sugar) when you are sick.

It's also important to stick to your normal meal plan if you can. In addition to your normal meals, drink lots of non-caloric liquids to keep from getting dehydrated like water, herbal tea, and non-caffeinated diet drinks. It's easy to run low on fluids when you are vomiting or have a fever or diarrhea. Extra fluids will also help get rid of the extra sugar (and possibly, ketones) in your blood.

When you can’t stick to your normal meal plan, turn to your sick day meal plan. Try to take in your normal number of calories by eating easy-on-the-stomach foods like regular (non-diet) gelatin, crackers, soups, and applesauce.

If even these mild foods are too hard to eat, you may have to stick to drinking liquids that contain carbohydrates. Aim for 50 grams of carbohydrate every three to four hours. Your sick-day plan may include regular (not diet) soft drinks. Other high-carbohydrate liquids and almost-liquids are juice, frozen juice bars, sherbet, pudding, creamed soups, and fruit-flavored yogurt. Broth is also a good choice. To prepare for sick days, have a small stock of non-diet soft drinks, broth, applesauce, regular gelatin, and some of the other foods listed above on hand at home.

For a list of handy sick day snacks and more information, check out When You’re Sick.

It is very important for people who have diabetes to monitor their carbohydrate intake at meals and snacks. A lot of people with prediabetes assume that they also need to count or limit their carbs. However, the focus for people with prediabetes does not need to be the amount of carbohydrates or sugars in their diet.

When you have prediabetes, the main goal is to prevent or delay diabetes. Lifestyle changes that help with weight loss and include healthy eating and physical activity can help. Research has shown that eating a lower-fat, reduced calorie diet helps with moderate weight loss and can also help to prevent or delay diabetes.

To lower the amount of calories in your diet, you should reduce the size of your food portions and also start switching out unhealthy foods for healthier options. It is okay to have a dessert once in a while, but you should carefully control portion size since most sweets and desserts are dense in calories and fat.

Lowering the amount of fat in your diet may be easier than you think. Become familiar with the different kinds of fat and the food sources that we get them from at diabetes.org.

Here are some tips when it comes to choosing which foods to eat:

• Use a grocery list when shopping for food to help you choose more fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
• Instead of stressing out about the foods you're trying not to eat, focus on the foods you need to eat more of. Go to What Can I Eat? and find out how many servings of veggies, fruits, and whole grains you need each day. Work on achieving those goals.
• Buy leaner meats (such as chicken, turkey, and lean cuts of pork or beef like sirloin or chuck roast) and lower fat dairy products (like low-fat or skim milk and yogurt).
• Use healthier cooking methods without added fat (i.e. broiling, baking, microwaving, grilling, roasting, etc.). Avoid frying foods.
• Save money by limiting soda, sweets and chips or other snack foods you buy.

You can learn more about losing weight and preventing diabetes at diabetes.org. Exercise is also a critical part of diabetes prevention. You may want to check out a few of our exercise and weight management books.

As someone with prediabetes, your husband should focus on eating a healthy, well-balanced diet and increasing the amount of physical activity he does each day. Research has shown that eating a lower-fat, reduced calorie diet not only helps with moderate weight loss, but it can also help to prevent or delay diabetes.

Reducing calories usually means decreasing the size of your food portions and also making healthier choices. Lowering the fat in your diet may be easier than you think. Become familiar with the different kinds of fat and the food sources that fat comes from at diabetes.org.

Here are some tips when it comes to choosing which foods to eat:

• Use a grocery list when shopping for food to help you choose more fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
• Instead of stressing out about the foods you're trying not to eat, focus on the foods you need to eat more of. Go to What Can I Eat? and find out how many servings of veggies, fruits, and whole grains you need each day. Work on achieving those goals.
• Buy leaner meats (such as chicken, turkey, and lean cuts of pork or beef such as sirloin or chuck roast) and lower fat dairy products (like low-fat or skim milk and yogurt).
• Use healthier cooking methods without added fat (i.e. broiling, baking, microwaving, grilling, roasting, etc.). Avoid frying foods.
• Save money by limiting how much soda, sweets and chips or other snack foods you buy.

Cheese is a source of protein and also a good source of calcium. However, cheese is also a significant source of sodium and fat in most American diets. Cheese is particularly high in saturated fat. Too much  saturated fat can cause cholesterol levels to rise, which can lead to heart and blood vessel problems.

This doesn’t mean that your husband can never have cheese. However, he should be very careful to control portion size when he eats it and make smart choices when deciding what kind of cheese to eat.

When it comes to cheese, some options are better than others. Cottage cheese or cheeses that have 3 grams of fat or less per ounce are your best choices. You can check how many grams of fat are in a serving on the nutrition facts label.

A serving size of cheese is 1 ounce and usually has about 100 calories. However, calories and fat can vary depending on the kind of cheese. One ounce of cheese is equal to about:

• one slice of cheese
• the size of your thumb
• ¼ cup of shredded cheese

If you want to cut down on calories and fat, several brands make reduced-fat cheeses. These may be a good option for your husband if he is trying to eat a lower-fat diet and lose weight. Remember, eating low-fat cheese doesn’t mean you can eat as much as you want. Portion size is still important.

When you have prediabetes, research has shown that eating a lower-fat, reduced calorie diet not only helps with moderate weight loss, but it can also help to prevent or delay diabetes. Reducing calories and fat usually means decreasing the size of your food portions and also switching out unhealthy foods for healthier options.

Lowering the amount of fat in your diet may be easier than you think. Become familiar with the different kinds of fat and the food sources that we get them from at diabetes.org.

Here are some tips when it comes to choosing which foods to eat:

• Use a grocery list when shopping for food to help you choose more fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
• Instead of stressing out about the foods you're trying not to eat, focus on the foods you need to eat more of. Go to What Can I Eat? and find out how many servings of veggies, fruits, and whole grains you need each day. Work on achieving those goals.
• Buy leaner meats (such as chicken, turkey, and lean cuts of pork or beef like sirloin or chuck roast) and lower fat dairy products (like low-fat or skim milk and yogurt).
• Use healthier cooking methods without added fat (i.e. broiling, baking, microwaving, grilling, roasting, etc.). Avoid frying foods.
• Save money by limiting soda, sweets and chips or other snack foods you buy.
• Remember that special "dietetic" or "diabetic" foods often cost extra money and may not be much healthier than simply following the above suggestions.

You can learn more about losing weight and preventing diabetes at diabetes.org. Exercise is also a critical part of diabetes prevention. You may want to check out a few of our exercise and weight management books.

Yes, there are some differences. Both people with prediabetes and diabetes are encouraged to increase their daily activity and eat a healthy, well-balanced diet. However, people who already have diabetes also have to focus on meal planning to control their carbohydrate intake and their blood glucose. This is not as much a priority for prediabetes.

When you have prediabetes, research has shown that eating a lower-fat, reduced calorie diet not only helps with moderate weight loss, but it can also help to prevent or delay diabetes. Reducing calories usually means decreasing the size of your food portions and also making healthier choices. Lowering the fat in your diet is easier than you think. Become familiar with the different kinds of fat and the food sources that we get them from at diabetes.org.

Here are some tips when it comes to choosing which foods to eat:

• Use a grocery list when shopping for food to help you choose more fresh vegetables, fruits, and whole grains.
• Instead of stressing out about the foods you're trying not to eat, focus on the foods you need to eat more of. Go to What Can I Eat? and find out how many servings of veggies, fruits, and whole grains you need each day. Work on achieving those goals.
• Buy leaner meats (such as chicken, turkey, and lean cuts of pork or beef such as sirloin or chuck roast) and lower fat dairy products (like low-fat or skim milk and yogurt).
• Use healthier cooking methods without added fat (i.e. broiling, baking, microwaving, grilling, roasting, etc.). Avoid frying foods.
• Save money by limiting how much soda, sweets and chips or other snack foods you buy.
• Remember that special "dietetic" or "diabetic" foods often cost extra money and may not be much healthier than simply following the suggestions given here.

You can learn more about losing weight and preventing diabetes at diabetes.org.

Research has shown that having extra support from a registered dietitian (RD) periodically throughout the year (monthly to every three months) may help to lower A1C levels by several percentage points over the long term. Also, frequent contact with an RD can help with weight loss efforts. So, an (RD) can work with your husband to get his weight and diabetes under control.

An RD can teach you and your husband about how different foods affect blood glucose levels, how to plan meals, and how to make the healthiest food choices. Changes in medication, insulin, or other health needs may also call for a trip to see an RD. Once you have a handle on things, you may not need to see an RD quite as much (perhaps just 1-2 times per year).

If your doctor does not work with a dietitian with skills and experience with diabetes, ask him or her to refer you to one. If you still cannot find a dietitian, another place to look is the Find an RD page on the Diabetes Care and Education Dietetic Practice Group website: http://www.dce.org/search-rd/.

Before seeing a registered dietitian, check with your insurance company to ask about their coverage of nutrition services. Once you know what is covered under your plan, work with the RD to plan your visits accordingly.

If you are looking for a sample meal plan and nutrition advice to get you started, you may want to sign up for access to Recipes for Healthy Living. Each month, a new meal plan, recipes, and cooking tips are added to this free online nutrition resource to make healthy eating and meal planning easier for you.

Beans and legumes are a great food choice. They are a good source of vitamins, minerals, and lean protein. They are also a great source of soluble fiber, which can help protect your heart by lowering cholesterol. You can get almost 25% of the fiber you need in a day from just 1/2 cup of beans!

It’s true - beans are considered a starchy food, and starch is a type of carbohydrate. However, people with diabetes need to include some carbohydrates in their diet. We consider beans a good carbohydrate choice because they are also packed with so many important nutrients. Just make sure you count the carbohydrates that they provide in your meal plan and keep portion sizes under control.

Most beans have about 20 grams of carbohydrate in ½ cup. However, this can vary depending on the type of bean you choose. Always read nutrition labels and check portion sizes for a closer estimate. You might be interested in our meal tracking tool as well, MyFoodAdvisor. 

You have the option to buy beans canned or dried. Both are similar in terms of nutrition. The major difference is that dried beans are almost completely sodium-free if you don’t add extra salt when cooking them. On the other hand, most canned varieties have several hundred milligrams of sodium per serving. You can still buy canned beans if you prefer convenience, but opt for products that say “reduced sodium” or “low sodium” on the can. If you can find a product that says “no salt added”, that is even better. In addition, always drain and thoroughly rinse canned beans to lower the sodium content even more.

It’s important for all of us to watch the amount of sweets and desserts that we eat. Most sweets like cookies, ice cream, candy, cakes, and other baked goods are very dense in calories, carbohydrates, and often fat. Eating too much of these foods can cause weight gain and can sabotage blood glucose control if you have diabetes. Choosing healthy sources of carbohydrate (like whole grains, fruit, vegetables, beans, and low-fat dairy) over less healthy carbohydrate foods (like refined grains and sweets) is best for your health and your weight.

That doesn’t mean you have to cut out sweets completely. With a little planning and portion control, you can fit in a small serving of your favorite treats once in a while – even if you have diabetes. Other times, you can curb your sweet craving with other foods that are healthier and lower in calories!

Fitting in Sweets with Diabetes

How do you make sweets work with a diabetes meal plan? Take a look at what you usually eat at meal time and find a food that provides about the same amount carbohydrate as a small portion of your dessert of choice. Then, substitute the dessert for that food so you can enjoy a treat. This means you may have to skip on a small dinner roll or side of mashed potatoes to “free-up” some carbohydrates in your meal. If you want, you can use this substitution method to plan for a satisfying dessert a few times each week.

Portion control can be tough for those of us who have a weakness for sweets. So, when you buy sweets at the grocery store, choose carefully. It may not be the best idea to buy a lot of treats that are hard to resist. You can try portioning out desserts in separate baggies right after buying them. Or, look for treats that are individually packaged or sold in small quantities.

Also, when you have a craving for something sweet, evaluate how hungry you physically feel. Are you actually hungry or did you just eat a full meal 30 minutes ago? If it’s just a craving, do something else like take a walk, call a friend, or pour yourself a low-calorie drink to get sweets off your mind.

Some Other Ideas for Curbing Your Sweet Cravings

It’s best to save sweets for special occasions. And there are also a few other ways to handle your cravings for something sweet. Do you mind the taste of artificial sweeteners? There are many artificially sweetened drinks like crystal light and diet sodas that have no carbohydrates and minimal calories. Yet, they provide us with a sweet, refreshing drink. Light yogurt, sugar-free pudding, and sugar-free gelatin are other options that use artificial sweeteners and can help curb sweet cravings.These will usually still provide some calories and carbohydrate, so be sure to always check nutrition labels.

Fruit is also a great dessert choice. Think about all of the different options you have – melon, grapes, strawberries, oranges, raspberries, and more! Though fruit does provide carbohydrates, it is a sweet treat with a lot less calories and fat per serving than a piece of pie or cake. It will also provide you with several important vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

It is important not to feel deprived of sweets when you have diabetes, but it is also important not to go overboard. Eating too much of any carbohydrate food will cause blood glucose to rise. Even when choosing from the options above, consider portion size and how each food fits into your diabetes meal plan.