A healthy diet is vital if you’ve been diagnosed with elevated blood sugar levels, type 2 diabetes or prediabetes (a precursor to full diabetes). A balanced diet can help keep blood glucose levels within the target range and reduce the risk that you will develop complications related to your condition. Dietlicious' diabetic meals range and new Diabetic Meal Pack may be just what you need to better manage your blood sugars.

What is a good diabetic diet?

Diet is such a powerful tool in the management of diabetes, that some individuals with prediabetes or type 2 diabetes may be able to manage their condition with diet alone. For those on medication, it may be possible to reduce your medication and even go into remission from diabetes, with the right, healthy diabetic diet.

A good prediabetic or diabetic diet will ensure at least adequate but ideally optimal nutrition. Whether your diabetic diet plan is sufficient comes down to three key points. Firstly, eating foods that have been proven to be beneficial to good health, including vegetables and fruits, wholegrains, dairy, nuts, legumes, seafood, meat and eggs. Secondly, limiting high-energy, high carb, nutrition-poor foods and drinks, such as sugary drinks, chips, cakes, biscuits, pastries and lollies. And thirdly, ensuring fat intake includes mostly unsaturated fat, and only small amounts of saturated fats.

What Dietlicious Diabetic Meals offer, at a glance

More detail about our Diabetic Meals

If you like to choose your own menu, then Dietlicious offers a range of Diabetic Meals, including breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks. Each meal in the range contains less than 35g of carbohydrate per serve, which most dietitians agree is a sensible threshold for carbs from one meal. Plus, the meals are made from scratch using healthy, wholefoods without the addition of any preservatives so they're totally unprocessed, and low in calories too.

If you're wanting an even easier option, they checkout our new Diabetic Meal Pack which contains ten of our best diabetic-friendly meals to help you manage your blood sugars. Meals can be eaten for lunch or dinner, to fit in best with your lifestyle and the contents of the pack change regularly to feature our newest low carb meals and to provide diversity.

The meals on this diabetic diet plan have been specially selected to offer plenty of variety of ingredients which is critical for optimal micronutrients and antioxidants, both of which are keys to overall good health. There is a good mix of protein types without a heavy reliance on red meat. The mix of proteins and vegetables is Mediterranean in nature and is designed to provide healthy fats, low saturated fat and to decrease inflammation. Note that the large scale PREDIMED study showed that a Mediterranean diet reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by as much 52%.

This pack also ticks the box for a low sodium diet and for being high in fibre. Whilst salt does not directly impact blood sugar levels, it is an important part of diabetes management as too much salt can raise blood pressure.  In addition, high fibre is associated with better gut health, lower body fat, appetite control and weight loss.

Carbohydrates and diabetes

Many diabetics or prediabetics are confused about carbs or downright scared. There is a lot of misinformation about what types of carbs you should be eating and in what quantities. There are also some excellent guidelines you can follow, but it does take a little work initially to stay within the guidelines. You may need to constantly monitor your blood sugars after eating different sorts of foods, so you can get a feel for how carbohydrate levels or a macronutrient mix will impact you. It can be a very individual thing. Rest assured that before long, eating the right amount and type of carbs will become intuitive for you.

Lower carb eating has been shown to be safe and effective for type 2 diabetics for lowering blood glucose levels, blood lipids, blood pressure and weight loss. Studies specifically show that a diet low in carbs can: assist with reducing average blood glucose levels in the short term (up to 6 months); be useful for weight loss (up to 12 months); and benefit the management of triglycerides, cholesterol and blood pressure (up to 24 months). Carbohydrate choice is key, with healthy, unrefined carbs being slower to hit your bloodstream.

Low carb eating is not yet recommended for children under 18 (due to a lack of evidence) or for those with other medical complications such as kidney issues. Always check with your doctor for personal advice before embarking on a new eating regime.

Other tips for those on a blood sugar diet

Eating regular meals, spaced out evenly throughout the day, helps distribute your calorie and macronutrient intake more evenly. This approach can be especially beneficial for people who take insulin or other medications that affect blood sugar levels. By having meals at consistent intervals, you can help maintain a steadier flow of glucose in your bloodstream, which is important for managing energy levels and reducing the risk of blood sugar spikes or crashes.

While intermittent fasting has been shown to be an effective tool to lower blood sugar and even bring on remission in some diabetics, it should not be undertaken without doctors’ supervision, due to the risk of hypoglycaemia (dangerously low blood sugar). Check with your doctor or dietitian to see whether fasting is right for you.

Besides a healthy diet, what else can impact your diabetes or high blood sugars?

You. Everyone is unique and how your body manages the food you eat is different. Your elevated blood sugars or diabetes may be less or more advanced. If you take medication to manage diabetes, it can change how your body copes with your diet too.

Physical activity levels. Regular exercise, even if it’s gentle can help you manage your blood glucose levels, cholesterol and triglycerides and well as burn calories to help you maintain or lose weight.

Other foods or drinks consumed. Outside of healthy meals on a plan such as this, it’s often additional foods such as snacks or sugary drinks that can often be culprits in blood sugar spikes.

Hydration. Dehydration can impair blood sugar response. Drinking adequate water not only fights dehydration, but it can also help your body get rid of excess glucose.

Your weight. If you’re above a healthy weight, then even a small weight loss can make a huge difference to managing high blood sugars and diabetes. Aim for just a 5-10% reduction in your overall bodyweight to start.

Diabetes and prediabetes are serious conditions and there is not a one size fits all approach. You should always take responsibility for self-monitoring and adjusting your eating and lifestyle habits to suit your condition. All diabetics should regularly monitor their own blood sugar levels and watch the impact of the foods they eat.

If you’re looking for more help, check in with your doctor or a diabetes dietitian for personalised advice. See here for dietitian services.

Review the Dietlicious Blood Sugar Diet here

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