11 Foods to Avoid with Type 2 Diabetes

Sugary Foods

Soda, sweets, desserts, and other foods that are made primarily of processed sugar are considered low-quality carbohydrates. Not only are these foods lacking in nutritional value, they can also cause a sharp spike in your blood sugar and lead to weight problems, both of which exacerbate diabetes complications.

Instead of satisfying your sweet tooth with cookies, candy, cake, or soda, reach for delicious fruits, such as apples, berries, pears, or oranges. These high-quality carbohydrates contain plenty of fiber to help slow down the absorption of glucose, so they’re a far better choice for blood-sugar control. Pair fruit with a high-protein food, such as peanut butter, for even better blood-sugar levels.

Fruit Juice

While fiber-rich whole fruits are considered healthy carbohydrates for people with diabetes, fruit juice is another story. People with diabetes should avoid drinking juice, even 100 percent fruit juice. Fruit juice contains more nutrition than soda and other sugary drinks, but the problem is that juices have concentrated amounts of fruit sugar and therefore cause your blood sugar to shoot up.

Plus, sipping fruit juice doesn’t fill you up the same way that eating a piece of fruit does, because juice doesn't have the same fiber that's found in whole fruit. If you want a refreshing drink, go for zero-calorie plain or naturally flavored seltzer with a spritz of lemon or lime.

Dried Fruit

Although dried fruit contains fiber and many nutrients, the dehydration process removes the water, so it's easier to eat more think about how many more raisins than grapes you can eat. While snacking on raisins or dried apricots is better for you than eating a cookie, it’ll still send your blood sugar soaring. Skip the dried fruit and instead stick with low-glycemic fresh fruit options, such as grapefruit, cantaloupe, strawberries, and peaches.

White Rice, Bread, and Flour

Big offenders on the low-quality carb list are refined starches, like white rice and anything made with white flour, including white bread and pasta. These “white” carbs act a lot like sugar once your body begins to digest them, which means they will increase your glucose levels. Replace white carbs with whole grains, such as brown or wild rice, barley, oatmeal, high-fiber cereals, and whole-grain breads, for carbs that break down more slowly and have a less dramatic effect on blood sugar.

Full-Fat Dairy

You’ve probably heard that the saturated fats in dairy products can raise your LDL cholesterol levels and increase your risk of heart disease. But saturated fats may cause yet another serious problem for people with diabetes  research has found that eating a diet high in saturated fat may worsen insulin resistance. Do your best to avoid full-fat dairy products made with whole milk, such as cream, full-fat yogurt, ice cream, cream cheese, and other full-fat cheeses. Look for reduced-fat or fat-free dairy products instead.

Fatty Cuts of Meat

You’ll want to avoid high-fat cuts of meat for the same reason as whole-milk dairy  they’re high in saturated fats. Saturated fats in meat raise cholesterol and promote inflammation throughout the body, and can also put people with diabetes at even greater risk for heart disease than the average person, since their risk is already elevated as a result of diabetes. Choose lean proteins, including skinless chicken and turkey, fish and shellfish, pork tenderloin, and lean beef.

Packaged Snacks and Baked Goods

Aside from all the sugar, junky white flour, sodium, and preservatives they contain, packaged snacks and baked goods  like chips, pretzels, crackers, cookies, doughnuts, and snack cakes — often have trans fats. Trans fats increase your “bad” (LDL) cholesterol, lower your “good” (HDL) cholesterol, and raise your risk of heart disease. They're also even more dangerous than saturated fats, especially for people who have type 2 diabetes. In fact, no amount of trans fats is deemed safe for you to incorporate into your diet.

The good news is that trans fats are now listed right below the amount of saturated fats on food labels, making it easier to steer clear of them. Look for labels that list 0 grams (g) trans fat, but keep in mind that according to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), products with less than 0.5 g can claim 0 g, so they may not be trans-fat free. Check the ingredients list as well to make sure the product doesn’t contain any partially hydrogenated oils, a major source of trans fats. Seek out healthy fats in salmon and other fatty fish, as well as in nuts, seeds, avocado, and olive and canola oils.