Foods for Stable Blood Glucose Levels
Choosing the Right Foods can be Challenging
As both Accredited Practising Dietitians and Credentialed Diabetes Educators, we understand that knowing what foods to eat when managing type 1 or type 2 diabetes can be very tricky. So, here is our quick guide for food additions and food swaps you can make to help keep your blood glucose levels stable and in the right range.
Please note: the information provided below may not be relevant to your specific circumstances, depending on your situation and medication regime. Please consult your Credentialed Diabetes Educator before making drastic changes to your diet.
Adding Healthy Fats
Healthy fats can be found in a variety of different foods. There are two main types of healthy fats, polyunsaturated and monosaturated fats; both are important for our heart health and for stabilizing blood glucose levels.
When we include these types of fats in our meals, especially ones with carbohydrates, the fat can help slow down the rise of blood glucose.
Here are some suggestions to get you started:
- Add 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil per meal. For example, use a salad dressing, drizzle over an entire meal, or substitute for butter and margarine.
- Add 1 x handful of nuts as a snack, or sprinkle them into your breakfast cereal.
- Sprinkle chia seeds or flaxseeds onto your fruit salad or yoghurt.
Food Swaps
Swap your white bread for:
- Whole Grain Bread
- Wholemeal or Multigrain
- Traditional Sourdough
- High Fibre White Bread
Swap your Jatz/Sao for:
- Vita Wheats
- Wholemeal Salada
- Olina's Seeded Crackers
- Carmen's Super Seed Crackers
Swap soft drinks for:
- Flavoured Sparkling Water
- Flavour Water with Frozen Fruit, Lemon, Limes or Cucumber + Mint.
- Use Diet Softdrink on Occasion
- Kombucha
- Nexba Flavoured Water/Soft Drink option
