How to Reverse Diabetes with Diet

Post updated: 9th June 2023

You can easily learn how to reverse diabetes naturally and achieve this ultimate goal by simply adding the right foods to your diet. Although this might sound hard at first, it gets easier as the routine becomes a habit.

However, it is vital to remember following a diabetes diet is what enables you to get back to living your normal life. You can be in total control of diabetes and also feel good by introducing some foods to your diet. High-nutrient, low GL (glycemic load) foods are optimal for diabetics and they also help you achieve remarkable results by increasing your weight loss.

Foods to Reverse Diabetes

Green vegetables

Nutrient-dense green vegetables including cruciferous vegetables and leafy greens are the most important foods you should focus on in order to reverse diabetes. Higher consumption of green vegetables among diabetics is associated with lower hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels.

Non-starchy vegetables

Non-starchy, non-green vegetables like onions, mushrooms, eggplant, garlic, and peppers are essential components of your diabetes reversal diet. Besides having almost nonexistent effects on the blood sugar level of diabetics, they are packed with phytochemicals and fiber.

Beans

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Beans and legumes such as lentils are the ideal sources of carbohydrates for diabetics. Beans have a low glycemic value load due to their abundant fiber, moderate protein, and resistant carbohydrates, starch that is not digested in the small intestine.

Therefore, the number of calories absorbed from the beans is greatly reduced. Moreover, the resistant starch is converted to alcohol and organic acids that protect against cancer of the colon.

Consumption of beans and legumes is associated with a reduced risk of colon cancer and diabetes.

Seeds and nuts

Besides being low in GL, nuts promote weight loss and also have an anti-inflammatory effect that prevents the development of insulin resistance. According to The Nurses’ Health study, eating at least five servings of nuts per week reduces the risk of diabetes by 27%. Eating the same quantity per week reduces the risk of heart disease and stroke among diabetics by 47%.

5. Fresh fruits

Fruits are rich in antioxidants and fiber and are a great nutrient-dense choice for satisfying your sweet cravings. Diabetics should eat at least 3 servings of low-sugar fresh fruits such as kiwi, melon, oranges, and berries each day in order to minimize glycemic effects.

Nutritional Guide to assist you with Planning Your Diabetes Diet

The following 4 food groups are highly effective in reversing diabetes:

Vegetables: Broccoli, cauliflower, spinach, sweet potato, artichokes, kale, green beans, and squash.
Fruits: Pears, peaches, kiwifruit, bananas, oranges, grapes, and the entire berry family.
Whole grains: Whole grain pasta, brown rice, oats, millet, barley, rye, bran cereal, bulgur wheat, couscous, oats, and pumpernickel bread.
Pulses: such as soya beans, baked beans, chickpeas, split peas, lentils, peas, kidney beans, and low-fat soya products.

Always choose foods that have a low glycemic load when making your selections, avoid all animal products, keep the consumption of vegetable oils to a minimum, and choose foods that come from natural plant sources.

Understanding how to reverse diabetes and applying these guidelines when creating your diabetes diet will deliver amazing results and even enable you to eliminate the use of medications for good.

Find out how Broccoli Sprouts help Control Diabetes!

Diet Soda and Diabetes

Although replacing regular soda with diet soda may spare you some empty calories, it still increases risk of type 2 diabetes and shouldn’t be include in the diet for diabetes. New studies from Israel have

found that artificial sweeteners including aspartame, sucralose and saccharine alter glucose metabolism because they interfere with the balance of healthy bacteria in the gut. This leads to glucose intolerance which might cause diabetes.

What is Diet Soda?

Diet soda is a carbonated beverage that is sweetened with artificial sweeteners such as cyclamate, aspartame, sucralose, acesulfame-k or saccharin instead of sugar. Most popular sugar-sweetened beverages in the market have diet or light versions such as Pepsi max, diet Coke, sprite zero, etc. These beverages are sugar free and calorie free which is primarily meant to help people lose weight, avoid tooth decay, and prevent sugar related diseases such as diabetes and metabolic syndrome. However, evidence for these drinks helping against such conditions is nonexistent. In fact, the latest studies show that drinking diet soda increases the risk of gaining weight and developing diabetes.

The Relationship Between Diet Soda and Diabetes

A new large scale study demonstrates the connection between diet soda and diabetes. French researchers have found that drinking one 12 ounce can of diet soda per week increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 33%. However, participants who drank 100% fruit juices had no additional risk. This study was also published in the American Journal of Clinical nutrition and it covered 66,118 adults whose health and dietary habits were observed for 15 years (from 1993 to 2007). Therefore, this large scale study over many years holds more credence than the previous smaller scale studies.

Artificial Sweeteners and Diabetes

Researches explained the connection between artificial sweeteners and diabetes, by stating that one of the most commonly used artificial sweeteners known as aspartame causes an increase in the blood glucose levels (glycaemia) and hence a rise in insulin levels compared to the insulin produced by fruit sugar (sucrose).

Diet soda contains the chemical aspartame which is broken down by the human body to formaldehyde. Formaldehyde has been banned from being around children because it is too toxic and aspartame can cause kidney damage and liver damage. Moreover, aspartame stimulates the production of cortisol, the hormone that encourages fat storage in the body. Therefore, people who drink diet soda actually store more fat than they lose! Since the Hormone cortisol is a stress hormone, drinking diet soda causes an increase in the risk of stress related problems such as high blood pressure, heart disease, and depression.

Diet soda and Metabolic Syndrome

Metabolic syndrome is a clustering of risk factors which occur together and increase your risk of stroke, heart disease and diabetes. These risk factors include;

Increased blood pressure
Abnormal cholesterol levels
Excess body fat especially around the waist (belly fat)
High blood glucose levels

Diet Soda and Diabetes — Why not Juice some Nice Fresh Veggies!

Although having one of these conditions does not mean you have metabolic syndrome, having any of these conditions increases the risk of serious disease. The risk is even greater when these risk factors occur in combination. Diet Soda and Diabetes, really don’t make a good combination, so what should diabetics drink? Perhaps find another alternative like good old fashioned water or fresh made veggie juice!

9 Top Super Foods to include in your Type 11 Diabetes Diet.

If you find yourself in the pre-diabetes category, (which is basically, higher than normal blood glucose levels, but not high enough to be classed as Diabetes type 2), and want to clean up your type 11 diabetes diet, you are going to have to make some pretty serious changes in your life to prevent the condition from blowing out into full diabetes. I am very much into healing the body with natural remedies, diet and regular exercise so today I’m going to share my “9 top Superfoods” that you should try and include into your diabetes diet on a regular basis, to get you well on the way to a healthier you!

BLUEBERRIES

Blueberries are one of my favorites – they are one of the few foods that are naturally colored blue! They are high in vitamin K and vitamin C, fiber and manganese (vital for maintaining healthy bones and skin)

Blueberries are also high in antioxidants, and studies have shown that they may help reduce the risks of cancers, depression and anxiety – great addition to your type 11 diabetic diet.

1 cup of blueberries is equal to:

1.1 gram protein
0.5gram total fat
0.0 saturated fat
21.5grams carbs
3.6 grams fiber

And only 84 CALORIES

2. ROLLED OATS

This is my favorite breakfast cereal! – especially in the colder months. It’s full of soluble fiber, which slows down the absorption of glucose and as a result, helps with keeping your blood sugar levels under control. Evidence from a review published in ‘Nutrition Reviews’ showed oats to help reduce cholesterol and has good antioxidant, anticancer and anti-inflammatory effects. It’s also a great source of manganese, protein, thiamine, iron, copper and zinc…..and potassium! So much goodness!

½ cup of oats is equal to:

5.3 grams protein
2.6 grams total fat
0.5 grams saturated fat
27.4 grams carbs
4.1 grams fiber

And only 153 CALORIES

3. ALMONDS

Almonds are a great snack between meals, if you are desperate for one! Make sure you eat the unsalted, raw nut. Almonds are high in vitamin E, protein, fiber, manganese, magnesium, copper, phosphorus, niacin, calcium…the list goes on! Almonds also improve blood lipid levels (that’s blood fat levels). Don’t go wild…just a small handful for a snack is perfect! Awesome addition to your Type 11 diabetic diet plan.

1 ounce is equal to:

6.3 grams protein
15 grams total fat
1.2 grams saturated fat
5.5 grams carbs
3.3 grams fiber

And only 169 CALORIES

4. NON FAT YOGURT

Nonfat yogurt, is an essential part of anyone’s diet – more so for people following a type 2 diabetes diet. In a recent 11 year study in the eastern country of Norfolk, results concluded that people who included nonfat yogurts and low fat cottage cheese, were 24% less likely to develop diabetes, compared to the people who didn’t.

I love the Greek yogurt – it’s actually more beneficial to your health than some of the other brands, as it has twice as much protein. Whichever you prefer, just make sure that it states it contains ‘live cultures’.

There are many health benefits of non or low fat yogurt – many of them are related to the GIT (gastrointestinal tract) in particular, the colon. Yogurt is a high in B6, B12, protein, calcium, potassium, magnesium, zinc, contains the friendly bacteria (probiotics) and once again, the list goes on!

1 cup is equal to:

12.9 grams protein
3.8 grams total fat
2.5 grams saturated fat
17.3 grams carbs
0.0 grams fiber

And only 154 CALORIES

5. QUINOA (pronounced keen-wa)

I love quinoa! It’s so versatile. I make salads with it, use it in place of rice when making curries and stews. It’s gluten free, so that’s a plus with all the gluten intolerance around these days. Makes a great breakfast, sprinkled with ground cinnamon, or stewed blueberries. It contains a great source of B6, Protein, fiber, Manganese, Magnesium, Phosphorus, copper, iron and zinc (just to name a few!)

1 cup is equal to:

8.1 grams protein
3.6 grams total fa
0.0 grams saturated fat
39.4 grams carbs
5.2 grams fiber

And only 222 CALORIES

6. FISH

Fresh fish have loads of great health benefits especially for diabetics, however the oily fish is the most beneficial, (like mackerel, salmon, pilchards and sardines) are so rich in omega-3 fatty acids. When cooking with sardines and pilchards, I buy the canned ones, generally combine them with some mashed sweet potato and finely chopped onion and garlic, 1 lightly beaten egg and heaps of fresh herbs (I put fresh herbs in almost everything I make!) They’re even great cold, for lunch the next day.

Oily fish is an excellent source of B6, B12, E, C, protein, niacin, thiamine, selenium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium, riboflavin, and of course, omega 3.

I’ll use pilchards as an example:

3.75oz / 92 grams is equal to:

19.1 grams protein
9.6 grams total fat
2.1 grams saturated fat
0.0 grams carbs
0.0 grams fiber

And only 168 CALORIES

7. KALE

Surely we’ve all heard of Kale by now – it’s everywhere! It contains twice as many antioxidants as any other green leafy vegies. This is one reason why Kale is known to be effective in helping prevent cancer and heart disease.

Kale also has a high level of lutein and zeaxanthin which has been associated with helping prevent diseases of the eyes, such as cataracts, glaucoma and macular degeneration. Another plus for Kale, is it’s high level of sulphoraphane, confirmed by a 2012 study in Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry showing kale reduces the growth of colon cancer cells!

1 cup is equal to:

2.5 grams protein
0.5 grams total fat
0.1 grams saturated fat
7.3 grams carbs
2.6 grams fiber

And only 36 CALORIES!

8. BEANS

Beans are a great, cheap food to include in a type 11 diabetes diet, that can be added to so many dishes, quite simply! They are Low GI (glycemic index), they contain a high level of high quality carbohydrates, protein and soluble fiber and are excellent for helping to stabilize blood glucose levels.

You can purchase canned beans, chick peas, soya beans etc for convenience, or you can purchase the dry variety from a health food store or drugstore and start from scratch. It requires soaking overnight or at least 5 hours, so you need to be a little more prepared.

To be honest, I tend to go for the canned varieties of beans – as I’m usually pushed for time. Canned beans, still hold all their nutrients, however they may contain additional sodium or salt, so you must be aware of that if you are also following a low sodium diet.

I’ll use cooked black beans as an example

1 cup is equal to:

15.2 grams protein
0.9 grams total fat
0.0 grams saturated fat
40.8 grams carbs
15.0 grams fiber

And only 227 CALORIES

9. AVOCADO

Wow! How would I cope without avocados in my life! I find myself preparing them for one thing or another, every single day! Dips – salads – my favorite raw avocado chocolate pie! (Yum) Among others benefits, avocados are an excellent source of Vitamin B6, E, K, C, fiber Potassium, Manganese, copper, magnesium. They are stacked full of antioxidants, healthy fatty acids and have definite anticancer properties, especially concerning the prostate. Great addition to your Type 2 diabetes diet menu!

1 cup is equal to:

3 grams protein
22 grams total fat
3.2 grams saturated fat
12.8 grams carbs
10.0 grams fiber

And only 240 CALORIES

So there you have it! 9 of my favorite Super Foods to include in your type 11 diabetes diet.

Carbohydrate Diabetic Diet

Importance of a Low Carbohydrate Diabetic Diet

Being diabetic can be a tough thing to do and once you hear those dreaded words telling you that you are diabetic, it seems as if your world starts crashing down. A Carbohydrate Diabetic Diet really in all reality, isn’t a bad practice for any of us.

Most of us these days seem to eat way too many carbohydrates which can add on those extra pounds and cause us many more medical problems versus the standard and traditional just not eating well.

Carbohydrates are hard to breakdown which adds to those extra pounds and makes it harder for us to lose in the long run. A lower carbohydrate diabetic diet is really a major part in being able to properly maintain and safely manage a healthy blood glucose level. The main reason that a low carbohydrate diet for diabetes works is because if you have lots of carbohydrates in your diet then your body can’t breakdown the carbohydrates or sugars.

With less insulin or sugar added to your diet you can rest assured knowing that your body will start eating or breaking down the sugars or fats that your body already has stored, meaning that your fats that you eat will be metabolized instead of stored which causes those extra unwanted pounds. In other terms, the carbohydrates that you eat will either be peed away, breathed away or as we like to call it, melt away!

A carb controlled diabetic diet is a very key and essential thing to being a diabetic because without closely monitoring your carbohydrate intake you will end up being overweight, having high blood glucose readings and other medical problems to go along with it.

A carbohydrate diabetic diet is the key

and a very essential part to being able to safely manage and maintain your diabetes. For more info on healthy diabetic diet plans and pre-packaged dinners, read on!

Tips for Managing an 1800 Calorie Diabetic Diet Plan

One of the ways that you can help fight your diabetes is by sticking to an 1800 Calorie Diabetic Diet Plan. This number may sound scary or restrictive at first, but know that this Calorie count is higher than an active 30 year old male in good shape needs to maintain his body.

The main idea behind the 1800 calorie diabetic diet plan is that you need to get 1800 calories each day, which should be manageable by most Americans.

The reason why this ‘should’ be manageable is that 1800 is near to the standard diet plan for healthy living.

How the 1800 Calorie Diabetic Diet Plan Can Help You

This diabetic diet plan helps you to maintain normal blood sugar levels, and is designed so that you can lose some weight as well which is always a good thing! While on this diet it is also important that you try to keep active so that you can burn up any excess calories. Indoor and outdoor activities are highly encouraged, so lace up those shoes and get out for a bike ride, jog, walk, or other physical activity.

When you are following this plan it’s very important to avoid carbohydrate foods that have a high Glycemic Index (GI).

These bad foods include:

Donuts
Sweet syrup
White rice
Bagels

Instead, replace those bad foods with fruit and vegetables. It sounds bad at first, but once you rediscover how sweet and tasty an apple is, or how refreshing a raw, sweet pepper can be, it won’t take you too long to curb most of your sweet carb cravings.

Sample 1800 Calorie Diabetic Diet Plan

The first thing that you’ll likely ask yourself once you start to consider the 1800 Calorie Diet Plan is if you’ll actually have the will-power to stick with it. It sounds great on paper, but reality is where we need to live, and it’s here that we also face the toughest challenges.

Three big keys here that I’ve found have worked wonders for myself:

Learn the simple rules that you need to follow to live within the Calorie budget of the diet eg: how much protein, vegetables, etc make up each meal. Once you know this you can start to improvise easily.
Learn how to cook food that you like to eat. If you don’t enjoy eating it, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll stick with this diet for any length of time.
Learn how you can cook in batches to save time. This was a big one for myself, because I look at time in the kitchen as ‘wasted time.’ To get over this lie that I tell myself (because time in the kitchen is never really wasted) what I did was cooked larger portions of food, so that I would have several meals that I could put into the fridge, reheat, and eat them quickly.This was also important because on those days when I was feeling lazy and didn’t want to cook, the meals were already prepared in the fridge waiting for me!

Here’s a sample plan that you can follow:

Breakfast:
A good diabetic breakfast idea is to have a large banana with a cup of skim milk, along with one and a half cup of bran cereal and a tablespoon of cream cheese.

Lunch:
For lunch, simply have an ounce of low fat Colby cheese, ½ cup of mild salsa, 2 ounces of baked nacho chips, 2 ounces of ground turkey, along with 2 cups of chopped lettuce.

Dinner:
Dinner may consist of two thirds of a cup of brown rice with salmon, a teaspoon of olive oil, ½ cup of cooked carrots, 1 cup of skim milk and three quarters of a cup of pineapple for dessert.

So don’t be afraid to get creative when designing your 1800 Calorie Diabetic Diet Plan so that you can enjoy keeping your body healthy and fit and your blood sugar levels down!

Foods to Reverse Diabetes

Green vegetables

Non-starchy vegetables

Beans

Seeds and nuts

Nutritional Guide to assist you with Planning Your Diabetes Diet

What is Diet Soda?

The Relationship Between Diet Soda and Diabetes

Artificial Sweeteners and Diabetes

Diet soda and Metabolic Syndrome

So there you have it! 9 of my favorite Super Foods to include in your type 11 diabetes diet.

Importance of a Low Carbohydrate Diabetic Diet

A carbohydrate diabetic diet is the key

How the 1800 Calorie Diabetic Diet Plan Can Help You

Sample 1800 Calorie Diabetic Diet Plan

Here’s a sample plan that you can follow: