Living with Type 2 Diabetes

Are you diagnosed with type 2 diabetes?

Are you confused about what foods you should be eating?

It’s all about balancing your diet, which should include fruit and vegetables, starchy foods, meat, fish and pulses and dairy. You should be able to enjoy a wide range of foods as part of healthy eating.

What are these foods?

• Fruit and vegetables – a piece of fruit e.g. apple, banana or pear, a slice of a large fruit e.g. melon, mango or pineapple, two small fruits e.g. satsumas or apricots, a cupful of berries or grapes, a small (150ml)glass of unsweetened fruit juice, three tablespoons of tinned or stewed fruit, half a tablespoon of dried fruit.

• Starchy foods – Bread, rice, potatoes, porridge, all bran, wholegrain breads like granary, pumpernickel and rye

• Dairy foods – as dairy foods are high in fat, try and consume lower fat products, they will still contain the same amount of calcium and protein. E.g. semi-skimmed milk, low-fat yogurt, light crème fraîche or low-fat fromage frais, cottage cheese, Edam, reduced-fat hard or soft cheeses. For cooking, use small amounts of strong cheese such as Parmesan.

• Meat – choose lean red meat without the skin to cut down on saturated fat,

• Fish –choose oily fish such as sardines, salmon and mackerel and try to eat fish twice a week.

• Pulses- baked beans, butter beans and lentils

• Quorn or soya – such as tofu which is low in fat.

• Nuts are a good source of protein when replacing meat in a meal.

Cooking with diabetes

• Reduce the fat you use by swapping high fat ingredients for lower fat alternatives.

• Grill, bake, poach, steam, microwave or boil foods

• Use low fat dairy products where possible

• Use fats and oils which are high in monounsaturated fat.

• Reduce the salt used in cooking and at the table. Flavour your food with lemon juice, herbs, spices or mustard instead.

To get support or for more info contact Somshun Nessa, Health Trainer and Development Worker

Tel: 213 2591 Mob: 07960 084119 Somshun.nessa@soarcommunity.org