4 Tips for Enjoying Diabetes-Friendly Latin Dishes, According to Dietitians

Key TakeawaysAccounting for the diversity in culture, traditions, and eating patterns within the Hispanic and Latino community, the community as a whole is more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than White people, according to the CDC.Dietitians say you can manage diabetes without letting go of your heritage foods. Instead, try to add the fruits and vegetables you enjoy and prioritize proteins and fibers in your meals.Instead of using animal fats for frying, consider avocado oil, which works well at high temperatures. An air fryer is also a good kitchen appliance that reduces the need for oil.

Key Takeaways

Accounting for the diversity in culture, traditions, and eating patterns within the Hispanic and Latino community, the community as a whole is more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than White people, according to the CDC.Dietitians say you can manage diabetes without letting go of your heritage foods. Instead, try to add the fruits and vegetables you enjoy and prioritize proteins and fibers in your meals.Instead of using animal fats for frying, consider avocado oil, which works well at high temperatures. An air fryer is also a good kitchen appliance that reduces the need for oil.

If you’re diagnosed withtype 2 diabetesor prediabetes, healthcare providers often hand out a list of foods to eliminate from your diet. But food elimination doesn’t always work, especially if it’s asking you to cut out foods that you grew up with.

Overall, adults in the United States have a 40% chance of developing type 2 diabetes. But if you’re Hispanic or Latino, your chance of developing diabetes is more than 50%, and you’re more likely to have it at a younger age.

Diet alone isn’t to blame for the higher diabetes risk in the Hispanic and Latino populations. For example, a study found that variants in the gene SLC16A11 are associated with a higher risk of type 2 diabetes in people of Mexican descent.

Additionally, lower-income Hispanic communities may have trouble affording fresh food and vegetables or accessing preventive health care and timely treatment.

Diabetes care is expensive—not everyone can shell out money for injectable drugs such asOzempic and Mounjaro, or a gadget like acontinuous blood glucose monitor.

The Hispanic and Latino communities also have limited access to diabetes education, according toMarina Chaparro, RD, CDE, a pediatric dietitian and founder of Nutrichicos.

Essentially, the more information you have about diabetes, the better you will be at preventing and reducing diabetes complications. We asked Chaparro and other dietitians about what you can do to maintain healthy blood sugar levels without giving up carbohydrate-heavy foods such as tostones, rice, tortillas, and flan.

How Many Carbs Should You Eat to Manage Diabetes?

Out With Eliminations. In With Additions.

Chaparro, who has type 1 diabetes, said the key to managing diabetes is finding sustainable solutions for yourself. Instead of depriving yourself of foods that make you happy, ask yourself what fruits and vegetables you enjoy and what’s easy for you to achieve.

“We need to change how we perceive health,” Chaparro said. “Diabetes is your friend, not your enemy. Manage it in ways that work for you and your lifestyle. Love what you eat throughout your life.”

For example, if you love flour tortillas, add eggs, veggies, a protein, and a side of fruit, Chaparro said.

Isabel Vasquez, RD, LDN, a registered dietitian at Your Latina Nutritionist, said to prioritize proteins, and especially fibers, such as lentils, beans, broccoli, and avocados in the same meal with carbs to limit the increase in blood sugar.

Best Fruits to Eat If You Have Diabetes

Up Your Frying Game

One of the greatest delicacies in many Latino cuisines is fried foods like tostones, empanadillas, and churros. But you might want to use oils instead of animal fats when you fry foods, Vasquez said. Try to reduce the use of butter or margarine since they contain saturated fats, which can lead to insulin resistance if consumed in excess.

According to Chaparro, she likes using olive oil and avocado oil because of their nutrient profile, taste, and versatility. Polyunsaturated fats from vegetable oils are associated with lower cardiovascular risk.

“Avocado is a great oil to use at higher temperatures instead of other saturated fats like lard when frying tostones,” Chaparro said.

Best Cooking Oils for High Cholesterol

Swaps for Sugar and Sweeteners

There’s nothing like treating yourself to a creamy spoonful of flan de queso or a decadent cake topped or filled with dulce de leche. Especially as the holiday season is coming up, many desserts will have a place on the dinner table.

You can try sugar-free options or use alternative sweeteners likemonk fruit extractwhen you make desserts, Vasquez said. The Food and Drug Administration recognizes monk fruit extract as “generally regarded as safe.”It’s often considered as a healthier alternative to sugar or artificial sweeteners. Depending on the concentration, this sugar alternative is 100–250 times sweeter than table sugar, so reduce the amount you use accordingly.

For flan, Chaparro said you can try lowering the sugar amount or swapping out condensed milk for evaporated milk. If you love a good cheesecake, you could sweeten it with alternative sweeteners or 100% juice and add more fruit on top.

Or if you’re a chocolate lover, dark chocolate might not have as much sugar as other sweets as it has a higher percentage of cacao than other chocolates, according to Chaparro.

Here’s Why You Should Try Rare Sugars as Your Sweetener Substitute

Agua Fresca Is Here to Stay

Soda and coffee might be a staple in many households, but you can try replacing a can of Coke with100% fruit juice. Infused water with herbs or fruits also makes a refreshing beverage, Chaparro added.“You can make an agua fresca with cucumber, lime, mint, and fresh fruit and reduce the glycemic load and amount of added sugar. This will greatly impact blood sugars, and it won’t sacrifice culture,” she said.

If you have a habit of adding sugar or cream to your coffee, you can try using a touch of unsweetened oat milk or almond milk instead.

Best Apps for Managing Diabetes

What This Means For YouIf you or your loved ones are at risk of diabetes or have diabetes, it’s not necessary to restrict or eliminate your beloved foods. Instead, think about what you can add to make that meal all the more nutritious and balanced for your body. The most sustainable solution is one that doesn’t cause additional stress. If you find yourself at a loss on how to start modifying your diet, consider speaking to a culturally competent dietitian who understands your needs.

What This Means For You

If you or your loved ones are at risk of diabetes or have diabetes, it’s not necessary to restrict or eliminate your beloved foods. Instead, think about what you can add to make that meal all the more nutritious and balanced for your body. The most sustainable solution is one that doesn’t cause additional stress. If you find yourself at a loss on how to start modifying your diet, consider speaking to a culturally competent dietitian who understands your needs.

5 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Hispanic or Latino people and type 2 diabetes.Hidalgo BA, Sofer T, Qi Q, et al.Associations between SLC16A11 variants and diabetes in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):843. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-35707-7Luukkonen PK, Sädevirta S, Zhou Y, et al.Saturated fat is more metabolically harmful for the human liver than unsaturated fat or simple sugars.Diabetes Care. 2018;41(8):1732-1739. doi:10.2337/dc18-0071Sacks FM, Lichtenstein AH, Wu JHY, et al.Dietary fats and cardiovascular disease: a presidential advisory from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2017;136(3):e1-e23. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000510Food and Drug Administration.Aspartame and other sweeteners in food.

5 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Hispanic or Latino people and type 2 diabetes.Hidalgo BA, Sofer T, Qi Q, et al.Associations between SLC16A11 variants and diabetes in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):843. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-35707-7Luukkonen PK, Sädevirta S, Zhou Y, et al.Saturated fat is more metabolically harmful for the human liver than unsaturated fat or simple sugars.Diabetes Care. 2018;41(8):1732-1739. doi:10.2337/dc18-0071Sacks FM, Lichtenstein AH, Wu JHY, et al.Dietary fats and cardiovascular disease: a presidential advisory from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2017;136(3):e1-e23. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000510Food and Drug Administration.Aspartame and other sweeteners in food.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Hispanic or Latino people and type 2 diabetes.Hidalgo BA, Sofer T, Qi Q, et al.Associations between SLC16A11 variants and diabetes in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):843. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-35707-7Luukkonen PK, Sädevirta S, Zhou Y, et al.Saturated fat is more metabolically harmful for the human liver than unsaturated fat or simple sugars.Diabetes Care. 2018;41(8):1732-1739. doi:10.2337/dc18-0071Sacks FM, Lichtenstein AH, Wu JHY, et al.Dietary fats and cardiovascular disease: a presidential advisory from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2017;136(3):e1-e23. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000510Food and Drug Administration.Aspartame and other sweeteners in food.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Hispanic or Latino people and type 2 diabetes.

Hidalgo BA, Sofer T, Qi Q, et al.Associations between SLC16A11 variants and diabetes in the Hispanic Community Health Study/Study of Latinos (HCHS/SOL).Sci Rep. 2019;9(1):843. doi:10.1038/s41598-018-35707-7

Luukkonen PK, Sädevirta S, Zhou Y, et al.Saturated fat is more metabolically harmful for the human liver than unsaturated fat or simple sugars.Diabetes Care. 2018;41(8):1732-1739. doi:10.2337/dc18-0071

Sacks FM, Lichtenstein AH, Wu JHY, et al.Dietary fats and cardiovascular disease: a presidential advisory from the American Heart Association.Circulation. 2017;136(3):e1-e23. doi:10.1161/CIR.0000000000000510

Food and Drug Administration.Aspartame and other sweeteners in food.

Meet Our Medical Expert Board

Share Feedback

Was this page helpful?Thanks for your feedback!What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

Was this page helpful?

Thanks for your feedback!

What is your feedback?OtherHelpfulReport an ErrorSubmit

What is your feedback?