November isNational Diabetes Month. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about 10.5% of the United States population has diabetes.The condition can take several forms, but the three most common types are type 1, type 2, and gestational diabetes.
An Overview of Diabetes
What Is Type 2 Diabetes?
Type 2 diabetes is the most common type of diabetes, affecting between 90% to 95% of people with diabetes.When a person is diagnosed with type 2, the body’s cells do not respond to the hormone (insulin) that helps the body utilize the sugar (glucose) in the blood for energy. As a result, a person can have a high level of sugar in their blood (hyperglycemia).
Over time, having high blood sugar can lead tonerve damageandvision issues. People with type 2 diabetes are also at an increased risk forheart diseaseand metabolic syndromeand are twice as likely to develop cardiovascular disease or have a stroke than people who do not have diabetes.
Diet and Type 2 Diabetes
When a person with type 2 diabetes is considering foods to include in their diet to best manage their diabetes, it helps to also choose foods that support heart health. While there are many foods that can be part of a diabetes-friendly and heart-healthy diet, there are some shining stars that offer unique benefits for people managing the condition.
Along withreducing your added sugar intake, opting for baked and broiled recipes instead of deep-fried versions,and limiting alcohol,eating these six foods may have a lasting effect on your overall health.
What Causes Type 2 Diabetes?
Blueberries
Artem Beliaikin/Pexels
The humble blueberry is one of the best foods to eat when you’re managing diabetes, especially if you have a sweet tooth. Eating these berries can satisfy a sweet craving with no added sugars while providing essential nutrients like fiber and vitamin C.
In a 2020 double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, the researchers investigated the effects of blueberry consumption on cardiometabolic parameters in 52overweightmen between the ages of 51 and 75 with type 2 diabetes.
Over eight weeks, the participants were randomly assigned to one of two interventions: either having 22g of freeze-dried blueberries (the equivalent of one cup per day of fresh blueberries) or 22 grams of a placebo powder that was matched in energy and carbohydrate content to the freeze-dried blueberries, along with their regular diet.
Try sprinkling the berries on top of oatmeal, adding them to a salad, or simply enjoying a handful on their own.
Study: Daily Blueberry Consumption May Help Manage Diabetes
Walnuts
Oleg Magni/Pexels
Adding more walnuts to your diet is a simple way that you can support your cardiovascular health—an important part of managing your overall health if you have diabetes.
Eating walnuts has been linked to a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease. Specifically, a 2021 study showed that people who ate five or more servings of walnuts per week had a 23% lower risk of dying fromcardiovascular diseasecompared to people who did not consume walnuts.
In a 2010 study, participants were randomly assigned to follow an ad libitum diet enriched with 56 grams of walnuts per day (around 26 halves) or an ad libitum diet without walnuts.
The results showed that consuming a diet enriched with 2 ounces of walnuts per day for eight weeks significantly improved the function of the lining of the blood vessels (endothelial function) in adults with type 2 diabetes.
Try topping toast with walnut butter, sprinkling some walnut halves on a salad, or coating fish with crushed walnuts before baking.
Eating More Walnuts Could Help You Live Longer
Prunes
Isabelle Rozenbaum & Frederic Cirou/Getty
When choosing dried fruit—or any fruit for that matter—prunes are a healthful choice for people with diabetes because of their fiber andlower glycemic index.
Research has shown that snacking on prunes may help you feel fuller longer and reduce how much you eat later in the day. If you’re thinking about blood sugar management, know that prunes do not cause a large rise in blood glucose and insulin.
People with diabetes may have weaker bones and be more at risk for bone fractures compared to people who do not have the condition.Prunes are a natural source of nutrients needed for bone health, like boron and potassium. Eating 5 to 6 prunes a day has also been linked to helping preventbone loss in postmenopausal women.
Try having prunes as a quick on-the-go snack or make homemade trail mix with them and some nuts.
8 Foods to Support Your Bone Health
Unsweetened Greek Yogurt
Julia_Sudnitskaya/Getty
Eating dairy foods, like milk, cheese, and yogurt, has a protective role on type 2 diabetes, which might be linked to the nutrients that these foods provide.
Milk proteins have been shown to increase post-meal insulin response and lower the post-meal blood glucose response in both healthy people and people with type 2 diabetes.
Additionally, thelive probioticsfound in Greek yogurt may help support improved glycemic status.
Try having unsweetened Greek yogurt with some fresh berries and sliced nuts or make smoothies using Greek yogurt or low-fat milk.
Should You Drink Probiotic Coffee?
Salmon
Krisztina Papp/Pexels
Salmon is one of the best sources of heart-healthyomega-3 fatty acidsas well as other important nutrients.
A 2016 study that followed young adults for 25 years showed that eating oily, non-fried fish reduced the participants' risk of high blood pressure and abnormal cholesterol measurements later in life.
In women with diabetes, higher consumption of fish has been linked to less of a risk of sudden cardiac death.
Try serving baked salmon with a side of veggies or tossing it all on the grill.
Can Fish Oil Lower Your Blood Pressure?
Oats
Cup of Couple/Pexels
People with diabetes, as well as people at risk for diabetes, are encouraged to consume at least the same amount of dietary fiber that is recommended for all Americans: 25 grams of fiber per day.
One of the many reasons for the recommended intake for people with diabetes is that dietary fiber promotes blood sugar management. Oats are a good source ofsoluble dietary fiberthat is rich in β-glucan, a compound that is linked to reducing post-meal glucose and insulin responses.
According to a systematic review and meta-analysis published in 2015, oat intake significantly reduced fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (“bad” cholesterol) in people with diabetes compared to people who did not have the condition.
Try having a bowl of oatmeal for breakfast, adding oats to your baked goods, or blending oats into a smoothie.
Preventing Complications From Diabetes
18 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.Center for Disease Control and Prevention.National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2020.Center for Diseases Control and Prevention.Type 2 Diabetes.American Heart Association.About Metabolic Syndrome.Cahill LE, Pan A, Chiuve SE, et al.Fried-food consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease: a prospective study in 2 cohorts of US women and men.The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2014;100(2):667-675. doi. 10.3945/ajcn.114.084129.Health Magazine.Type 2 Diabetes and Alcohol: Proceed with Caution.Stote KS, Wilson MM, Hallenbeck D, et al.Effect of Blueberry Consumption on Cardiometabolic Health Parameters in Men with Type 2 Diabetes: An 8-Week, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.Curr Dev Nutr. 2020 Mar 9;4(4):nzaa030. doi:10.1093/cdn/nzaa030Rajaram S, Cofán M, Sala-Vila A, et al.Effects of Walnut Consumption for 2 Years on Lipoprotein Subclasses Among Healthy Elders: Findings From the WAHA Randomized Controlled Trial.Circulation. 2021 Sep 28;144(13):1083-1085. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.054051Ma Y, Njike VY, Millet J, et al.Effects of walnut consumption on endothelial function in type 2 diabetic subjects: a randomized controlled crossover trial.Diabetes Care. 2010 Feb;33(2):227-32. doi:10.2337/dc09-1156Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis M.Dried plums and their products: composition and health effects–an updated review.Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2013;53(12):1277-302. doi:10.1080/10408398.2011.563880Gilbert MP, Pratley RE.The impact of diabetes and diabetes medications on bone health.Endocr Rev. 2015 Apr;36(2):194-213. doi:10.1210/er.2012-1042Wallace TC.Dried Plums, Prunes and Bone Health: A Comprehensive Review.Nutrients. 2017 Apr 19;9(4):401. doi:10.3390/nu9040401Hidayat K, Du X, Shi BM.Milk in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes: The potential role of milk proteins.Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2019 Nov;35(8):e3187. doi:10.1002/dmrr.3187Nikooyeh B, Neyestani TR, Farvid M, et al.Daily consumption of vitamin D- or vitamin D + calcium-fortified yogurt drink improved glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized clinical trial.Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Apr;93(4):764-71. doi:10.3945/ajcn.110.007336American Heart Association.Fish and Omega 3 Fatty Acids.Kim YS, Xun P, Iribarren C, et al.Intake of fish and long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and incidence of metabolic syndrome among American young adults: a 25-year follow-up study.Eur J Nutr.2016 Jun;55(4):1707-16. doi:10.1007/s00394-015-0989-8Hu FB, Cho E, Rexrode KM, et al.Fish and long-chain omega-3 fatty acid intake and risk of coronary heart disease and total mortality in diabetic women.Circulation. 2003 Apr 15;107(14):1852-7. doi:10.1161/01.CIR.0000062644.42133.5FU.S. Department of Agriculture.Online Nutriton Resources at Your Fingertips.Hou Q, Li Y, Li L, et al.The Metabolic Effects of Oats Intake in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nutrients.2015 Dec 10;7(12):10369-87. doi:10.3390/nu7125536
18 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.Center for Disease Control and Prevention.National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2020.Center for Diseases Control and Prevention.Type 2 Diabetes.American Heart Association.About Metabolic Syndrome.Cahill LE, Pan A, Chiuve SE, et al.Fried-food consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease: a prospective study in 2 cohorts of US women and men.The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2014;100(2):667-675. doi. 10.3945/ajcn.114.084129.Health Magazine.Type 2 Diabetes and Alcohol: Proceed with Caution.Stote KS, Wilson MM, Hallenbeck D, et al.Effect of Blueberry Consumption on Cardiometabolic Health Parameters in Men with Type 2 Diabetes: An 8-Week, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.Curr Dev Nutr. 2020 Mar 9;4(4):nzaa030. doi:10.1093/cdn/nzaa030Rajaram S, Cofán M, Sala-Vila A, et al.Effects of Walnut Consumption for 2 Years on Lipoprotein Subclasses Among Healthy Elders: Findings From the WAHA Randomized Controlled Trial.Circulation. 2021 Sep 28;144(13):1083-1085. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.054051Ma Y, Njike VY, Millet J, et al.Effects of walnut consumption on endothelial function in type 2 diabetic subjects: a randomized controlled crossover trial.Diabetes Care. 2010 Feb;33(2):227-32. doi:10.2337/dc09-1156Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis M.Dried plums and their products: composition and health effects–an updated review.Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2013;53(12):1277-302. doi:10.1080/10408398.2011.563880Gilbert MP, Pratley RE.The impact of diabetes and diabetes medications on bone health.Endocr Rev. 2015 Apr;36(2):194-213. doi:10.1210/er.2012-1042Wallace TC.Dried Plums, Prunes and Bone Health: A Comprehensive Review.Nutrients. 2017 Apr 19;9(4):401. doi:10.3390/nu9040401Hidayat K, Du X, Shi BM.Milk in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes: The potential role of milk proteins.Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2019 Nov;35(8):e3187. doi:10.1002/dmrr.3187Nikooyeh B, Neyestani TR, Farvid M, et al.Daily consumption of vitamin D- or vitamin D + calcium-fortified yogurt drink improved glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized clinical trial.Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Apr;93(4):764-71. doi:10.3945/ajcn.110.007336American Heart Association.Fish and Omega 3 Fatty Acids.Kim YS, Xun P, Iribarren C, et al.Intake of fish and long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and incidence of metabolic syndrome among American young adults: a 25-year follow-up study.Eur J Nutr.2016 Jun;55(4):1707-16. doi:10.1007/s00394-015-0989-8Hu FB, Cho E, Rexrode KM, et al.Fish and long-chain omega-3 fatty acid intake and risk of coronary heart disease and total mortality in diabetic women.Circulation. 2003 Apr 15;107(14):1852-7. doi:10.1161/01.CIR.0000062644.42133.5FU.S. Department of Agriculture.Online Nutriton Resources at Your Fingertips.Hou Q, Li Y, Li L, et al.The Metabolic Effects of Oats Intake in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nutrients.2015 Dec 10;7(12):10369-87. doi:10.3390/nu7125536
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.
Center for Disease Control and Prevention.National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2020.Center for Diseases Control and Prevention.Type 2 Diabetes.American Heart Association.About Metabolic Syndrome.Cahill LE, Pan A, Chiuve SE, et al.Fried-food consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease: a prospective study in 2 cohorts of US women and men.The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2014;100(2):667-675. doi. 10.3945/ajcn.114.084129.Health Magazine.Type 2 Diabetes and Alcohol: Proceed with Caution.Stote KS, Wilson MM, Hallenbeck D, et al.Effect of Blueberry Consumption on Cardiometabolic Health Parameters in Men with Type 2 Diabetes: An 8-Week, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.Curr Dev Nutr. 2020 Mar 9;4(4):nzaa030. doi:10.1093/cdn/nzaa030Rajaram S, Cofán M, Sala-Vila A, et al.Effects of Walnut Consumption for 2 Years on Lipoprotein Subclasses Among Healthy Elders: Findings From the WAHA Randomized Controlled Trial.Circulation. 2021 Sep 28;144(13):1083-1085. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.054051Ma Y, Njike VY, Millet J, et al.Effects of walnut consumption on endothelial function in type 2 diabetic subjects: a randomized controlled crossover trial.Diabetes Care. 2010 Feb;33(2):227-32. doi:10.2337/dc09-1156Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis M.Dried plums and their products: composition and health effects–an updated review.Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2013;53(12):1277-302. doi:10.1080/10408398.2011.563880Gilbert MP, Pratley RE.The impact of diabetes and diabetes medications on bone health.Endocr Rev. 2015 Apr;36(2):194-213. doi:10.1210/er.2012-1042Wallace TC.Dried Plums, Prunes and Bone Health: A Comprehensive Review.Nutrients. 2017 Apr 19;9(4):401. doi:10.3390/nu9040401Hidayat K, Du X, Shi BM.Milk in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes: The potential role of milk proteins.Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2019 Nov;35(8):e3187. doi:10.1002/dmrr.3187Nikooyeh B, Neyestani TR, Farvid M, et al.Daily consumption of vitamin D- or vitamin D + calcium-fortified yogurt drink improved glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized clinical trial.Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Apr;93(4):764-71. doi:10.3945/ajcn.110.007336American Heart Association.Fish and Omega 3 Fatty Acids.Kim YS, Xun P, Iribarren C, et al.Intake of fish and long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and incidence of metabolic syndrome among American young adults: a 25-year follow-up study.Eur J Nutr.2016 Jun;55(4):1707-16. doi:10.1007/s00394-015-0989-8Hu FB, Cho E, Rexrode KM, et al.Fish and long-chain omega-3 fatty acid intake and risk of coronary heart disease and total mortality in diabetic women.Circulation. 2003 Apr 15;107(14):1852-7. doi:10.1161/01.CIR.0000062644.42133.5FU.S. Department of Agriculture.Online Nutriton Resources at Your Fingertips.Hou Q, Li Y, Li L, et al.The Metabolic Effects of Oats Intake in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nutrients.2015 Dec 10;7(12):10369-87. doi:10.3390/nu7125536
Center for Disease Control and Prevention.National Diabetes Statistics Report, 2020.
Center for Diseases Control and Prevention.Type 2 Diabetes.
American Heart Association.About Metabolic Syndrome.
Cahill LE, Pan A, Chiuve SE, et al.Fried-food consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes and coronary artery disease: a prospective study in 2 cohorts of US women and men.The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. 2014;100(2):667-675. doi. 10.3945/ajcn.114.084129.
Health Magazine.Type 2 Diabetes and Alcohol: Proceed with Caution.
Stote KS, Wilson MM, Hallenbeck D, et al.Effect of Blueberry Consumption on Cardiometabolic Health Parameters in Men with Type 2 Diabetes: An 8-Week, Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled Trial.Curr Dev Nutr. 2020 Mar 9;4(4):nzaa030. doi:10.1093/cdn/nzaa030
Rajaram S, Cofán M, Sala-Vila A, et al.Effects of Walnut Consumption for 2 Years on Lipoprotein Subclasses Among Healthy Elders: Findings From the WAHA Randomized Controlled Trial.Circulation. 2021 Sep 28;144(13):1083-1085. doi:10.1161/CIRCULATIONAHA.121.054051
Ma Y, Njike VY, Millet J, et al.Effects of walnut consumption on endothelial function in type 2 diabetic subjects: a randomized controlled crossover trial.Diabetes Care. 2010 Feb;33(2):227-32. doi:10.2337/dc09-1156
Stacewicz-Sapuntzakis M.Dried plums and their products: composition and health effects–an updated review.Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr. 2013;53(12):1277-302. doi:10.1080/10408398.2011.563880
Gilbert MP, Pratley RE.The impact of diabetes and diabetes medications on bone health.Endocr Rev. 2015 Apr;36(2):194-213. doi:10.1210/er.2012-1042
Wallace TC.Dried Plums, Prunes and Bone Health: A Comprehensive Review.Nutrients. 2017 Apr 19;9(4):401. doi:10.3390/nu9040401
Hidayat K, Du X, Shi BM.Milk in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes: The potential role of milk proteins.Diabetes Metab Res Rev. 2019 Nov;35(8):e3187. doi:10.1002/dmrr.3187
Nikooyeh B, Neyestani TR, Farvid M, et al.Daily consumption of vitamin D- or vitamin D + calcium-fortified yogurt drink improved glycemic control in patients with type 2 diabetes: a randomized clinical trial.Am J Clin Nutr. 2011 Apr;93(4):764-71. doi:10.3945/ajcn.110.007336
American Heart Association.Fish and Omega 3 Fatty Acids.
Kim YS, Xun P, Iribarren C, et al.Intake of fish and long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and incidence of metabolic syndrome among American young adults: a 25-year follow-up study.Eur J Nutr.2016 Jun;55(4):1707-16. doi:10.1007/s00394-015-0989-8
Hu FB, Cho E, Rexrode KM, et al.Fish and long-chain omega-3 fatty acid intake and risk of coronary heart disease and total mortality in diabetic women.Circulation. 2003 Apr 15;107(14):1852-7. doi:10.1161/01.CIR.0000062644.42133.5F
U.S. Department of Agriculture.Online Nutriton Resources at Your Fingertips.
Hou Q, Li Y, Li L, et al.The Metabolic Effects of Oats Intake in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Nutrients.2015 Dec 10;7(12):10369-87. doi:10.3390/nu7125536
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