Guidelines for eating well with diabetes

The American Diabetes Association’s (ADA) Plate Method is a simple, intuitive way to structure meals that meet your nutritional needs and manage your blood glucose. To follow this method when planning meals, all you need is a plate about 9 inches across and the below lists of example foods for each category—no measuring, weighing or calculating needed!

Step 1. Fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables

Non-starchy vegetables have a lot of fiber and very little starch and sugar, a combination which results in a smaller impact on your blood glucose. Examples of non-starchy vegetables include

• Asparagus 
• Broccoli 
• Cauliflower 
• Brussels Sprouts 
• Cabbage (green, red, napa, Chinese) 
• Bok choy 
• Carrots 
• Cauliflower 
• Celery 
• Cucumber 
• Eggplant 
• Jicama 
• Leafy greens such as kale, collards, mustard greens, and Swiss Chard 
• Mushrooms 
• Nopales (cactus) 
• Okra 
• Onions 
• Leeks 
• Green beans, pea pods, snow peas, and sugar snap peas 
• Peppers such as bell peppers and hot peppers (jalapeño, poblano, and others) 
• Salad greens such as  lettuce,  spinach,  arugula,  endive, and other salad mixes 
• Squash such as  zucchini, yellow squash, chayote, or spaghetti squash 
• Radish or daikon 
• Tomatoes 
• Tomatillos

Step 2. Fill one quarter of your plate with lean protein foods like

• Chicken, turkey, and eggs 
• Fish like  salmon, cod, tuna, tilapia, and swordfish 
• Shellfish like shrimp, scallops, clams, mussels, and  lobster 
• Lean beef cuts such as chuck, round, sirloin, flank, and tenderloin 
• Lean pork cuts such as center loin chop and tenderloin 
• Lean deli meats 
• Cheese and cottage cheese 
• Beans, lentils, hummus, and falafel 
• Nuts and nut butters 
• Edamame 
• Tofu and tempeh 
• Plant-based meat substitutes

Step 3. Fill the final one quarter of your plate with carbohydrate foods

Foods that are higher in carbohydrates—like whole grains, starchy vegetables, beans and legumes, fruit, yogurt, and milk—have the largest effect on blood glucose. Keeping your portion of carbohydrate foods to one quarter of your plate can help keep blood glucose from rising too high after meals. Examples of carbohydrate foods include

• Whole grains such as  brown rice, bulgur, oats/oatmeal, polenta, popcorn, quinoa, and whole grain products (bread, pasta, and tortillas) 
• Starchy vegetables such as corn, acorn squash, butternut squash, green peas, parsnips, plantains, potatoes, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes/yams 
• Beans and legumes such as lentils and black, kidney, pinto, and garbanzo beans
• Fruits and dried fruit 
• Dairy products like milk, yogurt, and milk substitutes (e.g., soy milk) 

Additional Tips

– Drink plenty of water! If you drink beverages sweetened with sugar, sucrose or high-fructose corn syrup, try to replace those with water or unsweetened drinks like tea or coffee

– Swap salt for other spices when cooking, with the goal of keeping your daily sodium intake under 2300 mg

– Drink alcohol only in moderation

Source: American Diabetes Association