The meal plan you decide to use is THE single most important factor in winning the war with diabetes. The diabetes meal plan below has worked for everyone who has followed it, and it can work for you.
- successful diabetes meal plan and diabetic food chart
- list of low carb foods to eat and what to avoid
Many factors influence how you manage diabetes. Exercise, stress reduction, supplements and drugs/insulin (if needed) are all important. However, the number one factor is what you consume.
Your journey to reducing blood sugars is literally moments away!
In February 2009, I was obese, chronically sick, diagnosed with diabetes, taking 4 insulin shots and drugs just to survive! Today, I have the normal blood sugar reading of a non-diabetic and … I am drug and insulin FREE!
My Diabetes Meal Plan
As of August 2009, I have stayed below 30 grams of total carbohydrates per day, often I am less than 10 grams.
This low carb meal plan is not just for diabetics. Anyone taking medication, or suffering from a disease or illness should try this meal plan for 30 days.
This meal plan is full of low inflammatory foods. The low inflammatory foods will give your body a chance to heal itself.
I eliminated diabetes drugs and insulin when my overnight fasting blood glucose levels were consistently in the 70-90 mg/dl range (3.8-5.0 mmol/l).
Carb Planning
Successfully living with diabetes is all about “rationing” carbs. Obviously, if your insulin production is reduced and you require insulin or diabetes drugs, diabetes management becomes more complicated.
Warning: Consuming even moderate amounts of carbohydrate makes managing your diabetes exponentially more difficult!
Following a diabetes meal plan that is truly diabetes-friendly is so important!
This is the diabetes meal plan I have been following for OVER 15 years and I am still thriving! Through the years, I’ve created many diabetes-friendly food posts.
Foods to Eat
Eat when hungry. When not hungry, don’t eat.
- Meats – Beef, pork, fish, poultry, eggs, etc. Organ Meats are particularly high in nutritional value.
Fresh Wild Caught Fish
Unless you have sources for wild caught fish, then try my first choice for seafood, Wild Planet.
My favorite product is Wild Sardines in Water, but they also carry salmon, tuna, and other seafood.
- Veggies – Low carb leafy green veggies are best but also cauliflower, broccoli, green peppers, celery, asparagus are all great options.
- Fat – Coconut oil and butter are my favorites. Try rendered fats, including lard, tallow and schmaltz (chicken fat).
Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
Amazon has unbeatable deals on one of my favorite coconut oils, Carrington Farms Organic Extra Virgin Coconut Oil. 
Organic Virgin Coconut oil is an indispensable tool for weight loss and for managing blood sugars.
- Bone Broth – Like most foods, bone broth is best if you prepare at home.
Kettle & Fire is an option for those who prefer purchasing broths.
Kettle & Fire comes from 100% grass fed, pastured cattle that are hormone and antibiotic free. No preservatives, no added flavorings – just premium ingredients!
- Drinks – Water, tea and coffee, unsweetened. I do use coconut oil and butter in my coffee, occasionally cream.
- Condiments/Spices – Slap Ya Mama, Louisiana Hot Sauce, salt, Tabasco, black and red pepper, and mustard. As with everything, check the ingredients.
Slap Ya Mama
Slap Ya Mama is my favorite Cajun ‘go to’ spice!
It has great flavor and look at these ingredients!
“Ingredients: Salt, Red Pepper, Black Pepper, Garlic. No MSG”
Enjoy Occasionally
These are foods you can indulge once in awhile.
- Wine – Once or twice a month I drink a glass of wine. Always a dry red, and usually a Merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon.
- Vinegar – Bragg’s Apple Cider on salads or greens.
- Cheese – I do occasionally eat cheese, but try to limit my servings. When I eat it, I tend to overeat. If you can eat cheese and it doesn’t stall your weight loss or it doesn’t cause weight gain… go for it.
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil – Use on salads or slaw, but also for low to medium temperature cooking. I prefer coconut oil, butter and rendered animal fats.
- Nuts – Walnuts, pecans, cashews, etc. Just an ounce or a handful a day. Like cheese, I tend to overeat these, so I only eat occasionally. Nuts do have carbohydrates, the amounts vary so check the label carefully.
- Low Carb Fruits – Enjoy on occasion blueberries, blackberries, raspberries and avocados of course. I usually only eat berries ‘in season’ or on rare occasions.
Diabetic Food Chart
Follow this diabetes food chart to reduce your blood sugars.
This diabetes food chart is unlike other food charts. It’s been tested and proven to help diabetics.
Sweeteners?
Sweeteners are okay during a brief transitional period, but you should wean off them if you want to truly break your sugar and grain addictions.
Breaking the addiction to carbohydrates is more difficult if you continue to eat sweeteners, artificial or not.
Foods to Avoid
Do not include these foods in your diabetes meal plan.
- Sugar – This includes soft drinks, fruit juices, cookies, cakes, etc.
- Starch – Both potatoes and rice are high in starches, which means they are high in carbohydrates. As a diabetic, I strongly suggest staying below 30 grams of total carbohydrates daily. Do you really want to exceed that limit with one (1) potato or a single cup of rice? Make no mistake, eating 30 grams of carbs at once will cause your BG to spike.
- Grains – Especially rice and wheat in ANY form including flour, pasta, breads, crackers, cakes etc.
- Cereals – Avoid them. Cereals are high carb and most are glutenous, sugary junk food.
- Legumes – Including beans and peanuts. Peanuts are technically a legume and not a nut.
- Milk – Avoid all milk. Milk is high carb with 11-14 grams per cup and that’s just the non-sweetened, non-flavored varieties. This also includes raw milk. Don’t get me wrong, I love it, but raw milk spikes blood sugar. Don’t believe me? Test it. Drink a cup or two and test your blood sugar every 30 minutes for several hours.
- High Carb Fruits – Especially bananas, apples, pineapple, oranges, etc.
- High Carb Vegetables – Including corn, beans, potatoes (white and sweet), yams, etc.
- Reduced Fat – Why? Typically when companies reduce natural fats, they usually add sugar to compensation. Removing fat from foods that have fat naturally, makes no sense. Avoid them. Fat is where the flavor is.
Lower Your Blood Sugar Naturally
If your blood sugars are elevated and you cannot achieve truly normal blood sugars with diet alone…
READ MY BOOK! How to Reduce Blood Sugars.
Disclaimers:
* I recommend that all diabetics who are new to a low carb diabetes meal plan, reduce carbs to 30g per day until blood glucose adjusts. This practice is also in line with the recommendations of Dr. Bernstein.
** While eating a low carb diabetes meal plan, monitor your blood glucose carefully and reduce medications appropriately to prevent low blood sugars.