The Most Common 13 Foods You Should Avoid if You Have Type 2 Diabetes
Here are 13 foods to avoid or limit if you have type 2 diabetes. Hi, my name is Merlin from Healthy Nation, and I'm a registered dietitian who helps people reverse type 2 diabetes. Now I always tell you what to eat, and what you should eat, but I also want to talk about what to avoid as well so that you'll be able to reverse insulin resistance and improve your carbohydrate tolerance, improve your blood glucose levels. So, let's get started.
1. The first one is Eggs:
Now, I know a lot of you love eggs and eggs are a usual breakfast for you, especially because you may find other breakfast items like oatmeal skyrocket your blood sugar, so you turn to eggs and bacon. In a case-controlled study, it's been found that eggs are related to the increased risk of type 2 diabetes. Those that ate one egg a week had an increase of 76% of risk for type 2 diabetes and those that ate over five eggs a week had a three-fold risk of type 2 diabetes. Now, I know if you're reading this, you may think, 'Well, I already have type 2 diabetes, so how does that affect me?' If you already have type 2 diabetes, this study might interest you. This study is trying to see all-cause mortality in people who already have type 2 diabetes and what the relationship is between egg consumption. And it's been found that the more eggs that they ate, the higher the all-cause mortality is in people who do have type 2 diabetes. And what is it about eggs that make it so not beneficial for type 2 diabetes? There is one thing that is notorious for eggs and it is the high cholesterol content, and it's been found that high cholesterol intake is directly related to increased risk of type 2 diabetes. So, if you want eggs, I would say once in a while is fine, but I would also encourage you to try other alternatives like tofu scramble or a chickpea scramble that does not have the cholesterol nor saturated fat in it that can help you increase your insulin sensitivity.
2. Number two is Sugar-Free Cookies:
Now, let's take a look at this sugar-free cookie. Sounds like it's very diabetes-friendly. However, if you look at the ingredients, do you see what the first ingredient says? Enriched flour, which is just another word for white flour, adds back the vitamins and minerals in it, but it is still low in fiber. And if you look at the fat content, it's 8G of fat per serving and it has 3G of saturated fat, which is already 15% of what your daily intake should be for a person who has a 2,000 calorie diet. So, the lesson is just because something says it's sugar-free or carb-free does not mean that it is healthy for you.
3. Number three is Fruit Juice:
Now, even though fruit juice might be a little bit healthier than soda, fruit juice is still very high in glycemic index for those who have type 2 diabetes. This is because in the juicing process, you actually take the pulp and the fiber out of the fruits, and so it's way more beneficial if you eat the fruits themselves along with the fiber so that it can help with blood sugar balance. And if you want juice, I would just green vegetable juice made with vegetables because it's way lower in sugar. And like I said, better yet, just eat fruits by themselves. And even though fruits do have natural sugar, the package of fiber and water is what helps you lower the glycemic index of the food itself.
4. Number four is Deli Meats:
Now, I work with a lot of people who have type 2 diabetes, and before they worked with me, they would always snack on cheese and deli meats because it's low in carbohydrates. But the thing about deli meats is it's very high in sodium. And if you don't know, salt intake is directly related to an increased risk of type 2 diabetes.
5. Number five is Red Meat:
There's been research that shows that high red meat and processed meat consumption is linked to insulin resistance and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is also very common in people who have type 2 diabetes.
6. Number six is processed meat like ham or sausage:
Because of the study that I mentioned before, it's also been shown that unprocessed and processed meat is not beneficial for heart health as well. This is a crucial thing in type 2 diabetes because a lot of people who have type 2 diabetes also have heart disease. So, this is something that we want to prevent. We need to do as much as possible to lower the heart disease risk in people who have type 2 diabetes. The great alternative to red meats and processed meats is plant-based proteins like beans, legumes, tofu, and tempeh. Not only will they provide beneficial protein for balancing your blood sugar for your overall health, but they also can help you improve insulin sensitivity and have beneficial fiber that can help you reverse insulin resistance as well.
7. Number seven is Refined Grains:
Refined grains are stripped of the beneficial fiber that comes with the grain itself. So, for example, white rice is refined grains or white bread is refined grains because the fiber, the husk, is taken out of it. Now, the beneficial precious fiber is actually what helps you balance your blood sugar and helps you reverse insulin resistance. So, try to replace refined grains with whole grains like barley, farro, and wild rice. They are amazing for your blood sugar control.
8. Number eight is Cheese:
Cheese is very high in saturated fat in general and it can contribute to insulin resistance. Saturated fatty acids they go into your bloodstream and your cells can turn off insulin receptors and cause your cells to be insulin resistant. And that is when insulin can't work effectively in bringing glucose from the blood into the cells. And so where does the glucose go? It's stuck in the blood. And that's what causes high blood sugar in type 2 diabetes.
9. Number nine is Butter:
Also high in saturated fat, which we all know is not the best for your insulin sensitivity.
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10. Number ten is Coconut Oil:
A lot of people don't know this but coconut oil has even higher saturated fat content compared to butter. So, please do not always cook with coconut oil because it is pretty high in saturated fat. Now, the argument for coconut oil is the medium-chain fatty acids. Now, medium-chain fatty acids are beneficial, but did you know that when probiotics, which means healthy back bacteria, digest fiber, they also produce medium-chain fatty acids? So, there's no need to gulp down tons and tons of coconut oil to get the benefits of MCT. You just really need fiber in your diet.
11. Number eleven is Bacon:
Is also high in saturated fat as well, which we all know is not the best for your insulin sensitivity.
12. Number twelve is Fried Foods:
Because these foods are fried in oil oil is very dense in calorie density. And so when you eat a lot of fried foods, it also increases your calorie consumption as well. And that usually leads to weight gain when you have a consistent high-calorie intake more than what you need. And that can also contribute to insulin resistance as well, which is what we don't want. So, stay away from fried foods and maybe use your air fryer more.
13. Number thirteen is Cigarette:
I know cigarette is technically not a food, but it is still best to quit smoking if you have type 2 diabetes. There's been research that shows smoking can influence how your body regulates your blood glucose, which can cause type 2 diabetes. Also, studies show that smoking acutely affects your blood glucose or increases your blood glucose. And what acutely means is that it almost has a short-term or immediate effect. But on the other hand, research has shown that quitting smoking can help you reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes.
And that's the list. And if you'd like to learn more about how I help people reverse type 2 diabetes naturally and get off diabetic medications by tackling the root cause of type 2 diabetes.
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