Basic nutritional rules for people with Type 2 Diabetes are to: follow a healthy low carb diet and minimize highly processed foods, refined sugar, sugary drinks, and saturated and trans fats.  Also, limit red and processed meats and exercise often.  Also try to avoid starchy vegetables like potatoes, corn and peas.  Including high fiber and low glycemic index foods will help control the blood sugar levels.  It is important to consume foods that contain calcium, potassium, fiber, magnesium, vitamins A (as carotenoids), D3, C, E, and B vitamins.  Consult a health care professional for more information about what diet is allowed for Type 2 Diabetes, and then a nutritionist can plan a customized meal plan for you.

This is a Sample Meal plan for 1800 calories level, which provides 3 servings of grains; 6 servings of vegetables;  1 servings of fruits; 2 servings of dairy; 5 servings of protein and 3 serving of oil.  This calorie level is typically adequate for women who have sedentary lifestyle.  

This meal plan provides enough protein, carbohydrates and fiber to help keep insulin levels of a diabetic steady throughout the day.

Breakfast: Coconut Chia Pudding:  Per Serving:  Calories 280, Fat 7g,  Saturated Fat 1.5g, Protein 3g, Carbohydrates 49g, Sugar 7g, Fiber 7g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 200mg.

Nutrition Fact: Chia Seeds full of are high in dietary fiber offering 11 grams in only 1oz and provide sustainable and easily absorbable energy to the body.  They also contain large amounts of Omega-3 fatty acids, calcium, manganese, magnesium, potassium, B Vitamins and zinc.  This recipe also contains a small amount of sugar from the fibrous dates which provide a slow release into the blood stream. 

Recipe Addition:  Adding a cinnamon to this recipe not only enhances the flavor but also nutritional value especially for Diabetics.  Cinnamon bark contains cinnamaldehyde, cinnamyl alchohol and cinnamyl acetate studied for its ability to reduce blood glucose, trigycerides and total cholesterol levels. 

Also the addition of chopped leafy green, like spinach or baby kale, to this Chia Pudding will not affect the flavor but will greatly boost the nutrient density of your breakfast.

Snack 1:  Smashed Avocado Toast has Calories 226, Fat 15g, Saturated Fat 2g, Protein 8g, Carbohydrates 20g, Sugar 2g, Fiber 5g, Cholesterol 0g, Sodium 155mg.

 This recipe is very simple yet so satisfying.  All you need is a 1/2 of a large avocado, a pinch of sea salt and 1 slices of toasted whole grain bread.  That’s it!

 Nutrition Fact:  Avocados contains large quantities of healthy mono and poly unsaturated fats which are known to decrease cholesterol levels.  They are also an excellent source of B vitamins, vitamin E, and fiber and has more potassium then a banana.  Eating whole grains will provide protein and dietary fiber while also containing many micronutrients, like vitamin B6, Niacin, and Magnesium, that would be lost if the grains were refined.

Recipe Modification:  To lower the carbohydrates in this recipe, the toast could be substituted with butter lettuce anda freshly sliced tomato to make avocado lettuce cups instead. 

Lunch: Greek Salad with marinated Oregano Grilled Chicken Calories 544, Fat 34 g, Saturated fat 6 g, Protein 46 g, Carbohydrate 12 g, Fiber 3 g, Cholesterol 135 mg, Sodium 1008mg

 Nutrition Fact: Vegetables are a diabetic’s best friend.  Eating a raw vegetable salad everyday will not only increase the nutrient density of your diet by providing high concentrations of important phytochemicals but also control the body’s blood sugar levels.  This recipe includes skinless chicken breast which is a high quality lean protein and also is a good source of niacin, selenium and vitamin B6.

 Recipe Modification:  This recipe calls for a ½ cup of Kalamata olive but these olives contain high amounts of sodium so only using a ¼ cup will help reduce the sodium.  Also instead of using feta cheese substitute shredded part skim mozzarella cheese to reduce the amount of sodium of this recipe.

Snack II: Kale Chips: 1 Serving: Calories 93, Fat 7g, Saturated Fat 1g, Protein 2g, Carbohydrates 7g, Sugar 0g, Fiber 1g, Cholesterol 0g, Sodium 312mg.  These kale chips are a great replacement for potato chips which diabetics should avoid.  They provide a satisfying salty crunch while also delivering many health benefits.

 Nutrition Fact: Kale is ranked one of the most nutritionally dense foods among all of the vegetables.  Containing nutrients like carotenes (antioxidant), B vitamins, vitamin E and C as well as a great source of minerals like calcium, copper and iron, kale is hard to beat.  It is also a great source of dietary fiber.  Eating raw Kale, like other cruciferous vegetables, may interfere with thyroid hormone production so it is best to cook it first.  This will also break down the plant fibers to help the body absorb important phytochemicals better. 

 Recipe Modification:  Instead of using sea salt to season these chip replace it with ½ tsp of Bragg Liquid Amino Acids which is a fermented soy product that adds more flavor but cuts the amount of sodium in half. 

Dinner:  Baked Spaghetti Squash with ground Turkey has Calories 300, Fat 13g, Saturated fat 3, Protein 17g, Carbohydrates 18g, Fiber 4g, Sugar 7g, Cholesterol 55g, and Sodium 180mg.

Nutrition Fact: Spaghetti Squash is a delicious low-carb alternative to traditional pasta noodles.  Like most orange colored winter squash they are high in carotenes which help protect against type 2 diabetes.  They also contain other micronutrients like vitamin C, potassium, folic acid, vitamin B1 and B6 and are also a great source of fiber.   This recipe calls for ground turkey meat.  Make sure to select the lean white meat turkey for a healthy low cholesterol and saturated fat meal.