Foods a Diabetic Should Avoid

With diabetes, your blood sugar levels often determine when and what you eat, making it essential for diabetics to known exactly which foods will be beneficial to their health, and which will be detrimental.

Listed below are foods to avoid if you're diabetic.

Fruits

Fruits, though nutrient-rich, have a high sugar content, which leads to an increase in blood glucose levels. Thus, diabetics should only eat fruit in small portions. Some examples of especially sugar-heavy fruit are: bananas, strawberries, nectarines, peaches, papaya, plums, grapefruit, oranges, and pineapple.

Foods High in Fat

Diabetics are often at a high risk for heart-related problems, so they should try to stay away from fatty foods, including dairy products and high-fat meats. Also, most processed foods have a high amount of trans fat and should not be eaten by diabetics.

Foods High in Starch

People with diabetes are encouraged to avoid foods high in starch because overly starchy products cause a spike in blood glucose levels. White rice, white bread, and white pasta should especially be avoided since they are high in starch and have little nutritional value. It is better to stick with whole-grain products.

Alcohol

High in sugar and fat, alcohol should be avoided by diabetics. If you do drink, make sure to check your blood glucose levels beforehand and limit the number of drinks you consume.