Foods That Keep Blood Sugar Stable: A Practical Guide

Foods that keep blood sugar stable tend to have a few things in common. They are rich in fibre, they are eaten with protein and vegetables, and they come in sensible portions of carbohydrate. No single food will keep blood sugar steady on its own, though. What works for you also depends on your medicines, activity and goals. You do not need special products. A healthy meal plan for diabetes looks a lot like healthy eating for anyone.

Every figure below links to the guidance or study it comes from, so you can check it.

This guide is general education. If you use insulin or other glucose medicines, follow the plan your diabetes team gave you.

Which eating patterns work for type 2 diabetes?

There is no single ideal diet for type 2 diabetes. The American Diabetes Association consensus report on nutrition says the evidence does not support a one-size-fits-all eating plan, and that a variety of eating patterns are acceptable for managing diabetes.^[2] The ADA paid for the report from its own general revenues without industry support. Several of the authors reported fees or grants from drug, dairy and other companies for work outside the report.^[2] The right diet for you is one that fits your food culture, your budget and your medicines, and that you can keep up for years.

The report asks health professionals to focus on three things the good patterns share:^[2]

• Plenty of non-starchy vegetables.
• As little added sugar and refined grain as you can manage.
• Whole foods rather than highly processed foods where possible.

Eating less carbohydrate overall has the most evidence for improving blood glucose, and the report says this can be done within many different eating patterns.^[2] That is why the plate method below keeps carbohydrate to a quarter of the plate.

How common eating patterns compare

The table sums up what the report found for five common eating patterns.^[2]

Very low carbohydrate plans have not been studied enough in people with kidney disease, disordered eating or pregnancy, so the report makes no recommendation for these groups. Given the limited evidence, it also says it is unclear which eating pattern works better overall.^[2] A registered dietitian can help you pick one and fit it around your medicines.

If you use insulin or a sulfonylurea such as gliclazide or glimepiride, cutting carbohydrate can bring on a hypo unless your dose is adjusted.^[2][5] Low blood sugar usually means below 4 mmol/L (72 mg/dL) in the UK^[5] or below 70 mg/dL (3.9 mmol/L) in the US.^[6] Our guide to low blood sugar covers the warning signs. In the UK, the NHS says to call 999 if someone may have very low blood sugar and is not responding normally or is unconscious, and a glucagon injection is not available or you do not know how to use it, or they have not recovered within 10 minutes of a glucagon injection, or they have been drinking alcohol.^[5] In the US, the ADA says to call 911 right away if someone is unconscious and glucagon is not available or no one knows how to use it.^[6]

What is the plate method?

The diabetes plate method is a simple way to build a meal without weighing food. The American Diabetes Association advises using a 9-inch (23 cm) plate and filling half of it with non-starchy vegetables, a quarter with lean protein foods and a quarter with quality carbohydrate foods.^[1][7] Keeping carbohydrate to a quarter of the plate can help stop glucose rising too high after meals.^[1]

Add a glass of water or another drink with no added sugar. Our guide to vegetables for blood sugar lists good choices for the vegetable half of the plate.

What are the foods that keep blood sugar stable?

Foods high in fibre are the core of a steady eating plan. The American Diabetes Association recommends vegetables, pulses such as beans, peas and lentils, fruits and whole intact grains as good sources. Its consensus report says more fibre, preferably from food, may help modestly with A1C.^[2] If you then pair these foods with protein, you have most of a steady meal.

You may see some of these foods sold as superfoods. That is a marketing label, not an ADA or NHS classification. Berries, leafy greens, oily fish, nuts, pulses, whole grains and plain yoghurt work as part of the overall plate pattern, not as standalone fixes.^[2][7]

How much fibre?

In the UK, government guidelines say adults should aim for 30 g (1.1 oz) of fibre a day.^[3] In the US, the ADA consensus says people with diabetes should eat at least 14 g (0.5 oz) of fibre per 1,000 calories, with at least half of grains eaten as whole intact grains.^[2] Our article on fibre and blood sugar has easy ways to add more.

When we compared US and UK guidance for this guide, the fibre targets were set in different ways: the NHS gives a daily amount and US guidance gives an amount per 1,000 calories.

A diabetic diet food list to start with

• Non-starchy vegetables at most meals
• Beans, lentils and chickpeas
• Oats, barley and wholegrain bread
• Whole fruit rather than juice
• Plain yoghurt, eggs, fish and nuts for protein

What to eat for stable blood sugar: a day of meals

Here is one way to put the list together. Adjust the portions with your diabetes team.

1. Breakfast. Porridge oats with plain yoghurt and berries.^[1][2]
2. Lunch. Lentil soup with a wholegrain roll and salad.^[1][2]
3. Dinner. Salmon, broccoli and a quarter plate of brown rice.^[1][2]
4. Snack. A small handful of nuts.^[2]

What does glycaemic index mean?

The glycaemic index (GI) ranks carbohydrate foods from 0 to 100 by how quickly they raise blood sugar after eating. Diabetes UK groups them as low GI at 55 or below, medium GI at 56 to 69 and high GI at 70 or more. Low GI foods raise blood sugar more slowly.^[8]

GI is a guide, not a rule. Diabetes UK points out that not all high GI foods are unhealthy and not all low GI foods are healthy. Chocolate has a low GI, for example.^[8] Look at the whole food and the portion as well. Our guide to reading food labels helps with this.

Glycaemic load (GL) adds the portion back in. It combines a food's GI with the amount of carbohydrate in the serving. Diabetes UK says the amount of carbohydrate you eat has a bigger effect on blood sugar than GI alone. Pasta has a GI score below watermelon's, but a similar amount of pasta holds more carbohydrate and raises blood sugar more.^[8]

Does the order you eat food matter?

It may. In a small pilot study, 11 adults with type 2 diabetes ate the same meal on two days. When they ate vegetables and protein first and carbohydrate last, glucose after the meal was 28.6% smaller at 30 minutes, 36.7% smaller at 60 minutes and 16.8% smaller at 120 minutes than when they ate the carbohydrate first.^[4]

This was one meal in a handful of people who all took metformin, so the result needs larger trials. Funding came from two Weill Cornell programmes: its Clinical and Translational Science Center and its Atkins curriculum in metabolic disease. The authors reported no relevant conflicts of interest.^[4] Still, it costs nothing to try. Start with your salad or vegetables, then your protein, and finish with the bread, rice or potatoes.

How much carbohydrate should I eat?

There is no single right amount. The American Diabetes Association consensus report says evidence does not support an ideal percentage of calories from carbohydrate, protein and fat for all people with diabetes. The split should be based on your current eating pattern, preferences and goals.^[2] A dietitian can help you set a target that suits you.

The type and portion of carbohydrate matter more than an exact percentage. Choose high fibre sources and keep the portion to about a quarter of your plate. Our guide to carbohydrates and blood sugar covers carb counting in more detail.

Questions to ask your diabetes team

• Which eating pattern fits my medicines, kidney function and daily routine most closely?^[2][7]
• If I cut back on carbohydrate, do any of my insulin or tablet doses need to change first to prevent hypos?^[2][5]
• How should I use the 9-inch (23 cm) plate method for my main meals?^[1]
• Can you refer me to a registered dietitian for a personalised meal plan?^[2][7]

Frequently asked questions

Can I eat fruit if I want stable blood sugar?

Yes. Whole fruit is a quality carbohydrate food and a source of fibre. Count it as part of the carbohydrate quarter of your plate and choose whole fruit over juice.^[1][2]

What counts as a low glycaemic food?

Diabetes UK classes carbohydrate foods with a GI of 55 or below as low GI. GI alone does not make a food healthy, so look at the portion and the whole meal too.^[8]

Do I need special diabetic foods?

No. The American Diabetes Association says a healthy meal plan for people with diabetes is generally the same as healthy eating for anyone.^[9]

Should I cut out carbohydrates completely?

There is no need to. There is no single ideal carbohydrate intake for everyone with diabetes. Talk to your doctor or dietitian before making big changes, especially if you take insulin or other glucose medicines.^[2]

Which eating plans have the most evidence for prediabetes?

The most robust research for prediabetes is on Mediterranean style, low fat and low carbohydrate eating plans. In PREDIMED, a large trial in people at high risk of heart disease, a Mediterranean style pattern led to a 30% smaller relative risk of developing type 2 diabetes than a low fat pattern. Your doctor or a dietitian can help you choose a plan that suits you.^[2]

Where to go next

For more on foods that keep blood sugar stable, see:

• Foods to avoid with diabetes, with simple swaps for the foods to limit.
• Fruits and blood sugar, with a guide to choosing fruit.
• Is Diabec legit?, for what is in our supplement and what it does not do.

Note: If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, or considering giving any supplement or herbal product to a child, consult your healthcare provider before making any changes to your diet, supplement routine, or prescribed medications.