Nutrition Tips for Type 2 Diabetes Management

By dmooring on August 5, 2025

By Tayla Magerman, MS, RD, LDN

Nutrition is an important part of managing diabetes, so here are a few tips to help improve blood sugar control. It is important to first understand which foods have an effect on blood sugar. Carbohydrates, also referred to as carbs, raise our blood sugar. Carbs are the body's preferred source of fuel and are used for many functions in the body. Foods that have carbs are grains (bread, rice, pasta, cereals), starchy vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, corn, peas), beans and legumes, fruit (and fruit juice), some dairy foods (milk and yogurt), and sweets.

When we eat carbohydrates, they break down in our bodies into their simplest form, a type of sugar called glucose. This glucose is in the blood, and the pancreas releases a hormone called insulin to help move the glucose out of the blood and into the body's cells, where it can be used for fuel. When someone has prediabetes or type 2 diabetes, this process is not happening as efficiently, and the glucose remains in the blood longer than it should, leading to high blood sugar, also know has high blood glucose, or hyperglycemia.

Here are some nutrition approaches that can be taken to help prevent high blood sugar:

1. Plan Your Plate

The plate method is a way to help control carb portions without needing to count carbs, weigh, or measure anything.

Start with a plate that is ~9 inches in diameter.
Fill half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables, which are naturally low in carbohydrate and high in nutrients like vitamins, minerals, and fiber. Some examples are leafy greens, broccoli, asparagus, string beans, carrots, cauliflower, tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers, onions, zucchini, and eggplant.
Fill one quarter of your plate with protein foods, which are also generally low in carbohydrate (aside from some plant proteins, like beans and legumes). Protein foods include, chicken, turkey, beef, pork, fish and shellfish, eggs, cheese and cottage cheese, soy protein, nuts, and seeds. Choose leaner proteins (lower in saturated fat) for heart health.
Fill one quarter of your plate with carbohydrate foods.
Choose water most often to drink, or another low calorie beverage, such as unsweetened tea or coffee, sparkling water, or flavored water.

Learn more about the plate method here and get some meal ideas here!

2. Make It a Pair

When carbs are eaten on their own, they digest more rapidly, leading to higher blood sugar. However, proteins, fats, and high fiber foods digest more gradually. When we pair carbohydrate foods with proteins, fats, and/or fiber, it helps the carbs to also digest more gradually, leading to a more favorable blood sugar response. Here are some examples of how we can pair carbs with other food groups to make our meals and snacks more balanced:

Less Ideal for Blood Sugar	More Balanced Choice ☺
Bowl of spaghetti for dinner	¼ plate spaghetti paired with turkey meatballs and a side salad
Apple for a snack	Apple slices with natural peanut butter
Toast for breakfast	Avocado toast on whole grain bread with an egg
Crackers for a snack	Crackers with cheese

3. Choose Complex Carbs

Not only is it important to pay attention to our portions of carbs, but we also want to choose better quality carbs. Not all carb foods are created equal. Simple carbs, like sugar and refined grains, increase your blood sugar more rapidly, and can make blood sugars difficult to control. We want to limit simple carbs, which are found in foods such as candy, sweeteners (table sugar, brown sugar, honey, syrups), soda and other sugary beverages, sweet breakfast cereals, pastries, desserts (cookies, cakes, ice cream), and refined grains (grains that have been milled in a way that removes the fiber, such as white bread, white rice, and things made from white flour).

Complex carbs contain fiber, and it takes longer for the body to break them down. This leads to more steady blood sugars and energy levels. These foods are also usually more nutritious, containing more vitamins and minerals. Complex carbs are foods such as whole grains (whole grain or whole wheat bread, whole wheat pasta, brown rice, oats, quinoa), starchy vegetables (potatoes, sweet potatoes, peas, corn), beans and legumes, and fruits. Carbs that contain protein also have a more favorable blood glucose response, such as Greek yogurt and beans.

4. Walk It Out

Taking a 10-15 minute walk after meals can help improve blood sugar control. Walking helps your body be more sensitive to insulin and use the glucose in your blood more efficiently.

There is no one size fits all approach for nutrition and exercise, especially when it comes to managing diabetes or other conditions. Please always check with your healthcare provider if you have questions or schedule an appointment to meet one-on-one with a dietitian at the Signature Medical Group Nutrition Clinic. For further information you can call the clinic weekdays at 508-941-7250.