According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 100 million Americans are living with diabetes or prediabetes, two conditions that affect how your body processes the sugar in the foods you eat.
Diabetes is a chronic, potentially life-threatening disease that tends to worsen over time. But it can be managed through exercise, diet and medications that control blood sugar levels. For many Americans, managing diabetes through food is critical to improved health outcomes.
“Diabetes is characterized by uncontrolled blood sugar levels, and because what we eat directly impacts our blood sugar levels, nutrition inherently plays a critical role in the management of diabetes,” says Lindsey Kane, registered dietitian and director of nutrition with Sun Basket, a meal kit delivery service based in San Francisco.
To explain what’s happening in the body, Kane uses an analogy. “In diabetes, the cells become unresponsive to insulin, which is also known as insulin resistance. You can think of this like an old rusty key that struggles to open the door. Because insulin is unable to open the door, sugar lingers in the blood and thus rises to abnormal levels.”
Sugar levels that are too high can become dangerous, so the pancreas — the organ that produces insulin — “goes into overdrive, working extra hard to compensate for the exceptionally high blood sugar levels. As you can imagine, this can really wear down the pancreas over time,” and lead to it being unable to produce enough insulin to control blood sugars, Kane says. When this happens, you’ve developed diabetes and may need to take oral medications or insulin to maintain equilibrium in the body.
Food can play a significant role in helping you manage your blood sugars. “There are countless studies that demonstrate the power food and lifestyle changes can have on the management of diabetes. In fact, implementing both food and lifestyle changes in combination with medication proves to be significantly more effective in managing diabetes than medication alone, which is why this hybrid approach has become the gold standard treatment model for diabetes management,” Kane explains.
For a person with diabetes, this means they can eat and move in ways that will support their health long term. Kane says that by taking control and adopting health-promoting habits, you can slow the progression of diabetes.
[See: The Best Foods to Prevent and Manage Diabetes.]
Eating to Manage Diabetes
So how should you eat to manage your diabetes? “There is no specific ‘diet’ for people with diabetes,” says Dr. Richard L. Seidman, chief medical officer of L.A. Care Health Plan. “A well-balanced, healthy eating approach works well.”
This approach includes:
— Lean protein.
— Sensible amounts of healthy fats, unsaturated, fats such as those in olive oil and avocados.
— Plenty of non-starchy vegetables.
— Adequate portions of healthy carbohydrate-rich foods, preferably those also high in fiber.
The amount of carbohydrates someone with diabetes will need is based on many factors, including:
— Level of physical activity.
— Age.
— Degree of insulin resistance.
Kane notes that some diets intended to help manage diabetes drastically cut carbs. But “the latest science tells us that there’s more to the story than just carb counts.” The quality of carbohydrates matters as much as the quantity, and food combinations can impact how your body processes macronutrients. “For example, a half cup of brown rice alone versus a half cup served with a protein, lean protein, healthy fats and other fiber-rich whole foods will elicit two very different effects on blood sugar levels,” she explains.
The key is to ensure that your diet addresses your specific needs and is both tasty and sustainable. Otherwise, it’ll be difficult for you to stick with a plan long term. For example, if you don’t like fish and olives, the Mediterranean diet might not be as easy for you to follow as another approach, like the DASH diet. Again, consider working with a dietitian to determine your needs and preferences.
Choosing a sustainable approach that emphasizes moderation is far more likely to help you better manage diabetes than a restrictive or limiting plan. “Restriction is linked to binge eating, weight cycling, depression and anxiety,” Kane says. This is why restrictive diets are so hard to stick with. It’s better to focus on lasting behavioral changes.
Top Meal Kits for Diabetes
“Getting diagnosed with diabetes can be a real life-changing moment that comes with a wave of emotions,” Kane says. For starters, many folks “feel paralyzed with fear, not knowing what to eat or how to cook diabetes-friendly meals, let alone find the time and energy to meal plan, grocery shop and prepare meals.”
If this is the case, you might consider trying a prepared meal or meal kit delivery service to help you adjust to a diabetes-friendly way of eating.
Seidman agrees that a meal delivery service can be very helpful “if it is able to meet the specific needs of the person with diabetes. It can take the guesswork out of planning menus.” She adds that these plans can also help with “learning and adapting to a new way of eating.”
In addition, for folks who’ve had diabetes for some time and have begun to experience complications of it, such as cognitive, mobility or vision problems, “a meal delivery service can be a lifesaver,” he says. “They can also be helpful for older adults, for those with complicated diets and for people with depression, transportation challenges or other difficulties that affect menu planning or food preparation.”
There are several prepared meal and meal kit delivery services that offer diabetic-friendly meals and plans:
— BistroMD.
— Diet-to-Go.
— Magic Kitchen.
— Nutrisystem.
— Sun Basket.
— Fully prepared meals, just heat and eat.
— Perfectly portioned to promote healthy weight loss or other health goals.
— Menus designed by a bariatric doctor.
— More than 100 meals to choose from weekly on the plan for people with diabetes.
A bariatric specialist developed BistroMD to offer weight loss programs that fit various diet preferences and health needs. The programs include:
— Standard.
— Diabetic.
— Keto flex.
— Heart healthy.
— Menopause.
— Gluten free.
The diabetic plan is billed as “an effortless diabetic weight loss program.” All meals on the bistroMD diabetic program contain 25 grams or less of net carbohydrates and are designed to help maintain healthy blood glucose levels. The company offers four options:
— Full program — seven days. Includes seven breakfasts, seven lunches, six dinners + My Night (a structured break to practice what you’ve learned in eating for health). This plan’s regular cost is $219.80 weekly.
— Full program — five days. Includes five breakfasts, five lunches and five dinners. This plan’s regular cost is $187.35 per week.
— Lunches and dinners — seven days. Includes seven lunches and seven dinners. This plan carries a price tag of $188.86 weekly.
— Lunches and dinners — five days. Includes five lunches and five dinners. This plan costs $149.90 per week without any promotions or other discounts.
Sample meal: jerk-spiced chicken with mango chutney and spinach. (Nutritional information not available.)
— Fully-prepared, heat-and-eat meals.
— Designed for weight loss.
— Follows American Diabetes Association nutrition guidelines.
This prepared meal delivery service is designed for weight loss and caters to other special dietary needs, such as vegetarians and those trying to be carb-conscious. The company also offers the Balance-Diabetes plan, which is designed for people who have diabetes or prediabetes and are using food to help control their condition. It’s suitable for most diabetics and follows the American Diabetes Association’s recommendations.
Meals in the Balance-Diabetes plan contain less than 45 grams of carbs and more than 15 grams of protein.
The company offers several different options for the Balance-Diabetes plan:
— Five days per week, two meals per day (lunch, dinner and sides; excludes breakfast). Cost for 10 meals: $138.99/week or $13.90/meal.
— Five days per week, three meals per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner and sides). Cost for 15 meals: $162.99/week or $10.87/meal.
— Seven days per week, two meals per day (lunch, dinner and sides; excludes breakfast). Cost for 14 meals: $185.59/week or $13.25/meal.
— Seven days per week, three meals per day (breakfast, lunch, dinner and sides). Cost for 21 meals: $203.99/week or $9.71/meal.
Shipping costs are $19.98 for each weekly shipment.
Sample meal: baked salmon with pineapple salsa. (Nutritional information not available.)
[READ: Mediterranean Diet for People With Diabetes.]
— Carb-controlled meals usually contain about 20 to 45 grams of carbohydrate per serving, and never more than 65 grams.
— Calorie-conscious portions clock in at about 350 to 550 calories per meal.
— Always contain less than 700 mg of sodium per meal and usually less than 500 mg.
— A la carte and complete meal options are available.
— Meals are flash frozen and delivered to your home.
Magic Kitchen offers a wide variety of diet-specific prepared meal plans, including dialysis-friendly, low-sodium, gluten-free and senior diet options. Its diabetic-friendly meals are freshly cooked and delivered to your home — all you have to do is heat and eat.
You can order one meal at a time or enroll in a discounted meal package plan. Currently, the diabetic program program options for one person are:
— One complete meal per day (your choice of breakfast, lunch or dinner) — $82 to $90 per seven days.
— Two complete meals per day (your choice of breakfast, lunch and/or dinner) — $164 to $180 per seven days.
— Three complete meals per day (breakfast, lunch and dinner) — $246 to $275 per seven days.
Complete meals average $10.00 to $14.00 each.
Sample meal: BBQ chicken drummies, Brussels sprouts, black beans and corn.
— Calories: 300.
— Fat: 7 grams.
— Protein: 30 grams.
— Carbohydrates: 33 grams (7 grams fiber, 11 grams sugars).
— Cholesterol: 55 milligrams.
— Sodium: 430 milligrams.
— Fully prepared heat-and-eat meals and snacks designed for weight loss and diabetes management.
— Free delivery for all 4-week auto-delivery plans and a la carte orders.
— Plans tailored for men and women.
— Counselor support and access to diabetes educators.
If you’re looking to lose some weight in addition to managing your diabetes, Nutrisystem
might be a good option. The well-established diet company has several plans and programs that are specifically tailored to the needs of diabetic members.
There are several options for the diabetes plan:
— Diabetes Basic Plan for Men: $11.64 per day, a 4-week price of $325.99 with auto-ship.
— Diabetes Basic Plan for Women: $9.99 per day, a 4-week price of $279.79 with auto-ship..
Basic plans include an easy-to-follow four-week plan with five breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks each week. You’ll be able to choose from 100 meal options we
— Uniquely Yours Diabetes Plan for Men: $12.19 per day, a 4-week price of $339.99.
— Uniquely Yours Diabetes Plan for Women: $13.39 per day, a 4-week price of $374.99.
The Uniquely Yours Plan provides “total freedom” and allows users to choose from 130 menu items.
— Uniquely Yours Ultimate Diabetes Plan for Men: $13.93 per day, a 4-week price of $389.99.
— Uniquely Yours Ultimate Diabetes Plan for Women: $15.18 per day, a 4-week price of $424.99.
The Uniquely Yours Ultimate Diabetes Plans provide seven breakfasts, lunches, dinners and snacks weekly and are best for people who do best with a structured eating plan. These plans offer the most convenience.
— Diabetes Uniquely Yours for Men: $10.99 per day, a 4-week price of $307.68.
— Diabetes Uniquely Yours for Women: $9.89 per day, a 4-week price of $276.92.
Sample meal: Nutrisystem roasted turkey medallions and steamed veggies. (Nutritional information not available.)
— Organic produce and clean ingredients.
— Most meals contain between 400 and 700 calories and 20-70 grams of high-quality carbs.
— Meals contain less than 700 mg of sodium and less than 10% of calories from added sugar.
— Quick recipes for busy people.
Their diabetes-friendly meals are “perfectly portioned” to clock in at about 400 to 700 calories per serving and contain at least 10 grams of protein and five grams of fiber per serving.
Most meals can be prepared in about 30 to 60 minutes and require only basic cooking skills and utensils. The company uses eco-friendly recyclable, and compostable packaging. Shipping is $9.99 per box.
— Organic produce and clean ingredients.
— Most meals between 550 and 800 calories.
— Quick recipes for busy people.
Sample meal: seared pork with blueberry-apricot sauce and sautéed greens.
— Menu: dairy-free, gluten-free, diabetes-friendly, paleo, soy-free.
— Prep: 20 minutes.
— Calories: 400.
— Protein: 24 grams.
— Total Fat: 21 grams.
— Carbohydrates: 32 grams (8 grams fiber, 17 grams sugars, 6 grams added sugars).
— Cholesterol: 60 milligrams.
— Sodium: 105 milligrams.
The Takeaway
Seidman says, “it’s important to work with a health professional to figure out what changes would be of the greatest benefit for you and your family and to help you make a plan to make it happen.” A tailored approach can help you navigate any specific challenges you might be facing and see more lasting results.
Similarly, he says, “it’s best to make gradual changes towards a healthier lifestyle versus ‘dieting.'” Finding a moderate, sustainable approach will pay the biggest dividends when it comes to good health..
Lastly, Seidman says it’s important to consider the source when getting nutrition information. “In the age of the internet, there is a lot of misinformation out there.” Working with a registered dietitian or doctor who understands your health challenges and goals is a good way to protect yourself from fad diets or bad information.
More from U.S. News
What Are the Causes of Diabetes?
Signs and Symptoms of a Hormonal Imbalance
Best Diabetic Meal Delivery Services originally appeared on usnews.com
Update 12/16/22: This story was previously published at an earlier date and has been updated with new information.
