12 Foods to Limit or Avoid in a Type 2 Diabetes Diet

 

7. Give the Heave-Ho to Heavily Salted Processed Foods

7. Give the Heave-Ho to Heavily Salted, Processed Foods

Because salt works wonders as a preservative, most packaged and processed foods contain plenty of it, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) points out. You may love the taste, but the sodium in salt is an electrolyte that can increase blood pressure, and people with diabetes are already more likely to have high blood pressure, another risk factor for heart disease, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. Hot dogs and boxed macaroni and cheese are prime examples of high-salt foods that will have your heart working overtime if you eat them regularly, says Randall. When you must choose packaged foods for convenience, look for low-sodium or no-salt-added versions, suggests the AHA.

 

8. Take Biscuits and Sausage Gravy Off Your Menu

8. Take Biscuits and Sausage Gravy off Your Menu

Randall singles out this traditional Southern meal as an example of a combination that people who have diabetes should avoid. The biscuits usually are made with white flour, and the sausage gravy is high in fat, calories, and sodium. According to the USDA, a single biscuit with gravy has 493 calories, 32 g of fat (14 g of which is saturated), and 37.4 g of carbs. As an alternative, Randall recommends eggs, whichever way you like them, and a whole-grain English muffin.