Your diet forms an important aspect in controlling diabetes – so what you eat and what you don’t, matters. There are several foods and drinks which can raise blood sugar levels shortly after eating or drinking them. Here’s a checklist of 5 foods that people with diabetes would do well to avoid:

Sugar Sweetened Fruit Juices

Juices contain all the carbs but none of the fibre found in whole fruits. They are high in sugar. This absorbed very quickly can cause blood sugar levels to spike and increase your risk of weight gain. ^1,2​

Fatty Meats

All of these foods contain a good deal of saturated fat which can increase your risk of heart disease. Daily serving of red meat no larger than a deck of cards increased the risk of adult onset diabetes by 19 percent. ³

Full-Fat Dairy

This category includes whole milk, creams, full-fat yogurts and cheese, all of which are high in saturated fats that can increase your blood cholesterol levels. Opt for fat-free versions if you just can’t do without them. ⁴

Processed Foods

Chips, burgers, pastries, cookies, etc. are full of unhealthy trans fats and should be avoided. These foods tend to increase blood cholesterol, with low nutrient value. Select whole foods - fruits, veggies, nuts and low-fat yoghurts –instead.  ^4,5

References:

1. Fruit Juice is Just as Unhealthy as a Sugary Drink. Available at: https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2733417#:~:text=Fruit%20juices%
20are%20still%20widely,response%20is%20essentially%20the%20same.\ as accessed on 14th November, 2022

2. What Can I Drink If I Have Diabetes? Available at: http://www.healthline.com/health/diabetes/drinks-for-diabetics accessed on November 15, 2022​

3. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6244743/ as accessed on 14th November, 2022

4. https://diabetes.org/healthy-living/recipes-nutrition/eating-well/fats .\ as accessed on 14th November, 2022​

5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3942738/ as accessed on 14th November, 2022​​

\6. https://diabetes.org/healthy-living/medication-treatments/alcohol-diabetes / as accessed on 14th November, 2022​