Type 2 diabetes occurs when the body is unable to produce enough insulin to break down glucose in the blood. That is why people with type 2 diabetes take insulin shots, to help raise their insulin level and break down the glucose. But there are ways to structure your type 2 diabetes diet that can help you manage your diabetes better and even potentially reduce the effects of the diabetes. The first way you can help yourself is to simply lose weight and get more exercise. Type 2 diabetes thrives in larger inactive people. So reducing your mass and increasing your blood flow and help reduce the effects of the type 2 diabetes. But here are some things you can do in a type 2 diabetes diet that can also help reduce the effects of your diabetes.



Simple carbohydrates are really bad to have in a type 2 diabetes diet. Refined sugars and sweets are dangerous and can cause a dangerous rise in the glucose level in your blood. What you want to do is increase your intake of complex carbohydrates and fibers to help reduce the need for your system to produce insulin as quick as it would need to with simple carbohydrates. Complex carbohydrates such as fruits and vegetables are ideal for a type 2 diabetes diet because they are broken down slowly by your system and even a person with diabetes will have an easier time digesting complex carbohydrates because the insulin demand on the system is lower. So eat your fruits and vegetables and make sure you also get fiber into your type 2 diabetes diet.

In a type 2 diabetes diet you want anywhere from 10% to 20% of your daily intake of calories to have protein in it. Protein is an essential part of any diet but people on a type 2 diabetes diet especially want to make sure that they are getting their share of protein. Avoid doing much more that 20% as that can potentially lead to problems. Obesity is common in patients with type 2 diabetes and this condition appears to be related to insulin resistance. The primary dietary goal for overweight type 2 patients is weight loss and maintenance. Studies indicate that when people with type 2 diabetes maintain intensive exercise and diet modification programs, many can minimize or even avoid medications. Weight loss medications or bariatric surgery may be appropriate for some patients.

Try and keep your fat intake to less than 30% of your daily calorie count and try to eat as little saturated fats as possible. It is ideal to try and keep your saturated fat intake each day to a level below 10% of your calorie intake.

Various studies have found that women who had regularly consumed the greatest amounts of saturated fats had the least amount of additional atherosclerotic plaque buildup in their arteries. Also, women who ate more saturated fat had a healthier balance of HDL and LDL cholesterol, and more desirable blood serum concentrations of triglycerides and free fatty acids.

You want to try and make your diet as lean as possible and avoid adding any more fats or carbohydrates to your diet. It is advisable that you consume at least 20 grams of fiber every day which will be beneficial to patients suffer from diabetes.