17 Foods That You Should Avoid If You Are Diabetic

A person diagnosed with diabetes should always know that controlling the blood sugar levels is extremely important. The more the sugar levels are lower the better your chances of staying healthy. Diabetic persons have high chances of developing high cholesterol and so it is very important for them to watch their cholesterol numbers. It is very common for diabetic to have high cholesterol too.

Diabetes lowers HDL cholesterol levels and increases the levels of LDL and triglycerides which increases the risk of having stroke and heart diseases. Having high levels of cholesterol is dangerous because when cholesterol builds up on artery it leads to high blood pressure which in turn leads to other heart related diseases.

It is not yet certain why diabetes increases levels of cholesterol, but it does. Scientists are still working on the exact reason and some scientists has said that there is some connections between cholesterol and insulin. Managing your health condition can be a little bit tricky if you have both diabetes and high cholesterol but it is not impossible.

Learn More:

Working out will help you reduce the amount of cholesterol in your body but it is not enough. The food that you eat also plays a great role in managing your health. There are some foods that you should take in plenty and there are some that you should avoid at all costs. Today we are going to talk about 17 foods that you should avoid if you are diabetic and you have high levels of cholesterol.

Beverages that are sugar sweetened

If you are diabetic the last thing you should be taking are sugar sweetened beverages. They are the worst! They have high levels of carbs. Carbs are starch, sugar, and fiber. Fiber has no problem because it is easily absorbed into the blood but sugar contained in carbs are dangerous to a diabetic person.

If you are diabetic then you take too much carbs, your sugar levels will rise to dangerous levels. Beverages sweetened with sugar contains a lot of carbs. For example, a can of soda contains 38 grams of carbs while sweetened lemonade tea contains 37 grams of carbs. This is too much for a diabetic person and taking sugar sweetened beverage will only rise the sugar levels in your body. In addition to high levels of carbs sugar sweetened beverages also contains high amounts of fructose.

Fructose is linked to diabetes and insulin resistance. The fructose in beverages will also lead to metabolic changes that leads to belly fat and more cholesterol in the body. If you can’t just have water then consider having unsweetened beverages like unsweetened iced tea. Avoid sugar sweetened beverages at all costs if you want to avoid diabetes related conditions and obesity.

Trans fats

Trans fats are usually found in processed foods. We assure you right now that all processed foods contain Trans fats. Margarine and peanut butter contain the most amounts of Trans fats. Trans fats are not directly involved in raising the sugar levels but they are responsible for increasing the amounts of cholesterol in your body which is dangerous especially if you are diabetic. Trans fats also increases the risk of getting heart diseases and lowering the HDL cholesterol levels in your body.

HDL cholesterol as we have seen is very important in the body and lowering its level has a negative impact on your health. Fortunately, Trans fats has been banned in the US market but they are still available in many processed foods in small levels. Unfortunately, even these small levels can affect your health, research shows that even 1 milligram of Trans fats affect your health negatively. Avoid Trans fats at all costs.

White bread

Eating white bread increase the sugar levels in your body if you are diabetic. White bread contains high amounts of carbs and as we have already seen carbs are not so good for diabetic people. White bread also has low amounts of fiber which slows down the absorption of sugar in your bloodstreams. Instead of taking white bread try taking high-fiber bread and it will reduce the sugar levels in your body. Also high-fiber bread reduces blood pressure and cholesterol.

Fruit flavored yogurt

Fruit-flavored yogurt might seem like a healthy snack option, but it’s one of the foods that individuals with diabetes should approach with caution. Despite its healthy image, fruit-flavored yogurt can be surprisingly high in added sugars, which can lead to unexpected spikes in blood glucose levels. A typical serving of fruit-flavored yogurt can contain as much as 19 grams of sugar, much of it added, rather than naturally occurring from the fruit or milk.

This high sugar content can disrupt blood sugar control, a critical aspect of diabetes management. While yogurt does offer beneficial nutrients such as calcium and protein, the added sugars in fruit-flavored varieties counteract these benefits for those managing diabetes.

Moreover, many fruit-flavored yogurts are made from low-fat or non-fat milk in an attempt to reduce calorie content, but this can inadvertently lead to an increase in sugar content to compensate for the reduced fat and ensure flavor. For individuals with diabetes, consuming foods with added sugars can not only lead to poor blood sugar control but also contribute to weight gain and increase the risk of heart disease.

Therefore, it’s advisable to opt for plain, unsweetened yogurt and add fresh fruit for flavor. This allows for the enjoyment of yogurt’s health benefits, such as probiotics for gut health and protein for muscle maintenance, without the negative impacts of high sugar intake. Always reading labels to check for added sugars and opting for whole, unprocessed foods where possible is key to managing diabetes effectively.

Sweetened breakfast cereals

If you have diabetes eating these cereals is the worst way you can start your morning. Despite how well they are advertised and how they claim that they are very healthy, these cereals contain a lot of carbs. They also contain very less amounts of proteins. Proteins are very important when it comes to stabilizing your blood sugars. No matter how healthy they claim they are, avoid them as much as possible. For example, a cup of granola cereals which they claim to be healthy contains 60 grams of carbs and only 14 grams of proteins. Instead of having these cereals try some eggs.

Flavored coffee drinks

Coffee is an excellent drink. It has even been recommended for people with diabetes because it reduces diabetes related conditions. But when it comes to flavored coffee it’s another story. Flavored coffee is loaded with carbs that raises your sugar levels. Scientist have warned against drinking calories because no matter how much calories you drink, you will still eat. Flavored coffee has a lot of calories and carbs and drinking it will lead to weight gain and increase of cholesterol. Avoid flavored coffee and take plain coffee which will be of help to your health.

Honey

Learn More:

Honey is sweet but if you are diabetic you will have to avoid it. Many people think it is only processed sugar that affect diabetic patients but the truth is even natural sugar like honey raises your sugar levels. Honey contains as much carbs as processed sugar so you should avoid it as much as possible. Honey actually contains more carbs than white sugar, a teaspoon of white sugar contains 12.6 grams of carbs while a teaspoon honey contains 17 grams of carbs. Avoid honey and all forms of sugar if you are diabetic.

Dried fruit

Fruits are very important in your body, they provide you with potassium and vitamin C which are very important to your body. But when fruits are dried the amount of water reduces and the concentration of sugar rises and as we have already seen you need to avoid all forms of sugar. Also dried fruits contains high amounts of carb. Instead of taking the fruits dry just take them fresh and take those which has low levels of sugar in them. For example you can be taking apples and some fresh berries.

Packaged snack foods

Packaged snacks are made using refined flour which contains limited nutrients. This make them have high levels of carbs which increases your blood sugar levels. Most of these packaged snacks contain more carbs than indicated and the indicate amount of carbs is already too much for a diabetic person. If you have to take some snacks in between the meals just take some nuts or some vegetables together with some cheese.

Fruit juice

Many people consider fruit juice healthy, but do you know fruit juice has similar effects to your health as soft drinks? Even 100 percent unsweetened juice have the same effects. Actually some fruit juice has more carbs than sweetened soda. Fruit juice contains fructose that lead to metabolic changes that increases the amount of cholesterol in the body. Fructose can also lead to obesity and cause heart related diseases. Instead of taking fruit juice just take some water with lemon. Water with some lemon does not have any calories in it.

French fries

For a diabetic person with high cholesterol, French fries is the last thing you should think of eating. The potatoes alone has more than enough carbs in them and the moment they are dipped into vegetable oil it becomes extreme. Deep frying the potatoes produces high amounts of toxic compounds which increases your chances of having heart diseases. French fries has sometimes been linked with cancer. Avoid French fries as much as possible. Instead of eating French fries just take some sweet potatoes.

Salty foods

Salt contains high amounts of sodium which raises blood pressure. It is not only sugary things that you should avoid if you are diabetic. Salt has been known to raise blood pressure and taking foods with a lot of salt can prove dangerous to your health. Even if you are not diabetic you should limit the amount of salt that you use. The recommended amount of sodium that you take is 2300 milligrams per day. If you are diabetic you should try to take 1800 milligrams per day.

Alcohol

Alcohol should be avoided at all costs if you are diabetic and you have high cholesterol. Alcohol is known to contribute directly to building of fats in the body and increasing the amount of cholesterol. If you have to take alcohol take one drink per week because if it is drank in moderation there is no serious risk. But if you are in a stage where you are using insulin secretagogue you should avoid alcohol completely.

Watermelons

It is important to have some fruits once in a while even if you are diabetic. However not all fruits are recommended. Most fruits has low-GI scale but watermelon has high-GI scales. High-GI causes an increase in blood sugar. If you have to take watermelon make sure to eat enough proteins afterwards. Proteins will reduce its impact on blood sugar.

White pasta

White pasta has undergone processing that removes fiber, minerals, antioxidants and vitamins. This leaves it only with high levels of carbs which causes rise in sugar levels and have less nutritional value to your body. Instead of having white pasta choose to have whole grains which will reduce the risk of having heart related diseases and decrease your blood pressure. Whole grains also contain more vitamins, antioxidants and minerals. White pasta is stripped off fiber which means the absorption of the calories in it is fast because there is no fiber to slow it down.

Sauces and condiments

Condiments and sauces add flavor to your food, but the concentration of fats and calories is alarming. Sauces contains a lot of sodium which has been known for increasing blood pressure. Condiments are used by most bakers to add some flavor in sandwiches and breads among other foods but most people forget about the high amount of carbs it contains. If used in plenty, it can lead to increased blood pressure. But if it is used in small amounts then condiments are just fine. Calculate the amount of calories a certain amount will add to your food before using condiments.

Whole wheat pretzels

Learn More:

We have already suggested that if you want to lower your blood pressure and risk of getting diabetes related diseases you should take whole grains. But why are we suggesting that you should not take whole wheat pretzels? It is because it contains a lot of sodium and sodium as we already know rises the blood pressure.