A diabetic food list is much easier to understand if the foods are categorized into specific categories. The following list is of food items appropriate for a diabetic diet in a simple-to-understand list instead of a long, seemingly infinite list of foods. Although trying to follow a diabetic diet may appear daunting and/or confusing at first, food selection for the diet will get easier.
General Food Items
When looking at fruit and vegetables, all the varieties are appropriate for any diabetic diet regimen. One vital issue to remember though is the slower the fruit or vegetable is digested by the body, the better it is for you as a diabetic. Eating enough fiber in combination with a small quantity of fat or protein is one way of achieving this.
Beans and Legumes
Black-eyed peas
Chickpeas
Kidney beans
Lentils
Lima beans
Pinto beans
Navy beans
Soy beans
Dairy
Cottage cheese
Eggs
Reduced-fat cheeses
Reduced-fat milk
Reduced-fat sour cream
Reduced-fat yogurt
Sugar-free ice cream/frozen yogurt
Fish and Shellfish
Cod
Clams
Flounder
Lobster
Salmon
Shrimp
Sole
Tuna
Fruits
Apples
Bananas
Blueberries
Oranges
Peaches
Pears
Plums
Strawberries
Tangerines
Meats
Bacon (pork or turkey)
Chicken breast
Lean cut beef
Lean pork
Turkey breast
Sausage (pork, beef or turkey)
Vegetables
Asparagus
Avocado
Broccoli
Brussel sprouts
Cauliflower
Collards
Dill pickles
Peppers
Radishes
Squash
String beans
Tomatoes
Turnips
Whole grains
Bran
Brown rice
Bulgur
Oats
Quinoa
Rye
Wheat – including wheat germ
Processed Food Items
Although for a healthy diet plan (diabetic or otherwise) whole foods are recommended, there comes a time where it may be necessary or convenient to eat processed food items. Below are some of the more popular ones.
Beverages
Club soda
Coffee
Diet drink mixes (sugar-free ice tea, lemonade, fruit juice)
Diet soft drinks (sugar-free)
Mineral water
Tea
Candy and Desserts
Sugar-free chocolate
Sugar-free gum
Sugar-free gelatin
Sugar-free hard candies
Condiments
Butter
Creamer
Low sugar salad dressings
Margarine
Mayonnaise
Mustard
Salsa
Sugar-free jams/jellies
Vinegar
Prepared Salads
Bean salad
Chicken salad
Egg salad
Tuna salad
Vegetable tossed salad
Soups
Barley
Bouillon
Chicken vegetable
Lentil
Minestrone
Vegetarian (with beans)
Seasonings and Herbs
When it comes to fresh or dried seasonings or herbs, there is no restriction of any kind as to what can be used on food. If the truth be told, they are actually a very beneficial alternative to any sugar that could be absent from a particular recipe.
Sugar Alternatives
Acesulfame K (Sweet One brand)
Aspartame (Equal brand)
Saccharin (Sweet n Low brand)
Stevia (herb)
Sucralose (Splenda brand)