Type 2 Diabetes Grocery List

Download a Type 2 Diabetes Grocery List PDF curated by a Certified Diabetes Care and Education Specialist

Making a grocery list when you go food shopping makes your trip most efficient: it can save time and money. When you have type 2 diabetes, your grocery list is about the foods you love and the foods that are good for you. In this article you will find why these foods made the type 2 diabetes grocery list. Some of these foods will help you keep your heart healthy; others will keep your blood glucose in check, and others will contribute protein to your diet. You will also be able to download the type 2 diabetes grocery list in a pdf form at the end of the article.

Fruits and Vegetables: Reap the Benefits

Plan your weekly meals and choose the vegetables that are in season. Check out your supermarket circulars and visit the Seasonal Food Guide where you select your state and month, and you will find the available produce, including herbs. Click on any of the fruits or vegetables displayed on the screen, and you will find fun facts, how to purchase it, how to store it how to cook it, and nutrition facts.

Starchy vegetables have more carbohydrates than non-starchy. Usually, a serving (1/2-1 cup) has 15 grams of carbohydrate, 3 grams of protein and approximately 80 calories. The list below names a few starchy carbohydrates that are delicious and packed with good nutrients and should in your shopping cart. Can you name more?

• Corn – yellow corn is a whole grain. Whole grains contain vitamins and minerals that support good health. Lutein and zeaxanthin are carotenoid pigments that gives corn its yellow hue and it protects the health of the eye.
  • Corn contains phenolic compounds which have antioxidant activity. Antioxidants are substances that neutralize damaging agents in our bodies. Is corn good for persons with diabetes?
• Sweet potatoes – An excellent source of vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene and contains the orange flesh contains the carotenoid pigments. It also contains fiber that can ameliorate post meal blood glucose spikes.
  • Sweet potatoes are also good sources of vitamin C and potassium. Persons with diabetes usually manage diabetes and high blood pressure. Increasing foods with potassium is key to managing high blood pressure.
• Pumpkin – A good source of vitamin A, low in calories and carbohydrate and a good source of vitamin K. If you are taking a blood thinning medication and increase foods with vitamin K, speak with your doctor.
• Squash – Acorn/Butternut/Delicata – Orange-yellow flesh is a source of antioxidants. It is rich in vitamins A, B6, C, potassium, and dietary fiber. Vitamin B6 is needed in metabolism, brain development during pregnancy and infancy and in immunity.

Tip to Lower Sodium in your Diet

Buy vegetables fresh, frozen, or canned. Check the sodium on the nutrition label. Choose low sodium. If you don’t find low sodium cans, discard the liquid and rinse. It will reduce the sodium content by 30-40%.  

Non-starchy vegetables are

• Low carbohydrate
• Healthy sources of antioxidants
• High fiber (helps you keep fuller and soluble fiber helps lower cholesterol)
• High in vitamins and minerals

Add non-starchy vegetables to your shopping cart

• Season your foods with them
• Add them to your dishes (soups, stews, rice dishes)
• Serve them as rice dishes

Buy the ones you like and try one or two you have never tried before

• Artichoke
• Asparagus
• Avocado
• Broccoli
• Brussels Sprouts
• Cabbage
• Carrots
• Cauliflower
• Dark green leafy vegetables
• Lettuce
• Mushrooms
• Okra
• Onions
• Peppers/chili peppers
• Tomatoes
• Beets
• Garlic
• Herbs/Spices

Have you shied away from beets because you think they are too high in sugar? Check out this article, Is Beetroot Good for Diabetes?

Fruits

Fruits have carbohydrates and because they are sweet many people with diabetes shy away from them. Don’t. Choose whole fruits so you can benefit from the dietary fiber.

Space your fruit intake throughout the day and have a serving a fruit which is usually smaller than what you may think. For example, a serving of grapes is usually 12 grapes. This will help curve your blood glucose response.

Fruits, like vegetables, contribute antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. You can find them fresh, frozen, and canned. If you buy them canned, buy them in its own juice. Stay away from heavy syrups. Here are some great choices:

• Apple
• Apricots
• Banana
• Black currants
• Blackberries
• Blueberries
• Cantaloupe
• Cherries
• Clementine
• Cranberries
• Custard apple
• Dates
• Figs
• Grapefruit
• Grapes
• Guava
• Honeydew melon
• Jicama
• Limes/lemons
• Lychee
• Mamey sapote
• Mango
• Melon
• Nectarines
• Oranges
• Papaya
• Passion fruit
• Pineapple
• Plantain
• Plum
• Plums
• Pomegranate
• Pummelo
• Raspberries
• Strawberries

Here are two great articles that you should not miss if you love mango and watermelon:

Can Persons with Persons with Diabetes Eat Watermelon?

Is Mango Good for Diabetes?

Beans, Peas and Lentils – Slow Glycemic Response

Beans contain carbohydrate and protein. They also contain iron, magnesium, and zinc.  Magnesium is a mineral important for regulating muscle and nerve function in the body. It also regulates blood glucose levels, blood pressure, helps make protein, bone, and DNA.

Beans, peas, and lentils are high in soluble fiber which can help lower cholesterol level and lower post-meal blood glucose spike.

They are economical and you can buy them dried or canned. There are many varieties of beans. Studies have shown that diets that contain nuts and legumes reduce the risk of ischemic heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

What type of beans should you add in your shopping cart? You decide! Do you need recipes? Check out US Dry Beans.

Add in your cart:

• Adzuki
• Baby lima
• Black bean
• Blackeye
• Cranberry
• Dark Red Kidney
• Garbanzo or chickpea
• Great Northern
• Large lima
• Light Red Kidney
• Navy
• Pink
• Pinto
• Small Red
• Lentils
  • Green, Red, Small brown, French Green, Black
• Dry Peas
  • Split greens, split yellow, whole green, whole yellow

Remember to include beans, peas, and lentils in your diet. Like vegetables, they are available fresh, canned, and frozen. The same tips still apply. They are versatile, delicious, and economical.

Your Type 2 Diabetes Grocery List PDF is at the end of the article. Don’t forget to download it and take it when you go food shopping!

Dairy

Dairy foods contribute nine essential vitamins and minerals to the diet, including calcium, potassium, and vitamin D. It also contributes 8 grams of protein in one cup. Milk has 12 grams of carbohydrate. Choose low fat dairy foods.

Lactose intolerance? Here’s the Good News!

Many individuals self-diagnose with lactose intolerance. If you find that you have some stomach discomfort, check out with your doctor first. Most people can tolerate one glass of milk (8-oz) even if they have lactose intolerance and if they have it with other foods.

Choose plain low-fat yogurt. It is best for you to add your own fruit.

Meat & Fish Case: Protein Foods

Select the leanest cuts of chicken, turkey, beef, pork, lamb, and other meats. Three ounces of cooked lean meat will provide:

• 21 grams of protein
• 0 grams of carbohydrate
• 2 grams of fat and
• 45 calories

Here is a list of the leanest cuts:

• Ground beef 90% or higher lean
• Beef roast (chuck, round, rump, sirloin)
• Beef steak (cubed, flank, porterhouse, t-bone)
• Beef tenderloin
• Lamb: chop, leg, or roast – trim all excess fat
• Chicken and Turkey: Remove skin and trim visible fat
• Pork, lean loin chop/roast, tenderloin
• Veal: cutlet without breading loin chop, roast

Don’t Forget to Include Fish

Choose fish at least twice per week. Don’t forget to choose canned fish. It is versatile and economical. Think tuna, salmon, and sardines. The American Heart Association recommends eating 2 servings of fish, especially fatty fish weekly. Fatty fish contain omega-3 fatty acids, which can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke. One serving equals 3 ounces. Examples of fatty fish are

• Anchovies
• Black cod
• Bluefin tuna
• Cobia
• Herring
• Mackerel
• Salmon
• Sardines
• Striped bass
• Whitefish

Want to eat more fish and need recipes? Check out Seafood Nutrition Partnership for some recipes.

Other sources of protein: cheese and eggs

• Egg
  • Source of choline (regulates memory, mood, and muscle control), protein.
• Choose cheese with 3 grams of fat or less per ounce

Cereal Aisle

Hot cereals – Choose whole grain cereals. In the Framingham Offspring Cohort study eating whole grains instead of refined grains have been linked with better systolic (top number) blood pressure and smaller increases in fasting blood sugar in middle – to older – age adults.

Eating minimally processed grains results in lower blood glucose after meals and lower variability during the day. Here is a list of whole grains that should be in your shopping cart:

• Amaranth
• Barley, hulled, whole, or hull-less
• Brown rice
• Buckwheat
• Farro
• Freekeh
• Kamut
• Kañiwa
• Millet
• Oats
• Quinoa
• Rye
• Sorghum
• Spelt
• Teff
• Triticale
• Whole wheat bread
• Wild rice

Cold cereals

Select cold cereals whose first ingredients are whole grains and contain at least 3 grams of dietary fiber.

Nuts and Seeds

A study showed that when adults with type 2 diabetes substituted 20% of their calories with unroasted almonds, they saw an improvement in their:

• A1c (a 3-month average of their blood glucose)
• Waist circumference
• Total cholesterol
• Triglyceride (fat in the blood that can increase the risk for heart disease)
• LDL cholesterol
• C-reactive protein (a marker of inflammation in the body)

Walnuts contain omega-3 fatty acids which are heart-healthy. Walnuts have been shown not to contribute to weight gain or hinder weight loss goals if they are part of a healthy diet.

Pumpkin, chia, and flaxseed contain polyphenols and antioxidants.

• Almonds
• Walnuts
• Brazil nuts
• Cashews
• Macadamia
• Peanuts
• Pecans
• Pistachios

Oils and Fats

Choose unsaturated fats. When possible, replace saturated fats with monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. The mono and poly unsaturated fats primarily come from vegetable sources and are heart healthier fats. Saturated fats usually come from animal sources, and these are less healthy. Make sure you trim the excess the fat. Here is a list of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats.

• Avocado oil
• Corn oil
• Flaxseed
• Grape seed oil
• Margarine spread
• Nut butters
• Olive oil
• Olives
• Safflower
• Sesame paste
• Soybean
• Sunflower
• Tahini paste

Alcohol

The American Diabetes Association recommends that persons with diabetes who drink do so in moderation. This translates to one drink for women and two for men. One drink is

• 5 ounces of wine
• 12 ounces of beer
• 1 ½ ounce of 80-proof spirits

Summary

Taking care of your diabetes, including preparing the foods you love, eating wholesome foods consistently and enjoying indulging foods like cookies, cakes, and sweets occasionally. Don’t forget to download your Type 2 Diabetes Grocery List here.

Do you need help?

If you need help to manage your diabetes and keeping your blood glucose in check, here is how you can work with me. Click here.