Diabetic Friendly Shopping List
We have many choices when shopping at the grocery store. But for diabetics trying to manage their blood sugar, it can be a bit overwhelming. What you will find in the Mediterranean dietary model is that it moves you away from strictly counting carbs. Rather, it relies on whole foods and healthy fats, which can help control blood sugar and insulin balance.
| Old Shopping List (Limit) | New Shopping List (Buy) |
| Skim milk | Whole milk |
| Light Country Crock Margarine | Butter, coconut oil |
| Soybean oil | Extra virgin olive oil, Grapeseed oil, Peanut oil |
| Splenda, Sweet-n-Low | Stevia, Honey, Brown sugar |
| Diet Soda, Crystal Light | Herbs and fruit to make water infusions, Beer, Dry Wines, Tea, Coffee, Cocoa for hot chocolate |
| Fat-free artificially sweetened yogurt | Full-fat plain yogurt |
| Fat-free artificially sweetened ice cream | Breyers all natural ice cream |
| Low-fat cheese products | Real full-fat cheeses |
| Fat-free, sugar free cookies | Dark Chocolate |
| Frozen Lean Cuisine meals | Fresh meats, fish, fruits and veggies |
| Low-fat processed snacks | Nuts, Olives |
| Breads with lots of additives | Fresh Bread |
| Fake maple syrup | Real maple syrup |
| Egg beaters | Real eggs |
| Fat-free sour cream | Full-fat sour cream |
What About Non-Sugar Sugars
Synthetic sugars such as Nutrasweet (aspartame), Splenda (sucralose), and Saccharine can lead to what a University of Purdue review called "Metabolic Derangements".
There is perhaps no one on Earth who needs Metabolic Derangements less than someone with diabetes. So when purchasing sweeteners to use, it is always best to purchase natural choices, and then control the amount used.
Of the non-sugar sugars, Stevia is better because it is a natural non-caloric sweetener, making it a good choice for diabetics that are severely sugar intolerant.
Other natural sugars to consider using in control are the ones that are least processed such as: Molasses, Sucanat (sugar-cane-natural), sugar on the raw, honey, or maple syrup. The rule to remember is that "darker is better."
Be a Sugar Sleuth
- Always read your food labels and, as much as possible, try to limit foods that contain added sugars. The difficulty lies in the fact that there are many synonyms for sugar hidden in the ingredients list.
- Having a little bit of real sweetener every once in a while may be an okay thing to do. However to prevent chronic diseases and specifically diabetes, most of us need to decrease the amount of added sugar we consume on a regular basis.
- Sugar is present in so many processed foods. Use the chart below to help you determine where sugars may be hiding out.
Names for Added Sugars that Appear on Food Labels
Some of the names for added sugars that may be in processed foods and listed on the label ingredients list.
| Brown sugar | Invert sugar |
| Corn sweetener | Lactose |
| Corn syrup | Maltose |
| Dextrose | Invert sugar |
| Fructose | Molasses |
| Fruit juice concentrates | Raw sugar |
| Glucose | Sucrose |
| High-fructose corn syrup | Sugar |
| Honey | Syrup |