Meats that are healthy and meats to avoid

Lean meat and meat alternatives are the best options for people with diabetes. Fatty and processed meats contain unhealthy fats that can increase cholesterol and the risk of heart disease.

In this article, we discuss healthful meat options and meats to avoid. We also talk about the benefits of a plant-based diet for diabetes and include ideas for meat alternatives.

Share on PinterestLean meats, including some cuts of beef, pork, and chicken, can be suitable food options for people with diabetes.

People with diabetes should choose lean meats to limit their intake of unhealthful fats. The Diabetic Exchange List can help with this.

The list, which a committee of the American Diabetes Association and the American Dietetic Association created, shows meat choices based on protein, fat, and calorie content.

The following sections show nutrients for a 1-ounce (oz) serving of meat. All portions contain 7 grams (g) of protein.

Very lean meat

Very lean meat has 1 g of fat and 35 calories per serving. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) list only turkey or chicken breast without the skin as being very lean.

Lean meat

Lean meat has 3 g of fat and 55 calories. These meats include:

• some beef cuts, such as sirloin, flank steak, tenderloin, and chipped beef
• lean pork, such as fresh, canned, cured, or boiled ham, Canadian bacon, and tenderloin
• veal, except for veal cutlets
• poultry, including chicken, turkey, and Cornish hen (without skin)
• wild game, such as venison and rabbit, and including pheasant, duck, and goose without skin

It is important to note that certain meats, such as Canadian bacon and chipped beef, have a higher sodium content of 400 milligrams or more per serving.

Some meats are less healthful than the lean options but may be suitable for consumption in moderation.

Medium fat meat

Medium fat meat contains 5 g of fat and 75 calories per 1-oz serving. People should eat smaller portions of medium fat meats or include them in the diet infrequently. Medium fat meats include:

• ground beef, chuck steak, and T-bone steak
• pork chops, loin roast, and cutlets
• roasted lamb and lamb chops and leg
• veal cutlets, either ground or cubed and unbreaded
• poultry with skin, ground turkey, and domestic duck or goose
• liver, heart, kidney, and sweetbreads
• 86% fat-free luncheon meat (although this is high sodium)

People with diabetes should avoid high fat and processed meats. High fat meats contain 8 g of fat and 100 calories per 1-oz serving. Meats to avoid include:

• prime cuts of beef, such as ribs
• pork products, such as spareribs, ground pork, and sausages
• lamb patties made from ground lamb
• processed meats, such as sausages, salami, frankfurter, hot dogs, corned beef, and luncheon meat

The amount of meat that people should eat each day varies according to individual factors, such as age, body size, and activity levels.

According to experts, someone eating a 2,000-calorie-per-day diet should consume 50 g of protein and less than 10% of calories from saturated fat.

According to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), people should choose a variety of protein foods and replace some meats and poultry with fish and plant-based sources.

The EPIC-InterAct study found an association between meat consumption and type 2 diabetes.

The researchers followed more than 340,000 adults in eight European countries for over 11 years. They confirmed a higher risk among individuals with a higher meat consumption, specifically of red and processed meat.

In another large study of more than 63,000 Chinese adults, researchers found a higher risk of type 2 diabetes in people who ate red meat and those who ate poultry with a higher heme iron content.

These studies suggest the importance of a healthful diet in managing diabetes.

People with diabetes can replace some of the meat in their diet with the following alternatives:

Fish

The American Diabetes Association recommend that people include fish in their diet at least twice per week. Types of fish to include are:

• fish high in omega-3 fatty acids, such as salmon, Albacore tuna, mackerel, herring, rainbow trout, and sardines
• other fish, such as cod, halibut, haddock, and flounder
• shellfish, such as crab, lobster, shrimp, scallops, clams, and oysters

According to some research, oily fish high in omega-3 fatty acids may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

Plant-based foods

Plant-based alternatives to meat can be a healthful choice for people with diabetes.

A 2018 systematic review in the BMJ indicated that people with diabetes on plant-based diets experienced the following health improvements:

• decreased HbA1c levels
• more weight loss
• improved cholesterol profile
• less depression
• less perceived pain and neuropathy symptoms

Plant-based protein alternatives include:

• beans, legumes, and lentils
• nuts and seeds
• tofu and soy products
• seitan made from wheat gluten

Whole grains, such as wheat, rice, and oats, also contribute to protein requirements on a plant-based diet by providing a variety of amino acids. A strict plant-based diet should include whole grains, protein sources, and healthful fats, such as avocado and olive oil.

Learn more about the best vegetables for type 2 diabetes here.

People with diabetes need to monitor how their diet and insulin medication affect their blood glucose levels. It is advisable to discuss any new changes to the diet with a dietitian.

These professionals can help someone plan their meals to make sure that they get sufficient essential nutrients while also balancing their blood sugar.

If a person finds it difficult to speak to a dietitian, they can talk to their doctor, who can provide dietary recommendations.

People with diabetes can include lean meat, fish, and plant-based alternatives in their diet. They should avoid meats high in saturated or trans fats to reduce the risk of high cholesterol and heart disease.

Where possible, people with diabetes should speak to a dietitian to help them plan their meals, particularly if they take insulin medication.

What you need to know

A diabetes diet plan can include most foods, but people may need smaller portions. That said, certain foods from each food group may be better than others.

Diabetes interferes with the ability to process blood sugar, also known as blood glucose.

Currently, nearly 11% of people in the United States have type 1 or type 2 diabetes. And 35% of adults in the country have prediabetes, according to the 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Having a healthy, balanced diet can help many people manage diabetes symptoms and reduce the risk of complications. A person may wonder what foods to avoid with diabetes.

Different foods provide each of the main macronutrients that give us energy: carbohydrates, fats, and proteins. There are more and less healthy types of each of these foods.

Below, we explore which foods a person who has, or has a risk of, diabetes may want to limit or avoid. We also offer some suggestions for crafting a healthy diabetes diet plan.

Carbohydrates are an important source of energy. This macronutrient also has the most influence on a person’s blood sugar, or blood glucose.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that people with diabetes get about half of their daily calories from carbohydrates. Having the same amount of carbohydrates in each meal can help keep blood sugar levels stable.

What is most important, however, is eating the right kind of carbohydrates.

Carbs to avoid

There are three main types of carbohydrates in food: starch, sugar, and fiber. Starches and sugars pose the biggest problems for people with diabetes because the body breaks these down into glucose.

Refined carbs

Refined carbs, or refined starches, are broken down through processing before they reach our plates. As a result of this processing, the body quickly absorbs the carbs and converts them into glucose. This increases blood sugar, and it means that a person may feel hungry again soon after a meal.

For people with diabetes or a risk of the condition, some examples of carb sources to limit include white rice and anything made with white flour only, such as:

• white bread
• white pasta
• some cereals
• some crackers
• many baked goods

Monitoring the total carbohydrate intake per meal can help a person keep their glucose levels in the target range.

Learn how to count carbohydrates for diabetes.

Sugars

Sugary foods mostly contain sugar and low-quality carbohydrates. They often have little or no nutritional value and can cause sharp spikes in blood glucose. Sugar can also contribute to weight gain and the risk of heart disease and stroke.

Foods that are often high in sugar include baked goods, such as doughnuts, croissants, cakes, and cookies, as well as pizza dough. Some other sources of sugar include:

• many sauces and condiments
• agave nectar and other sweeteners
• maple syrup and other syrups
• candy bars
• premade fruit-flavored yogurts

Many premade items in grocery stores contain added sugar, and this may not be obvious on their ingredients labels. Nutrition labels may refer to added sugar as fruit juice concentrate, molasses, honey, syrup, fructose, or dextrose, for example.

For this reason, it is a good idea to avoid packaged or processed foods with unfamiliar ingredients and to select items that are as whole and unprocessed as possible.

People with diabetes should take care when consuming dried fruit and premade juices or fruit salad, as these often contain added sugar.

Artificial sweeteners are low in calories, but research shows that they still have a negative effect on blood sugar by increasing insulin resistance. More studies are needed to determine the extent of this effect.

Carbs to eat

People with diabetes should focus on eating fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, which contain essential vitamins, minerals, and fiber.

Whole grains and fiber

The body does not absorb all the carbs from whole grains. And those that it does absorb enter the bloodstream more slowly than processed carbs. For this reason, carbs from whole grains are less likely to cause blood sugar levels to spike. They lead to the person feeling fuller for longer.

Whole grains contain fiber. Although fiber is technically a carbohydrate, it does not break down into glucose in the body and does not add calories. Fiber is a healthy carb.

The 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend planning healthy meals by visualizing what takes up space on the plate. Whole grains, for example, should take up half of the plate.

They also recommend that, from 2 years of age, people get at least 14 grams (g) of fiber per every 1,000 calories. People over the age of 51 need at least 28 g of fiber per 1,000 calories.

Examples of whole grains include:

• brown or wild rice
• barley
• quinoa
• oatmeal
• amaranth
• millet

A 2012 study looked at the development of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in people who consumed more than 59.1 g of whole grains a day. It found that these participants had a 34% lower risk of their glucose tolerance worsening, compared with participants who ate less than 30.6 g of whole grains a day.

Fruits and vegetables

Fruits contain high-quality carbohydrates and fiber, as do nuts and legumes, such as beans, peas, and lentils. These foods may help slow the absorption of glucose.

The 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that fruit and vegetables take up at least half of the plate for each meal. Though fruits may cause blood sugar levels to rise, this increase is less severe than it would be after eating a sugary snack.

A person may opt for:

• fresh, whole fruit
• raw, steamed, roasted, or grilled non-starchy vegetables
• frozen or canned vegetables, as long as they are unsalted or have low sodium
• canned or frozen fruit with no added sugar, including syrup
• unsweetened applesauce

Protein helps the body build, maintain, and replace its tissue. Our organs, muscles, and immune systems consist of proteins. The body can break down protein into sugar, but this process is less efficient than breaking down carbs.

Proteins to avoid

For people with diabetes, choosing the best sources of protein largely depends on how much fat and carbohydrates these foods contain. When protein-rich foods are also high in fat, they can lead to weight gain and high cholesterol.

Processed or fatty meats

Eating even small amounts of red meat, such as beef, pork, or lamb, may increase the risk of diabetes. A 2020 study showed that eating just 50 g red meat or fish each day can raise diabetes risk by 11%.

Also, people with diabetes should consider avoiding or limiting the intake of:

• breaded, fried, and high-sodium meats
• processed meats, such as bacon, hot dogs, and deli meats
• ribs and other fatty cuts of meat
• poultry with the skin on
• deep-fried fish

Processed meats tend to be high in sodium, or salt. People with high blood pressure should also be especially cautious and limit their sodium intake to no more than 2,300 milligrams per day.

Proteins to eat

For an omnivore, the aim is to opt for healthier animal proteins, as well as dairy and plant alternatives.

Healthier animal proteins

A person should choose the leanest options available. These may be:

• skinless chicken or turkey
• trimmed cuts of beef without the fat
• roasts or chops, if red meat is still part of the diet
• fish, especially those rich in omega-3 fatty acids, such as Albacore tuna, herring, or salmon
• whole eggs

Plant proteins

When considering sources of plant-based protein, check how many fats and carbohydrates each option contains. A person might choose:

• beans
• lentils
• nuts
• soy products
• tofu

Dairy

Dairy is a source of protein. It also provides calcium and important vitamins. But dairy products also contain a sugar called lactose.

A person with diabetes can consume dairy, as long as they accounts for the carbs in their daily planning.

The 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend at least 3 cups of dairy a day. However, full-fat dairy can increase the levels of cholesterol in the blood and lead to a higher risk of heart disease, compared with low-fat options.

Both type 1 and type 2 diabetes also increase the risk of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes often occurs alongside obesity. For this reason, it is best to opt for low-fat dairy foods without added sugar.

Options may include:

• plain yogurt without added sugar
• reduced-fat cheese or full-fat cheese in moderate servings
• cottage cheese
• milk

Non-dairy milk alternatives

Plant-based milks, such as soy, rice, coconut, almond, or oat milks, are healthy options, but a person should choose unsweetened plant-based milk.

It is important to note that the newest dietary guidelines only consider fortified soy milk to be equivalent to dairy, in terms of nutritional composition. This includes levels of protein.

But it is also worth keeping in mind that — except for oat and hazelnut milks — plant milks are lower in sugar than cow milk.

Fat is a source of essential fatty acids, such as omega-3s, and it is an integral part of a healthy, balanced diet. Fat also helps the body absorb vitamins A, D, E, and K.

There are four types: saturated, trans, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats. A person can learn how much of each type is in a given food on the food’s nutrition label.

It is important to focus on keeping the right types of fat in the diet, especially for people living with diabetes.

Fats to avoid

Unhealthy fats can increase cholesterol levels and contribute to insulin resistance. This may increase the risk of developing diabetes or contribute to blood sugar spikes in people who have the condition.

Saturated fat

This mainly exists in animal products, oils, and processed foods. A person should consume less than 10% of their daily calories from saturated fat.

Some foods with high saturated fat contents include:

• butter
• lard
• certain oils, such as palm oil
• cream-based dressings and dips
• full-fat mayonnaise
• french fries
• breaded and battered foods
• potato chips
• many premade meals
• burgers
• most fast foods
• many salad dressings

Learn more about healthy and unhealthy fats here.

Trans fat

Hydrogenation is a process that makes a liquid oil into a solid fat. What results is a trans fat, which is unhealthier than saturated fat.

It is a good idea to avoid any foods with hydrogenated or partially hydrogenated oils, as well as foods with liquid oils.

Food packaging may advertise 0 g of trans fats if the food has less than 0.5 g. It is worth checking the ingredients carefully.

Fats to eat

The American Diabetes Association recommends focusing on monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats. These can reduce levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, or “bad” cholesterol. They can also reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.

In addition, a diet high in these fats, such as the Mediterranean diet, may have a positive effect on how the body metabolizes glucose.

Monounsaturated fat

This exists in many healthy oils, nuts, and fruits, including:

• peanuts, peanut butter, and peanut oil
• other nuts and nut butters, such as cashews, almonds, and almond butter
• olives and olive oil
• canola oil
• avocados
• sunflower oil

Polyunsaturated fat

This also exists in some oils and nuts, as well as in other foods. Two types of polyunsaturated fat, omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids, are especially healthy.

Food sources include:

• fish, such as salmon, tuna, herring, or mackerel
• nuts, such as walnuts
• flaxseeds and flaxseed oil
• chia seeds
• tofu
• eggs

It is also important for people with diabetes or a risk of it to keep track of what they drink. Many soft drinks and juices contain carbohydrates and added sugars.

A person with diabetes can safely consume unsweetened teas, coffees, and zero-calorie drinks, as well as plain water, of course. To give the water some flavor, try throwing in some whole fruit pieces.

Alcoholic drinks can also contain sugar and carbs. People should limit their consumption of alcoholic beverages, especially:

• beer
• drinks that contain fruit
• dessert wines
• drinks with a sweet mixer

Anyone who does drink alcohol should do so moderately. This means having no more than a 5-ounce (oz) glass of wine, a 12-oz glass of beer, or 1.5 oz of an 80-proof spirit.

Another reason that heavy drinking is harmful is that combining it with diabetes medications may lead to low blood sugar, or hypoglycemia. The symptoms of this are similar to intoxication and may be difficult to recognize.

The key to healthful eating is to choose appropriate, healthy foods from each food group. It is important to focus on the macronutrients recommended above and to avoid highly processed foods that are high in sugar, salt, and fat.

A diabetes educator or registered dietitian can help develop a healthy eating plan that works for each individual. They can recommend what to eat, how much to eat, and when to have meals and snacks. They base these recommendations on factors such as a person’s weight, how active they are, and their treatment plan and blood glucose targets.

Read this article in Spanish.

Meat for diabetes

With such a disease as diabetes, it is important to maintain a proper and balanced diet. To maintain the normal state of the body and performance, you should receive all the necessary nutrients that are contained in meat products. For people with diabetes, a strict diet is selected in each individual case, which depends on its type. However, there are also standard products that are allowed and prohibited to be used in case of illness. Proper nutrition is part of the treatment for diabetics, so it is important to study the list of foods that can not be eaten or consumed at a minimum. These foods include grains and white breads, sweet fruits, high starchy vegetables, fried, smoked, pickled, alcohol and sugary sodas, full fat dairy products, cereals, and fast foods. Permitted foods include buckwheat, mineral water, insoluble coffee and tea, fresh vegetables, lean fish and meat (chicken, lamb, beef, rabbit, turkey). One of the main conditions in the preparation of meat dishes for diabetics is the exclusion of the use of vegetable butter.

It should be noted that the benefits of meat are invaluable, therefore, even with diabetes, it is not recommended to completely abandon it. Eating meat provides the human body with the necessary nutrients and nutrients, proteins, amino acids. If you have diabetes, you should use lean meat and it is better to steam it. It can be a variety of meatballs, meatballs, meatballs and even homemade diet sausage. Chicken meat is tender and perfectly satisfies hunger in diabetes, it contains protein, and there are no fats and carbohydrates. It is also well digested and absorbed by the body, but you should not use it with the skin, as it may contain a high amount of harmful substances. In addition to steamed meat dishes, you can eat baked dishes in moderate dosages in order not to harm your health. Fatty, fried and smoked meat adversely affects human health, and it is strictly contraindicated for people with diabetes, as it contains a lot of fats and carbohydrates. It should be noted that the combination of meat dishes with potatoes and pasta is highly undesirable due to the high calorie content and poor digestion of food.

As for offal, the tongue is especially useful for people with diabetes, but the liver should be consumed carefully and in small quantities. Due to the high content of fats and proteins in the hearts and brains, it is recommended to reduce the consumption of these by-products. People diagnosed with diabetes receive nutrients not only from meat products, but also from other sources. For example, a sweetener will be a great alternative to natural sugar. A Japanese company has a sugar substitute called Lakanto, which is specially designed and intended for diabetics. In such a dietary supplement, there are no calories, harmful ingredients, dyes and preservatives, it has a rich sweet taste. It can be added not only to drinks, but also used during the preparation of various dishes, since the heat treatment does not change the taste characteristics. In diabetes, the body’s ability to absorb carbohydrate foods is impaired due to insulin, which is involved in these processes. Therefore, you should be careful about the foods you eat in order to maintain normal blood sugar levels.

Proper nutrition for diabetes mellitus, Endocrinologist of Polyclinic No. 4 Alina Latsuzbaya

Diet table number 9 is recommended for people with mild to moderate diabetes mellitus, patients with normal or slightly overweight who do not receive insulin or receive it in small amounts. doses, as well as for the selection of doses of insulin or other drugs.

However, treatment table number 9 is also recommended for those who have just been diagnosed with elevated blood sugar levels and it often happens that proper nutrition can prevent the development of diabetes.

Diet rules

The main rules of the diet are moderation in nutrition, frequent meals (5-6 times a day) and limiting the intake of easily digestible carbohydrates. In addition, in diet number 9, fat consumption is reduced, cholesterol-rich foods (fatty meat, eggs, butter, smoked foods, meat and fish semi-finished products) are limited, which will positively affect the figure and help you lose weight, if any.

Fried and smoked foods are completely banned, salt and sugar intake will have to be limited, and sugar will generally be replaced with natural sweeteners (xylitol and sorbitol). Carbonated drinks and other harmful products (hamburgers, pizzas, donuts, etc.) are also completely prohibited.

Daily calorie content is 2100-2400 kilocalories. It is recommended to drink up to 2 liters of fluid per day.

It is best to boil or bake in the oven, rarely stew. Meat and fish soups are cooked on the second or even third broth.

What is not allowed?

All products with sugar, alcohol, processed foods (meat, fish and dairy), fatty meats and rich broths, canned food, marinades, sweet dough dishes and pastries are completely prohibited. You can not eat caviar (except for vegetables), salty cheeses, sweet cottage cheese and cream, rice, semolina and pasta (except for group A, from durum wheat), fatty, spicy and salty sauces. Sweet fruits are forbidden – grapes, raisins, bananas, figs and dates.

Special bread for diabetics is also not the best choice, when preparing it, sugar is replaced by fructose, and flour remains “carbohydrate” – wheat. Therefore, it is better to eat protein bread with the addition of bran or 250 grams of rye and 150 grams of wheat bread. Eggs are allowed, but not more than 1. 5 pieces per day. You can cook them soft-boiled or make a protein omelet, as it is better to limit the consumption of yolks.

Soups can be boiled with vegetable, low-fat meat, fish and mushroom broths, with the addition of permitted (see below) cereals, potatoes or meatballs.

Lean beef, veal, rabbit are allowed. Poultry can be turkey and chicken. Diabetic and dietary sausages, boiled tongue, and rarely liver are also allowed. You can lean types of fish. Also allowed canned fish in its own juice and tomato. Milk and sour-milk drinks, as well as cottage cheese, should be bold (1-1.5% for milk and up to 20% for sour cream) or non-fat. Sour cream is possible, but limited. Unsalted and low-fat cheese is also allowed. Cereals and legumes are allowed, but not much. You can cook cereals from buckwheat, barley, millet, barley, oatmeal.

Since vegetables contain carbohydrates, they can be consumed in limited quantities. Potatoes (soaked), carrots, beets and green peas are allowed. Preferred vegetables containing less than 5% carbohydrates are cabbage, zucchini, pumpkin, lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, eggplant.

Starters include vinaigrette, fresh vegetable salads, vegetable and squash caviar, soaked herring (without oil), meat, aspic fish, seafood salads, low-fat beef jelly and unsalted cheese. You can fresh fruits and berries of sweet and sour varieties in any form, extremely rarely – honey. From drinks you can tea, coffee with milk, juices from vegetables, low-sweet fruits and berries, rosehip broth.

Patients often ask about the use of sweeteners. I’ll tell you about some of them.

SUCHARIN. It is produced in the form of tablets that can be taken in food no more than 4 pieces per day. Experimental data suggest that high doses of saccharin can provoke the formation of tumors.

SUCLAMAT. Available in the form of tablets and in the form of a liquid (tsukli). During heat treatment, suclamate is stable, it is also tasteless, it is also tasteless. Side effects of suclamate are possible allergic skin reactions.

SORBITOL. Sorbitol (hexahydric alcohol) is colorless crystals with a sweet taste, dissolves well in water. Sorbitol in the human body comes from fruits. They are rich in blackthorn and mountain ash berries. Sorbitol has a choleretic and laxative effect, but not as pronounced as xylitol.

XYLITOL. Xylitol (pentahydric alcohol). These are white crystals, sweet in taste and highly soluble in water. Xylitol is produced in powder form. There are only 4 calories in 1 gram of xylitol. It can be used instead of sugar in cooking.

FRUCTOSE. This fruit (fruit) sugar is a monosaccharide. Fructose is much sweeter than sucrose. Studies show that fructose is more harmful than regular sugar. It is selectively absorbed by the liver and, when there is a lot of it, it turns into fat through a chain of reactions. This leads to steatosis (fatty liver). Other sugars also contribute to this, but to a lesser extent. All this leads to metabolic syndrome (a combination of obesity, diabetes, hypertension and atherosclerosis) – a common disease today, leading to heart attacks, strokes, and other serious consequences.