How to cook for Diabetes?: Best Practices

Low-Glycemic Cooking Tips

Diabetes Smart Swaps for Dessert

Opt for desserts made with natural sweeteners, whole grains, and high-fiber ingredients, such as fruit-based recipes or dark chocolate, to satisfy cravings without spiking blood sugar.

High Blood Sugar? Smart Swaps for Managing Diabetes

Switch from fruit juices, as these can be high in sugar. Consider drinking water or infused water with fresh fruit slices for flavor. Switch from sodas to sparkling water or herbal teas. Sport drinks can contain high levels of sufar, opt for electrolyte drinks without added sugars, especially during exercise.

Which Fibers Are Most Effective for Managing Glucose and Why?

Incorporate both soluble fiber (found in oats, beans, and fruits) and insoluble fiber (found in whole grains and vegetables) into your diet for better digestion and blood sugar control.

Diabetes Portion Control: Plate Method

Use the plate method by filling half your plate with non-starchy vegetables, a quarter with lean protein, and a quarter with whole grains to maintain balanced meals and proper portion sizes.

Healthy Fats Vs Unhealthy Fats

Focus on incorporating healthy fats, such as avocados, nuts, seeds, fatty fish and olive oil, while minimizing red meat, full-fat dairy, butter. Unhealthy fats from processed foods to support heart health.

Unsaturated Fats

These are considered healthy fats and can help reduce bad cholesterol levels, lowering the risk of heart disease. They also provide essential fatty acids and improve insulin sensitivity.

Saturated Fats

While some saturated fats can be part of a balanced diet, excessive consumption can raise LDL (bad) cholesterol levels, increasing heart disease risk.

Trans Fats

These are unhealthy fats that increase bad cholesterol (LDL) and decrease good cholesterol (HDL), significantly raising the risk of heart disease and other health issues.

Choosing Right Carbs for Diabetes

Choose complex carbohydrates like whole grains, legumes, and vegetables over simple sugars and refined, processed carbs to promote stable blood sugar levels and provide sustained energy.

Simple Carbs

Quickly digested and can cause rapid spikes in blood sugar levels. Natural sources, like fruits, can be consumed in moderation due to their fiber content and vitamins.

Complex Carbs

These are digested more slowly, providing a gradual release of glucose into the bloodstream. They can help stabilize blood sugar levels and provide lasting energy. Good sources include whole grains, legumes, and starchy vegetables.

Processed Carbs

Often stripped of fiber and nutrients, these can lead to quick blood sugar spikes. Examples include white bread, sugary snacks, and sweetened beverages. It's best to choose whole food alternatives instead.

Unprocessed Carbs

These include whole grains, fruits, vegetables, and legumes. They are high in fiber and nutrients, helping to regulate blood sugar levels, improve digestion, and support overall health.

Reading Product Labels for Diabetes

Avoid Added Sugars

Avoid high fructose corn syrup, cane sugar, glucose, sucrose, and maltose. Ingredients like dextrose and syrup can also spike blood sugar levels quickly.

Choose Natural Sugars

Aim to choose products with little to no added sugars and prioritize those that use natural sweeteners like stevia, erythritol or monk fruit instead.

What to Know for Diabetes-Friendly Cooking?

Essentials for Cooking for Diabetes

Prevention as Main Ingredient for Diabetes Cooking

Prevention is always a great ingredient to have on our shelves; for that reason, the following comprehensive information is being shared: Understanding Diabetes

Glycemic Index Food Guide

Diabetes Canada provides access to a comprehensive glycemic index food table to help you make informed choices for better blood sugar management.

When is Diabetes Awareness Month?

November is National Diabetes Month , Raising awareness of diabetes is essential for early detection and prevention. Our contribution is to inform individuals on how to manage their condition through lifestyle changes.

Diabetes Recipes Sources

While HiveRecipes.com offers alternatives and substitutions for catering low-carb meals, the following recipes are focused on providing diabetes-friendly recipes:

Currently, over 10% of the global population is living with diabetes, yet many remain unaware of how their eating habits impact their health. It's estimated that millions of individuals with prediabetes are at risk of developing the condition due to unrecognized lifestyle choices.

Diabetes Cooking Frequently Asked Questions


Incorporating omega-3 fatty acids found in fatty fish like salmon, flaxseeds, and walnuts can help reduce inflammation, lower triglyceride levels. Regular physical activity, aiming for at least 150 minutes per week.

The ketogenic diet can be beneficial for some people with diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes as it may help control blood sugar, promote weight loss, reduce the need for diabetes medications, and shift the body to burn fat for stable energy and improved metabolic health.

Carb-counting is used to track carbohydrate intake in meals and snacks. This method aids in adjusting insulin doses or medications based on carb consumption, promoting better blood sugar control.

A helpful strategy can be to planning balanced meals that include a mix of carbohydrates, proteins, and healthy fats. It's important to practice portion control, especially with carbohydrate-rich foods, and to spread meals evenly throughout the day to prevent spikes in blood sugar.

Some studies suggest that moderate coffee consumption may improve insulin sensitivity and help regulate blood sugar levels. However, it's essential to consider how coffee is consumed; adding sugars, creamers, or high-calorie flavorings can negate its benefits.

Cuisines that are most friendly for diabetes include Mediterranean, Asian, Mexican, Indian, and plant-based cuisines. The Mediterranean diet emphasizes whole grains, fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and lean proteins, which help manage blood sugar levels.

GI is a scale which measures how quickly carbohydrates in food raise blood sugar levels. Foods with a GI of 55 or less are considered low glycemic and typically include non-starchy vegetables, whole grains like quinoa and barley, legumes such as beans and lentils, fruits like berries and apples, and certain dairy products.