{"id":3061,"date":"2023-05-15T00:25:18","date_gmt":"2023-05-14T13:25:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/2023\/05\/15\/foods-prevent-diabetes\/"},"modified":"2025-06-25T16:39:44","modified_gmt":"2025-06-25T05:39:44","slug":"foods-prevent-diabetes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/health-hub\/foods-prevent-diabetes\/","title":{"rendered":"What Food To Help Prevent Diabetes"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cWhat food to prevent diabetes\u201d is a common search term for many people, and it\u2019s easy to understand why. A balanced diet and a healthy weight play very important roles in preventing diabetes.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The consensus (according to <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diabetes Australia<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">) is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to food and preventing diabetes. It is strongly recommended that you consult a qualified health professional to ensure that your diet is structured in a way that both suits you and prevents diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This article will give you an introduction to the different aspects that make up a balanced and healthy diet.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>What are the different types of diabetes, and can they be prevented?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Diabetes is a group of conditions where there is too much glucose (sugar) in the bloodstream, which can lead to complications such as:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">heart attack;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">stroke;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">kidney disease and dialysis;\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">limb amputation;<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">mental health issues (such as depression and anxiety); and\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">blindness.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When you digest carbohydrates, your body converts them into a sugar known as glucose, which is then supposed to be converted into energy by insulin. However, with diabetes, the body is unable to produce insulin properly, resulting in too much glucose in the blood.<\/span><\/p>\n<h5><strong>There are three main types of diabetes:<\/strong><\/h5>\n<h4><strong>Type 1 Diabetes<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune condition in which the pancreas is unable to make insulin. This is because the body\u2019s immune system destroys the beta cells in the pancreas that produce insulin.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ten-to-fifteen percent of all people living with diabetes in Australia have type 1 diabetes <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Source: <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionaustralia.org\/fact-sheets\/diabetes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nutrition Australia<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">). <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It can appear at any age, but most commonly presents in childhood and early adult life.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to treat type 1 diabetes, you need insulin (delivered through methods such as injections or pumps) to compensate for the body\u2019s inability to produce insulin by itself. Type 1 diabetes cannot be prevented through healthy eating, but maintaining a balanced diet is recommended regardless.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Type 2 Diabetes<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of diabetes in Australia, accounting for 85-90% of all diabetes cases <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Source: <\/span><\/i><a href=\"https:\/\/nutritionaustralia.org\/fact-sheets\/diabetes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nutrition Australia<\/span><\/i><\/a><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">)<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. It develops when cells within the body are resistant to insulin.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While its direct cause is unknown; risk factors include family history, ageing, conditions such as pre-diabetes or gestational diabetes, being overweight or leading an inactive lifestyle. Diagnosis is usually in older adults, but it is becoming more common in adolescence as well as children.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, unlike with type 1, it may be possible to prevent the development of type 2 diabetes with a balanced diet and an active lifestyle.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Gestational Diabetes<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gestational diabetes is a specific type of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. It needs to be managed carefully to protect the health of both the mother and baby. In most cases, a healthy diet and lifestyle changes can keep the glucose levels within a healthy range.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gestational diabetes usually goes away once the baby is born, although in some cases medication may be needed. Women who experience gestational diabetes during pregnancy are at higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes later in life.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><strong>What Food Should My Diet Contain To Help Prevent Diabetes?<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">You should be consistently eating a balanced diet that encompasses all five of the food groups:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Vegetables and legumes\/beans<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Grain (cereal) foods, mostly wholegrain and\/or high fibre cereal varieties<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lean meats and poultry, fish, eggs, tofu, nuts and seeds, and legumes\/beans<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Milk, yoghurt, cheese and\/or alternatives with mostly reduced fat<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fruit<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the next section, we\u2019re going to cover what you should look out for (as well as what to avoid) when it comes to the nutritional value of your diet.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"content-banner -half-image\">\n    <div class=\"-text\">\n        <h2 class=\"-eyebrow-heading\"><\/h2>\n        <h3 class=\"-large-heading\">Learn more about healthy eating from expert dietitians with our free <em>Life!<\/em> program.<\/h3>\n        <div class=\"-button\">\n            <a\n                href=\"#health-check\"\n                class=\"button\"\n            >CHECK IF YOU QUALIFY<\/a>\n        <\/div>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"-image\">\n        <img decoding=\"async\"\n            src=\"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/Diabetes-Vic_Life-Program_Shot-02_Individuals_122-min-scaled.jpg\"\n            alt=\"banner image\"\n        \/>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h4><strong>Saturated fat<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is the kind of fat that you want to avoid adding to your diet, as it raises your bad cholesterol levels. In order to avoid saturated fats, it is recommended that you;<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Consume low fat dairy products whenever possible (i.e. low fat milk, yoghurt, cheese, ice-cream, custard, etc.)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Choose lean meat and trim off the fat before cooking<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Remove the skin from chicken, duck and other poultry (where possible, before cooking)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid using butter, lard, dripping, cream, sour cream, copha, coconut milk, coconut cream and hard cooking margarines<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Limit pastries, cakes, puddings, chocolate and cream biscuits to special occasions<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Limit pre-packaged biscuits, savoury packet snacks, cakes, frozen and convenience meals<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Limit the use of processed deli meats (devon\/polony\/fritz\/luncheon meat, chicken loaf, salami etc) and sausages<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid fried takeaway foods such as chips, fried chicken and battered fish and choose BBQ chicken (without the skin) and grilled fish instead<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid pies, sausage rolls and pastries<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Rather than creamy sauces or dressings, choose those that are based on tomato, soy or other low fat ingredients<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Limit creamy style soups<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>Polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These kinds of fats can help ensure that you get the essential fatty acids and vitamins that your body needs.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong>Polyunsaturated fats include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Polyunsaturated margarines (check the label for the word \u2018polyunsaturated\u2019)<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sunflower, safflower, soybean, corn, cottonseed, grapeseed and sesame oils<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The fat found in oily fish such as herring, mackerel, sardine, salmon and tuna.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Monounsaturated fats include:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Olive oil<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Some margarines<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avocado<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>You can find both polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats in:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seeds<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nuts<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nut spreads<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Peanut oil<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you\u2019re looking for ways to include healthy fats in your diet, you can do the following:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Stir-fry meat and vegetables in a little olive oil (or oil spray) with garlic or chilli<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Dress a salad or steamed vegetables with a little olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sprinkle sesame seeds on steamed vegetables<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Use linseed bread and spread a little olive oil margarine<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Snack on a handful of unsalted nuts, or add some to a stir-fry or salad<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Spread avocado on sandwiches and toast, or add to a salad<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eat more fish (at least three times a week) because it contains a special type of fat (omega-3) that is good for your heart.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Do more dry roasting, grilling, microwaving and stir-frying in a non-stick pan<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, avoid deep-fried, battered and crumbed foods.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Carbohydrates<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This part of your diet is important to get right, as it\u2019s carbohydrates that are converted into glucose by the body, which means they will have the highest impact on your blood glucose levels.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Everyone\u2019s carbohydrate needs are different depending on various factors such as gender, physical activity, age and body weight. If you are living with diabetes, it is important that you consult an Accredited Practising Dietitian to work out the amount of carbohydrates to eat at each meal and snack.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">All carbohydrate foods are digested to produce glucose but they do so at different rates \u2013 some slow, some fast. The glycemic index or GI is a way of describing how quickly a carbohydrate food is digested and enters the bloodstream.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Low GI carbohydrate foods enter the bloodstream slowly and have less of an impact on blood glucose levels. Examples of low GI foods include:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">traditional rolled oats<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">dense whole grain breads<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">lentils and legumes<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">sweet potato<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">milk<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">yoghurt<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">pasta<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">most types of fresh fruit.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The type of carbohydrate you eat is very important as some can cause higher blood glucose after eating. The best combination is to eat moderate amounts of high fibre low GI carbohydrates.<\/span><\/p>\n<div class=\"content-banner -centered-quote\">\n    <h2 class=\"-eyebrow-heading\"><\/h2>\n    <blockquote cite=\"https:\/\/www.huxley.net\/bnw\/four.html\">\n        <p>\n            <svg width=\"0.65em\" height=\"0.65em\" viewBox=\"0 0 17 14\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" xml:space=\"preserve\" xmlns:serif=\"http:\/\/www.serif.com\/\" style=\"fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;stroke-linejoin:round;stroke-miterlimit:2;\">\n                <path d=\"M14.631,6.929L12.156,6.929L12.156,4.949C12.156,3.857 13.044,2.969 14.136,2.969L14.384,2.969C14.795,2.969 15.126,2.638 15.126,2.227L15.126,0.742C15.126,0.331 14.795,0 14.384,0L14.136,0C11.402,0 9.187,2.215 9.187,4.949L9.187,12.373C9.187,13.192 9.852,13.857 10.672,13.857L14.631,13.857C15.451,13.857 16.116,13.192 16.116,12.373L16.116,8.413C16.116,7.594 15.451,6.929 14.631,6.929ZM5.723,6.929L3.248,6.929L3.248,4.949C3.248,3.857 4.136,2.969 5.228,2.969L5.475,2.969C5.887,2.969 6.218,2.638 6.218,2.227L6.218,0.742C6.218,0.331 5.887,0 5.475,0L5.228,0C2.493,0 0.279,2.215 0.279,4.949L0.279,12.373C0.279,13.192 0.944,13.857 1.764,13.857L5.723,13.857C6.542,13.857 7.207,13.192 7.207,12.373L7.207,8.413C7.207,7.594 6.542,6.929 5.723,6.929Z\" style=\"fill:currentColor;fill-rule:nonzero;\"\/>\n            <\/svg>\n            <span>\"The <em>Life!<\/em> program has completely changed what is in my shopping basket.\"<\/span>\n            <svg width=\"0.6em\" height=\"0.6em\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 14\" version=\"1.1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" xml:space=\"preserve\" xmlns:serif=\"http:\/\/www.serif.com\/\" style=\"fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;stroke-linejoin:round;stroke-miterlimit:2;\">\n                <path d=\"M1.484,6.929L3.958,6.929L3.958,8.908C3.958,10 3.071,10.888 1.979,10.888L1.731,10.888C1.32,10.888 0.989,11.219 0.989,11.63L0.989,13.115C0.989,13.527 1.32,13.857 1.731,13.857L1.979,13.857C4.713,13.857 6.928,11.643 6.928,8.908L6.928,1.485C6.928,0.665 6.263,0 5.443,0L1.484,0C0.664,0 -0.001,0.665 -0.001,1.485L-0.001,5.444C-0.001,6.264 0.664,6.929 1.484,6.929ZM10.392,6.929L12.867,6.929L12.867,8.908C12.867,10 11.979,10.888 10.887,10.888L10.64,10.888C10.228,10.888 9.897,11.219 9.897,11.63L9.897,13.115C9.897,13.527 10.228,13.857 10.64,13.857L10.887,13.857C13.621,13.857 15.836,11.643 15.836,8.908L15.836,1.485C15.836,0.665 15.171,0 14.351,0L10.392,0C9.572,0 8.907,0.665 8.907,1.485L8.907,5.444C8.907,6.264 9.572,6.929 10.392,6.929Z\" style=\"fill:currentColor;fill-rule:nonzero;\"\/>\n            <\/svg>\n        <\/p>\n        <cite>Soheil, a <em><em>Life!<\/em><\/em> program participant  - <a href=\"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/success-stories\">Read more<\/a><\/cite>\n    <\/blockquote>\n    <div class=\"-button\">\n        <a\n            href=\"#health-check\"\n            class=\"button\"\n        >Take a free health assessment now<\/a>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h4><strong>Sugar<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is impossible to completely remove sugar from your diet. However, it is important to avoid foods and beverages that are high in sugar content.<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t regularly eat high energy foods such as sweets and lollies<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t drink sugar-rich beverages such as soft drinks<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t cook recipes that are high in sugar content and low in nutritional value<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h4><strong>Protein<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Protein is a necessary component of any diet as it\u2019s responsible for body growth and repair. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>The main protein foods are;<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Meats, chicken, fish, &amp; tofu<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eggs<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nuts &amp; seeds<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cheese<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The above foods do not affect blood glucose levels. However, there are certain protein-rich foods that also contain carbohydrates and therefore can affect blood glucose levels. <\/span><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>These include:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Milk<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yoghurt<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lentils and Legumes<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These foods should still be included as part of a healthy diet.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4><strong>Hydration<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Water is needed for most of the body\u2019s functions and the body needs to be kept well hydrated every day. Water is the best drink to have because it contains no extra kilojoules and won\u2019t have an effect on your blood glucose levels. Other good choices are:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tea, coffee, herbal tea, water, soda water, plain mineral water<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want a sweet drink occasionally products labelled \u2018diet\u2019 or \u2018low joule\u2019<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you choose to drink alcohol limit your intake to no more than 2 standard drinks per day with some alcohol free days each week.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3><strong>Diet Guidelines (For people both with and without diabetes)<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Regardless of whether or not you have diabetes, you should aim for a balanced diet. The following are basic healthy eating tips for both people with diabetes and without diabetes:<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Eat regular meals and healthy snacks spread over the day<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Base meals on high fibre, low GI carbohydrate foods<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Limit the amount of saturated fats you consume on a regular basis<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Avoid excess sugar and added salts<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keep your weight within the healthy weight range by matching the amount of food you eat with the amount of energy you burn up each day<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>How can the <em><em>Life!<\/em><\/em> program help <\/strong><strong>you<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To help you reduce your risk of diabetes, the <em><em>Life!<\/em><\/em> program<\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0offers a 2-minute <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/#health-check\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">health check<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> that helps calculate your risk of diabetes. The results of this easy to use health check will help you find the next step in your journey towards a lower risk of diabetes.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <em><em>Life!<\/em><\/em> program is a free healthy lifestyle program that helps you improve your eating habits, increase your physical activity and manage stress. You can choose from a group course or the telephone health coaching service.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Our experienced health professionals will help you make small changes to your lifestyle so that you can achieve your health goals and reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><em><em>Life!<\/em><\/em> is funded by the Victorian government and managed by Diabetes Victoria. You can check your eligibility for the program <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/learn-about-life\/#am-i-eligible\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">here<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a class=\"button teal\" href=\"#health-check\">Take the health check<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>\u201cWhat food to prevent diabetes\u201d is a common search term for many people, and it\u2019s easy to understand why. A balanced diet and a healthy weight play very important roles in preventing diabetes.\u00a0 The consensus (according to Diabetes Australia) is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to food and preventing diabetes. It is strongly recommended that you consult a qualified&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":3062,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[7],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3061","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-article"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3061","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3061"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3061\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4816,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3061\/revisions\/4816"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3062"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3061"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3061"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lifeprogram.org.au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3061"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}