A healthy, balanced diabetes diet should include plenty of nonstarchy vegetables and moderate amounts of whole grains, fruits, starchy vegetables, lean protein and low- or nonfat dairy, says the American Diabetes Association.

Cassava is widely cultivated as a food crop in tropical and subtropical areas of Africa, Asia and Latin America. The starchy roots of this plant are used to make tapioca and many other foods. If cassava is not properly prepared, it contains toxic compounds that may increase your risk of developing diabetes.

Choosing food for a diabetic diet can be confusing, especially when it comes to deciding which starches you can safely consume. Diabetics are discouraged from consuming white flour because of its impact on blood sugar, but semolina flour may be permissible in small servings for some diabetic patients.

Diabetics need to watch their dietary intake, limiting foods that contain high amounts of sugar and carbohydrates. A doctor may recommend a certain calorie intake each day to help with weight loss.

By the year 2025, two-thirds of the people who have diabetes will be age 60 or older, reports a 2009 article in the "International Journal of Diabetes Mellitus." Along with this medical condition, older diabetics are more likely to have hypertension, cardiovascular disease or dyslipidemia as well.

Whether eating sugary food or just plain bread, the body breaks them down and converts them into glucose, or simple sugar, because the body primarily uses this form of energy. In diabetics, the body lacks enough insulin to help absorb glucose in the bloodstream, or doesn't respond to insulin at all.

If you have diabetes, you know the importance of maintaining stable blood glucose levels -- and that certain foods can trigger spikes or help keep them stable. The main ingredient in hummus is chickpea, also called garbanzo bean.

A small oat bran bagel contains 176 calories, 2.5 g of fiber and almost no saturated fat. You can eat bagels on a diabetes diet, but choose whole grain bagels instead of bagels made from processed and refined grains.

The most common endocrine disorder diagnosed in women is PCOS, or polycystic ovary syndrome.

If you have diabetes, you may have heard that bananas are too sweet or too high in sugar to fit into your diet.

If you have diabetes, you may struggle finding foods to feed your sweet tooth that won’t raise your blood sugar. Stevia may be the answer you’re looking for. A variety of companies are now adding stevia as a sweetener to low-calorie or sugar-free foods and beverages that can be part of a healthy diet for diabetics.

In an effort to keep blood sugar levels low and stable, many diabetics and dieters reference the glycemic index. Since carbohydrates have the greatest effect on your blood sugar, the majority of foods listed on the glycemic index are carbohydrate-based foods.