The risk of heart disease is two to four times greater for people with diabetes. High blood cholesterol levels also increase your risk of heart disease. A healthy diet that includes nutritious foods in moderate amounts can help you control your blood sugars for diabetes and reduce your blood cholesterol levels.

Managing diabetes requires you to limit sugar consumption, eat a balanced diet, partake in regular exercise and take medication as prescribed. Planning and preparing a healthy diabetic diet can be challenging and time-consuming.

Thanks to its soluble fiber content, a simple bowl of oatmeal offers plenty of sustained-release energy. Depending on the processing and preparation of the oats, oatmeal has a low to moderate effect on your blood glucose level and insulin production.

Insulin is a hormone which helps the body lower the amount of glucose in the blood. If you have diabetes, you either do not produce enough insulin or you do not respond properly to it. You can make it easier to manage diabetes by following a careful diet plan, which can include limiting the amount of sugar you eat.

The glycemic index measures the amount of blood glucose carbohydrate-containing foods produce. The more glucose produced, the higher the glycemic index. The GI's measurement standard is white bread, which has a GI of 100. A study in "Diabetes Care" notes that white bread is highly associated with diabetes.

The glycemic index, or GI, of foods relates to digestion, blood sugar and energy. Each food has a unique score on the glycemic index scale. If you are diabetic, trying to lose weight or your doctor recommends that you watch your blood sugar level, you need to know the GI score of foods.

The Glycemic Index is a commonly used tool for determining the effect of carbohydrate-containing foods on blood glucose levels. Dieters and people with diabetes use the Glycemic Index because blood sugar levels can impact fat storage and the progression of diabetes.

Diet plays a very important role when it comes to managing diabetes. Your food choices, the amount of food you eat and the timing of your meals, all affect your blood sugar.

There is no single 2000-calorie meal plan that is right for everyone with diabetes. The American Diabetes Association recommends you meet with a registered dietitian to develop an individualized meal plan that meets your treatment goals and lifestyle.

Eating any carb-containing foods can cause an elevation in your blood sugar levels, but some carbs will raise your blood sugar levels more than others. The glycemic index, or GI, is used to categorize carbs according to how they influence your blood sugars.

For people with type 2 diabetes (T2DM), losing excess weight can lead to lower blood glucose, triglyceride and cholesterol levels along with reduced blood pressure.

Low-glycemic foods are any foods that are rated low on the glycemic index (GI), a numeric rating system that tells you how individual foods affect your blood sugar levels. On a scale of 0 to 100+, a low-glycemic food has a GI rating of 50 or less.