- Soda
When reaching for this drink it is often in a quest for a fast thirst quenching drink, but the sugar in soda will leave you feeling dehydrated and going back for more. Water is the best source to quench your thirst, but you could also drink natural teas. Try to avoid regular soda at all times, it is too high in sugar and will result in blood glucose highs.
- Candy and Sugary Sweets
These sugary snacks can quickly spike blood sugars and become very dangerous to you and your body. Your heart and kidneys struggle to filter out the sugar and spend excessive energy trying to get nutrition to delivered to your system. Sugary sweets contribute to weight gain which complicates your diabetes more. Instead of having a candy bar, cake or other high sugar food; try some berries and almonds together. The sugar in the berries is balanced by the protein in the almonds, giving your body more balanced energy.
- Fruit Juices
Although fruits are a much better source of sugar, because it is all natural, fruit juices pack too much condensed sugar in a fast liquid form. The nutritional value is much higher than drinking a soda, but a glass of orange juice will send your blood sugar levels dangerously high. Instead of drinking fruit juice, try eating an orange and drinking some water; this will fill you up more and provide a better source of hydration.
- Dehydrated Fruits
Fruits are a positive source of nutrients and much better than eating a sugary snack, but when fruits are dried the sugar is concentrated which can quickly affect your glucose levels. Choose fresh fruit over dried fruit, melons are good choice as they are low in natural sugars and very filling.
- White Carbohydrates
Without eating an ounce of sugar you can quickly send your blood sugars skyrocketing out of control by eating a meal high in white carbohydrates. These foods include white breads, pastas and rice. You can still eat breads, pastas and rice; look for them in the whole grain versions to add fiber and carbohydrates to your meals. White starches turn quickly into sugar when they are inside your body, but whole grains take longer to process and slow down your body’s response to the carbohydrates.
- Fried Foods
When eating fried foods, like French fries, you are combining two other types of foods you should be avoiding. You should be avoiding white carbohydrates and saturated fat foods. Fried foods contribute to weight gain and have minimal nutritional value. The food is soaking in excessive fat and covered in a high carbohydrate breading. Eating this type of food will affect your cholesterol and likely increase your risk of heart disease.