In This ArticleView AllIn This ArticleWhy This Meal Plan Is Great for YouFrequently Asked QuestionsBest High-Fiber Foods for DiabetesHow to Meal-Prep Your Week of MealsDay 1Day 2Day 3Day 4Day 5Day 6Day 7
In This ArticleView All
View All
In This Article
Why This Meal Plan Is Great for You
Frequently Asked Questions
Best High-Fiber Foods for Diabetes
How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals
Day 1
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4
Day 5
Day 6
Day 7
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If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, you probably have heard that you need to watch yourcarbohydrates(or carbs for short). But did you know there is one type of carbohydrate that actually helps you manage your diabetes? Say hello to the magical carbohydrate: fiber.Fiberis a type of carbohydrate that not only helps keep you regular, but it also helps with keeping your blood sugar—and your weight—in check. It can help you feel full, improve your digestion and help reduce your risk of heart disease, too.
According to the2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, adults 19 years and older should consume at least 28 to 34 grams of fiber per day depending on their age and sex. This is a far cry from the17-gram averagethat most Americans currently get in their typical eating patterns.
But what exactly is fiber, and how do you get more in your diet? Technically, there are two types of fiber:soluble and insoluble. Soluble fiber turns to a gel because it dissolves in water, while insoluble fiber doesn’t dissolve in water and helps add bulk to stools for easier passing. Soluble fiber is present in foods like oats, fruits and flaxseed, while insoluble fiber is found in foods like nuts, brown rice and whole-wheat flour. Both types are important for digestion, and there is no need to prioritize one type over the other as both have been shown tohelp with blood glucose control.
For those diagnosed with diabetes, there is an additional added benefit to following a high-fiber diet.Studieshave shown that people with diabetes who adhere to a high-fiber diet of at least 35 grams per day can improve their blood sugar levels, better regulate their insulin levels and lower their cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
How We Create Meal PlansRegistered dietitians thoughtfully create EatingWell’s meal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the health condition and/or lifestyle goal it is targeting and is analyzed for accuracy using the nutrition database, ESHA Food Processor. As nutritional needs differ from person to person, we encourage you to use these plans as inspiration and adjust as you see fit.
How We Create Meal Plans
Registered dietitians thoughtfully create EatingWell’s meal plans to be easy-to-follow and delicious. Each meal plan meets specific parameters depending on the health condition and/or lifestyle goal it is targeting and is analyzed for accuracy using the nutrition database, ESHA Food Processor. As nutritional needs differ from person to person, we encourage you to use these plans as inspiration and adjust as you see fit.
This meal plan also ditchesadded sugars, meaning those that are added during processing or that we add ourselves to sweeten foods, including “natural” sugars such as maple syrup, honey and coconut sugar. Reducingadded sugar intake—especially high-fructose corn syrup—to less than 5% of your total calories has been shown to help improve your blood sugar and reduce the risk of diabetes. For that reason, we are skipping added sugar altogether in this meal plan.
In this no-sugar-added, high-fiber meal plan for diabetes, we focus on recipes with whole grains, fruits, vegetables, beans and legumes to create days that have at least 35 grams of fiber. We also set it at 1,500 calories, which is a level at which most people will lose weight.
This 1,500-calorie meal plan has modifications for 2,000 calories to support those with differentcalorie needs. While we previously included meal plans and modifications for 1,200 calories, we no longer do. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting your calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.
Frequently Asked QuestionsWe no longer provide modifications for 1,200-calorie days in our meal plans. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.
We no longer provide modifications for 1,200-calorie days in our meal plans. The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans suggests that limiting calories to 1,200 per day is too low for most people to meet their nutritional needs, plus it’s unsustainable for long-term health and well-being.
12 High-Fiber Diet Foods
Meal prep at the beginning of the plan makes it easier for you to follow the meal plan through the week.
Breakfast (390 Calories)
A.M. Snack (277 calories)
Lunch (435 calories)
Afternoon Snack (200 calories)
Dinner (208 calories)
Daily Totals:1,511 calories, 85 g protein, 160 g carbohydrate, 44 g fiber, 68 g fat, 1,206 mg sodium.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard-boiled eggs to breakfast, Increase to 2 servings soup at dinner, and add 1 servingAlmond-Stuffed Datesfor evening snack.
A.M. Snack (296 calories)
Lunch (360 calories)
Afternoon Snack (109 calories)
Dinner (350 calories)
Daily Totals:1,505 calories, 62 g protein, 156 g carbohydrate, 40 g fiber, 79 g fat, 1,266 mg sodium.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 scrambled eggs to breakfast, increase to 1 English muffin at lunch, increase to 2 servings chickpeas at P.M. snack, and add 1 servingAlmond-Stuffed Datesfor evening snack.
Breakfast (390 calories)
A.M. Snack (109 calories)
Lunch (325 calories)
Afternoon Snack (124 calories)
Dinner (567 calories)
Daily Totals:1,514 calories, 68 g protein, 177 g carbohydrates, 39 g fiber, 66 g fat, 1,376 mg sodium.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 scrambled eggs to breakfast, increase to 2 servings chickpeas at A.M. snack, and add ¼ cup unsalted almonds to P.M. snack.
Breakfast (422 calories)
A.M. Snack (115 calories)
Lunch (378 calories)
Afternoon Snack (99 calories)
Dinner (476 calories)
Daily Totals:1,490 calories, 74 g protein, 163 g carbohydrate, 38 g fiber, 60 g fat, 1,820 mg sodium.
To make it 2,000 calories: Increase to 1 cup yogurt and 1 cup raspberries at A.M. snack, increase to 2 servings popcorn at P.M. snack, and add 1 serving2-Ingredient Peanut Butter-Banana Ice Creamat evening snack.
Breakfast (279 calories)
A.M. Snack (84 calories)
Lunch (328 calories)
Afternoon Snack (329 calories)
Dinner (429 calories)
Evening Snack (51 calories)
Daily Totals:1,502 calories, 77 g protein, 184 g carbohydrate, 37 g fiber, 56 g fat, 1,619 mg sodium.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 hard-boiled eggs to breakfast, add 1/3 cup unsalted almonds to A.M. snack, and add 2 Tbsp. pumpkin seeds to evening snack.
Breakfast (361 calories)
Add peanut butter to the smoothie before blending.
A.M. Snack (158 calories)
Lunch (500 calories)
Afternoon Snack (113 calories)
Dinner (372 calories)
Daily Totals:1,503 calories, 62 g protein, 176 g carbohydrates, 39 g fiber, 65 g fat, 1,686 mg sodium.
To make it 2,000 calories: Increase to 2 servings popcorn at P.M. snack, add ¼ cup avocado to dinner, and add 1 servingPeanut Butter-Banana Ice Creamfor evening snack.
Breakfast (222 calories)
A.M. Snack (308 calories)
Lunch (394 calories)
P.M. Snack (162 calories)
Dinner (343 calories)
Evening Snack (73 calories)
Daily Totals: 1,502 calories, 83 g protein, 157 g carbohydrate, 41 g fiber, 70 g fat, 1,458 mg sodium.
To make it 2,000 calories: Add 2 scrambled eggs to breakfast, increase to ⅓ cup almonds at afternoon snack, add ¼ avocado at dinner, and increase to 2 servings cherry nice cream at evening snack.
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SourcesEatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.
Sources
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.
EatingWell uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable and trustworthy.
U.S. Department of Agriculture and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2020-2025.
