Food - Living Diabetes

What you eat is one of the strongest levers anyone with diabetes has for blood glucose control, weight, and long-term cardiovascular health. There is no single “diabetes diet” — NICE, Diabetes UK, and the American Diabetes Association all explicitly support multiple eating patterns.

The best diet is the one you can sustain. Whichever pattern you choose, a few principles are universal: more vegetables, more fibre, less ultra-processed food, less sugar-sweetened drink.

Patterns with the strongest evidence

Mediterranean — vegetables, olive oil, fish, nuts, whole grains
Lower-carbohydrate — particularly effective for type 2 diabetes and remission
Plant-based — improves insulin sensitivity, weight, and lipids
Ketogenic — strong short-term glycaemic control (medical supervision needed)
DASH — designed for blood pressure, also helpful for cardiovascular risk

Read the full Diabetes Diet guide →