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This vegetarian plan for diabetes includes plenty of plant-based protein, as well as fiber-rich foods like legumes, fruits, vegetables, and whole grains to help keep you full and your blood sugar and energy levels balanced throughout the day.
The key to balancing blood sugar levels is to eat enough protein with each meal, along with quality high fiber carbohydrates. Eating this fiber and protein with each meal slows down digestion and slows down the rate at which blood sugar enters the bloodstream. As a result, you're less likely to experience blood sugar spikes and energy fluctuations in the short term, which has a positive impact on your overall health in the long term.
Because weight loss can help improve blood sugar levels, we've set this plan at 1,500 calories per day, which will help most people lose 1-2 pounds per week. If you need more calories, you can change it to 1,200 and 2,000 calories per day.
A balanced vegetarian diet has many health benefits. People who eat more plant foods are more likely to meet their daily fiber goals, a powerful nutrient that most people miss out on. Likely linked to higher fiber intake, people who eat mostly plant-based proteins tend to have better blood sugar levels, lose weight, improve heart health, and even a lower risk of certain cancers.
If you want to eat more plant-based foods but aren't sure whether to go vegetarian, a flexitarian diet is a great option that will still give you all the health benefits of plant-based foods.
Eat plenty of protein, high fiber foods, and healthy fats to optimize your health and keep your blood sugar stable.
- Beans and lentils
- Include nuts, seeds and natural nut butters (look for ones with no added sugar)
- Yogurt
- Kefir
- cheese
- cottage cheese
- Tofu
- Seitan
- Tempeh
- Edamame
- Flax, hemp, chia seeds
- egg
- Whole grains (oats, quinoa, bulgur, barley, sprouted bread)
- Vegetables, especially dark green leafy vegetables
- Fruits, especially berries and fruits with skin (such as apples and pears)
- Olives and olive oil
- avocado
- Make a muffin-type omelet with bell peppers, black beans, and jack cheese and eat it for breakfast all week.
- For lunch on days 2-5, prepare a vegan kale Caesar salad with tofu croutons.
- Make some maple granola and eat it throughout the week.
- 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup raspberries
- 1 serving of maple granola
- ¼ cup dry roasted unsalted almonds
- ¾ cup low-fat plain kefir
- 8 dried walnuts
Daily Totals: 1,502 calories, 80g protein, 137g carbohydrates, 34g fiber, 77g fat, 1,386mg sodium
To get to 1,200 calories: Change your morning snack to 1/4 cup of blueberries and omit the walnuts from your afternoon snack.
To get to 2,000 calories: Add one medium apple with 1/2 tablespoon of natural peanut butter for lunch, increase your serving to 15 halved dried walnuts for your afternoon snack, and add half a sliced avocado for dinner.
- 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup blueberries
Daily Totals: 1,512 calories, 84g protein, 125g carbohydrates, 39g fiber, 80g fat, 1,571mg sodium
To get to 1,200 calories: Change your morning snack to a single peach and eliminate the yogurt from your afternoon snack.
To get to 2,000 calories: Add one medium apple with 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter to your lunch and 1/4 cup of dry roasted unsalted almonds for your afternoon snack.
- 1 cup low-fat plain kefir
- ¼ cup raspberries
Daily Totals: 1,484 calories, 76g protein, 136g carbohydrates, 40g fiber, 75g fat, 1,769mg sodium
To get to 1,200 calories: Cut back on the edamame beans in the pod to 1/3 cup for an afternoon snack and skip the mixed greens with citrus vinaigrette for dinner.
To get to 2,000 calories: Add 1/4 cup of dry roasted unsalted almonds to your mid-morning snack and one medium apple with two tablespoons of natural peanut butter for lunch.
- 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup raspberries
- 1 serving of maple granola
- 2 medium celery sticks
- 2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
- 1 cup blackberries
- 4 dried walnuts
Daily Totals: 1,510 calories, 77 g protein, 114 g carbohydrates, 34 g fiber, 86 g fat, 1,423 mg sodium
To get to 1,200 calories: Change your mid-morning snack to a plum and skip the baguette for dinner.
To get to 2,000 calories: Increase your morning snack to 3 stalks of celery and 2 1/2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter, add one large pear to your lunch, increase your afternoon snack to 20 halved dried walnuts, and replace your baguette with a serving of Everything Bagel Avocado Toast for dinner.
- 1 cup low-fat plain kefir
- 1 medium-sized peach
Meal prep tips: Prepare a quinoa and black bean salad for two for lunch on days 6 and 7.
Daily Totals: 1,500 calories, 76g protein, 146g carbohydrates, 37g fiber, 72g fat, 1,393mg sodium
To get to 1,200 calories: Change your morning snack to a plum and omit the kefir from your afternoon snack.
To get to 2,000 calories: Add 1 medium apple and 2 tablespoons of natural peanut butter to your lunch and 1/4 cup of dry roasted unsalted almonds for an afternoon snack.
- ¾ cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup blueberries
- ¾ cup blackberries
- 4 dried walnuts
Daily Totals: 1,512 calories, 70g protein, 147g carbohydrates, 30g fiber, 78g fat, 1,140mg sodium
To get to 1,200 calories: Eliminate the pear at breakfast, eliminate the yogurt as a mid-morning snack, and replace your afternoon snack with a plum.
To get to 2,000 calories: Add 1/4 cup of dry roasted unsalted almonds to your mid-morning snack and one medium apple with two tablespoons of natural peanut butter for lunch.
- 1 cup low-fat plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup raspberries
- 1 serving of maple granola
- 20 dry roasted unsalted almonds
Daily Totals: 1,503 calories, 74 g protein, 139 g carbohydrates, 34 g fiber, 75 g fat, 1,025 mg sodium
To get to 1,200 calories: Change your morning snack to 1/4 cup of blueberries and your afternoon snack to 1 plum.
To get to 2,000 calories: Add one medium apple and two tablespoons of natural peanut butter to your lunch and one serving of Everything Bagel Avocado Toast for dinner.