Type 2 Diabetes - Shopping For Healthy Foods!

If you have recently been diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes, or worried as you have been told you have prediabetes, and might be heading down the path to develop full-blown Type 2 diabetes: you might be wondering what kind of foods to purchase at your local grocery store to help you avoid living with diabetes for the rest of your life.

Every expert seems to have their own version of what you should purchase at the grocery store, but the following are some staples that anyone who is trying to eat healthily should have in their pantry or refrigerator.

Plenty of fruits and vegetables: There are many health reasons to eat more fruits and vegetables such as high doses of fiber, vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, phytochemicals; and most are naturally low in fat, sugar, and sodium. You really cannot go wrong with any kinds of fruits and vegetables. Moderation is the key here, of course. For instance, you don't want to spend your day eating a bunch of high sugar fruits and vegetables. You have to balance everything, including your intake of fruits. Go for fresh fruits and vegetables above canned. This is because canned fruits often have extra sugar and other chemical preservatives. Frozen fruits and vegetables are okay in many cases because they are frozen at the point where they have the most nutrients.

Grains and legumes: Look for whole grains such as couscous, brown rice, millet, quinoa, barley and bulgar. When looking for pasta, pick the whole grain variety. Also look for whole grain breads. For sandwiches, why not consider using whole-grain wraps or pita bread. Choose oatmeal, grits and other cooked cereals. Look for things in their natural form if possible. Choose dried cereals, dried beans and lentils.

Protein foods: Look for things such as canned tuna, lean turkey, lean chicken breast, ground turkey and vegetarian protein sources such as tofu and tempeh. Try to avoid things such as hot dogs, lunch meats and bacon.

Dairy choices: When looking at the dairy section, choose nonfat or low-fat milk. We need milk to keep our cereal company, and lighten our coffee. The great thing about milk is you can take out some of the fat and saturated fat and still have milk that does all the things you want it to do. You can also use nonfat dry milk powder. Look for:

nonfat or low-fat yogurt,cottage cheese, andsour cream.

All of these can be used in different capacities, either alone or in recipes. You can also find nonfat or low-fat cream cheese and regular cheese. Try to avoid whole milk due to its fat content.

Fats: When looking at fats, choose low-fat margarine, nonfat or low-fat mayonnaise, nonfat cooking spray and nonfat or low-fat salad dressings.

Going to the grocery store does not mean you have to come home with a lot of processed, sugary foods. There is plenty to choose from if you take the time to make a list so that you don't get off-track while walking down the aisles of the grocery store.