Managing Diabetes Begins in the Grocery Store

If you are trying to eat right with diabetes, healthy eating starts with healthy shopping. Preparing a shopping list and planning ahead before heading to the grocery store is one way to keep your focus on buying healthy ingredients that will help keep your blood sugar under control.

For those with diabetes, an overall healthy diet with portion control can go beyond helping you achieve blood-sugar control. The benefits of healthy eating include stronger mental acuteness, increased resistance to illness and disease, higher energy levels, faster recuperation times, and better management of chronic health problems.

Walking into a grocery store unprepared can be a challenge for anyone. When it comes to making better food decisions, grocery shopping can be overwhelming, especially if you are living with diabetes.

Here are some tips to help you shop in a more healthy way:

• Never shop on an empty stomach. When you’re hungry, foods you might not ordinarily consider can be very tempting, so it’s best to shop right after a meal or snack.

• Before you head to the grocery store, plan your menu for the week. Start with dinners, because they require the most planning. Breakfast and lunch tend to be easier because they stay about the same from day to day.

• Spend extra time in the produce department. Regardless of the time of year, it’s important to eat a variety of fruits and vegetables. To supplement your fresh purchases, check out low-sodium canned vegetables, along with frozen vegetables that are cut and ready to cook.

• Learn to read food labels. The most important tool for shopping is the nutrition label. Reading food labels will make it much easier for you to compare and find the foods that have the nutritional value right for you.

• Treat yourself. There are many sugar-free foods that can satisfy your sweet tooth and help you control your blood glucose. They can help you stay on track with your nutrition and diabetes goals.

Kelly Slattery is a registered dietitian and nutrition educator at Baystate Mary Lane Hospital. She hosts a Diabetes Support Group that meets on the first Thursday of each month from 6 to 7 p.m. at Baystate Mary Lane Hospital in Ware, in the Main Conference Room, located on the second floor.