After years of living with diabetes, I learned an important lesson the hard way. In my earlier days after diagnosis, I was overly strict with my diet, cutting out all kinds of foods in an attempt to keep my blood sugar in check. The result? My glucose readings looked good at certain times, but my overall control was unstable, with large fluctuations that could still lead to complications.

From that experience, I decided to take a different approach: eat everything, but never too much of anything. Instead of eliminating certain foods entirely, I focused on controlling portions with precision. I used a digital kitchen scale to weigh my food, ensuring my daily intake met my body’s energy needs without going over or falling short. This method gave my body balanced nutrition while keeping blood sugar stable — and it played a key role in improving my condition.

I calculated my portions based on my height, weight, and activity level. Each day, I aimed for about 500 grams of vegetables, 100 grams of meat, and 220–300 grams of staple foods like rice or noodles. Breakfast included a 250 ml glass of milk, one egg, and 50–75 grams of raw-weight rice or noodles. Lunch was 250 grams of vegetables, 100 grams of meat, and 100 grams of rice or noodles. Dinner was similar to lunch in terms of vegetables but without meat, and with 75–100 grams of rice or noodles.

I also allowed for snacks 2–3 hours after meals, but without exceeding my total daily limit for staples. If I had fruit as a snack, I adjusted my staple food accordingly — for example, if I ate over 200 grams of fruit, I reduced my staple intake by 25 grams of raw weight. My overall principle was: eat a hearty breakfast, a satisfying lunch, and a lighter dinner.

Interestingly, I don’t eat whole grains. For me, the taste isn’t appealing, my digestive system doesn’t handle them well, and I’ve found they can still cause significant blood sugar spikes.

Following this eating plan — along with timely exercise — my blood sugar and HbA1c remained in the normal range. Even after stopping medication, I maintained these results for two years without any abnormalities. My uncle, who is a doctor, told me my diabetes was effectively in remission. He advised continuing to monitor for a few more months, and if my lab results remain normal after that, I could be considered clinically cured.

Diet: Adjust to your own needs
Managing diabetes starts with managing your diet. The goal is to eat enough to meet your body’s needs without overindulging. I’ve worked as a secretary most of my life, so I don’t do heavy labor. On a typical day, I eat about 300 grams of cooked rice. If I’ve been more active, I eat a little more; if I’m less hungry, I eat less. I don’t force a fixed amount at every meal, and I’ve found this flexible approach keeps my blood sugar stable. Nutrition is just as important as quantity. I follow the food exchange principle, making sure I get protein, healthy fats, minerals, vitamins, fiber, and water every day, while keeping total calories within a healthy range. This lets me control my blood sugar and still enjoy my meals.

Exercise: Consistent and moderate
Physical activity is one of the safest and most effective ways to manage diabetes. It lowers blood sugar and cholesterol, improves blood circulation, strengthens the heart and lungs, and lifts your mood. For me, the key is moderation. I start slow, gradually build up the pace, and exercise for about an hour until I sweat lightly. I keep this routine all year, regardless of the weather. I avoid competitive sports and high-impact activities to reduce the risk of injuries, which are harder to recover from when you have diabetes.

Medication: Follow medical advice
I take both oral medication and insulin, but I never change my dosage without consulting my doctor. I start with the smallest effective dose and monitor my blood sugar regularly, adjusting only when necessary and always informing my doctor. Over the years, this communication has built a strong and trusting relationship with my healthcare provider, which has been vital for safe, effective treatment.

Mental well-being: Keep a positive mindset
Emotional health has a direct impact on blood sugar control. Stress, anxiety, and frustration can disrupt insulin production and cause blood sugar spikes. I keep my mood steady by staying socially active and engaging in community work. I’m part of my neighborhood committee, help manage local affairs, and visit elderly neighbors. I also maintain a close, supportive family life. Living in a positive environment keeps me happy — and a good mood helps keep my blood sugar steady.

Regular monitoring: Know your numbers
Monitoring blood sugar is essential for adjusting your treatment plan. I usually check my blood sugar every three days. If I’m feeling unwell, I monitor more frequently — fasting, two hours after meals, and before bed for three days in a row. When things are stable, I reduce the frequency but still go for an HbA1c test every three months to track long-term control.

Many people believe diabetes is simply the result of eating too much sugar or sweet foods. In reality, there’s no direct cause-and-effect link between sugar consumption and developing diabetes. The real issue lies in how the body manages blood glucose.

When we eat, carbohydrates are broken down into glucose, which the body either uses for energy or stores as glycogen and fat. This entire process requires a key hormone — insulin. Produced by beta cells in the pancreas, insulin helps move glucose from the bloodstream into the body’s cells.

If the pancreas can’t produce enough insulin, or if the body’s cells stop responding properly to it (a condition known as insulin resistance), glucose builds up in the blood. Over time, this can lead to diabetes.

Types of Diabetes

Type 1 diabetes occurs when the body’s immune system, genetics, or certain viral infections damage the pancreas, reducing insulin production. It’s more common in young people, and treatment requires insulin therapy along with careful diet management.

Type 2 diabetes doesn’t always stem from a lack of insulin production. In fact, some patients produce more than enough insulin, but their cells can’t use it effectively because of insulin resistance. Genetics, lifestyle habits, age, ethnicity, and environmental factors all play a role.

Other types include gestational diabetes during pregnancy and a range of rare, specific forms, but these are less common.

Can Eating Too Much Sugar Contribute Indirectly?

While sugar itself doesn’t directly cause diabetes, consistently consuming more sugar than the body needs can lead to excess calorie intake. This surplus is stored as fat, which can lead to weight gain. Obesity is a major risk factor for insulin resistance and, in turn, type 2 diabetes.

Research consistently shows that obesity increases diabetes risk, though it’s not the only factor. Maintaining a healthy weight and controlling sugar intake can help reduce that risk.

Do People with Diabetes Need to Avoid All Sugar?

Sugar is essential for the body’s energy needs. Even if you avoid sweet foods entirely, the body can produce glucose from fats and proteins to keep cells functioning. This means that saying “diabetics can’t eat sugar” is an oversimplification.

It’s also a mistake to judge sugar content purely by taste. Rice, bread, and potatoes may not taste sweet, but they’re high in starch — a type of carbohydrate that breaks down into glucose and raises blood sugar.

The key for people with diabetes is to manage total carbohydrate intake, choosing foods wisely and controlling portions rather than eliminating sugar entirely.

The Role of the Glycemic Index (GI)

Not all carbohydrate-rich foods affect blood sugar the same way. The glycemic index measures how quickly a food raises blood sugar after eating.

High-GI foods, such as white bread, porridge, popcorn, watermelon, soda, honey, and orange juice, are digested quickly, causing a sharp glucose spike. Low-GI foods, like oats, whole grain bread, buckwheat noodles, quinoa, cucumbers, beans, eggs, spinach, and celery, release glucose more slowly, leading to a gentler rise in blood sugar and a lower demand for insulin.

Choosing more low-GI foods and balancing carbohydrate intake throughout the day can help prevent dramatic blood sugar swings and support long-term diabetes management.

For most people, the idea that “diabetics shouldn’t eat sugar” feels like common sense. But the truth is more nuanced. Carbohydrates — the nutrients that eventually become blood glucose — exist in different forms, and they don’t all affect the body the same way.

Understanding the Different Types of Carbohydrates

Carbohydrates can generally be divided into three categories:

Monosaccharides — such as glucose and fructose — are found abundantly in fruit. They have a high sweetness level, are absorbed quickly, and cause blood sugar to rise rapidly.

Disaccharides — such as sucrose and maltose — are also absorbed quickly. Sucrose is made of one glucose molecule and one fructose molecule, while maltose consists of two glucose molecules. Both break down into glucose in the body, so diabetics should limit their intake.

Polysaccharides — mostly found in foods as starch or dietary fiber — are digested and absorbed more slowly. They help maintain steady blood sugar levels, which is why diabetics should focus on getting healthy polysaccharides, especially from fiber-rich foods.

In everyday language, “sugar” usually refers to table sugar (white sugar, brown sugar) — fast-digesting carbs that raise blood sugar quickly. Fiber-rich foods, on the other hand, not only avoid spiking glucose but also increase satiety, making them beneficial for people with diabetes.

Common Myths About Diabetes and Diet

Myth 1: Diabetes is caused by eating too much sugar

While a diet high in sugar can increase the risk of developing diabetes, the condition itself is not directly caused by sugar intake alone. Diabetes occurs when the body’s blood sugar regulation system malfunctions — either the pancreas doesn’t produce enough insulin or the body’s cells become resistant to it.

When this happens, glucose remains in the bloodstream instead of being used for energy. Once blood glucose exceeds a certain level, the excess is excreted in the urine — hence the term “sugar in the urine.” Over time, poor diet, excess calories, and lack of exercise can all contribute to the development of diabetes, but eating sugar in moderation does not directly cause the disease.

Myth 2: People with diabetes can’t eat fruit

Even if blood sugar control isn’t ideal, fruit doesn’t have to be completely off-limits. Fruits are rich in vitamins, minerals, and fiber, which are beneficial for overall health. While fruit contains natural sugars like glucose, fructose, and sucrose, fructose metabolism does not require insulin. Once blood sugar is reasonably managed, moderate fruit consumption is safe — the key is portion control and timing.

Myth 3: Skipping carbohydrates helps lower blood sugar

Some believe cutting out rice, bread, or other starchy foods is the fastest way to manage blood sugar. In reality, carbohydrates are the body’s most efficient source of energy. Eliminating them can lead to nutrient imbalance, excessive breakdown of fats and proteins, weight loss, malnutrition, and even dangerous conditions like ketoacidosis. The goal should be to choose complex carbohydrates and control portions — not to eliminate them completely.

Myth 4: All sweet-tasting foods are badSweetness alone doesn’t determine a food’s impact on blood

sugar. For example, plain white bread can raise blood sugar more quickly than an apple or a spoonful of honey. As long as you follow medical advice and choose wisely, even foods with some sweetness can fit into a diabetes-friendly diet.

Myth 5: Sugar-free products are always safe

Many “sugar-free” cookies, cakes, and snacks replace table sugar with sweeteners like xylitol or sucralose. While they may have less direct sugar, they often contain high amounts of refined flour and fats, which still add calories. Overeating these can lead to weight gain and poor blood sugar control. In some cases, they can be more harmful than foods containing small amounts of regular sugar.

Practical Eating Tips for Better Blood Sugar Control

1. Eat at regular times and in consistent amounts
Three balanced meals a day, with steady portion sizes, help stabilize blood sugar and align with medication schedules.

2. Break snacks into smaller servings
If eating fruit, wait about two hours after a meal and divide one serving into smaller portions — for example, eat one apple in two to four small portions rather than all at once.

3. Choose solid foods over liquid foods
Dense, solid foods like bread, rice, and crackers take longer to digest than porridge, noodles, or soups, which can cause faster glucose spikes.

4. Opt for firm over soft textures
Harder foods require more chewing and digest more slowly, helping to moderate blood sugar increases.

5. Favor green vegetables over red ones
Leafy greens such as spinach and celery are low in sugar and high in fiber. Some red vegetables, like tomatoes, have higher natural sugar content and can cause a quicker rise in blood glucose when eaten in equal amounts.