Low-fat, Fat-free, Gluten-free

Watch out for buzzwords!

Sometimes low-fat, fat-free, or gluten-free do not mean healthy.  For those who have diabetes or insulin resistance, these options can sometimes be downright unhealthy.  Dairy products such as cheese, cottage cheese, and yogurt, have the fat replaced with sugars and carbohydrates.  This will increase blood glucose levels, and if the individual is not using up this extra sugar with activity, the body will store this extra sugar as fat.

Look for foods naturally high in fiber.  These high fiber foods are full of good, complex carbohydrates that your body will digest over a much longer period of time.  This means that smaller amounts of sugar are being released to the blood stream over a longer period of time, which will keep you feeling energized, alert, and satiated.

Good sources of fiber are foods like beans, lentils, nuts, raspberries, strawberries, pears, and prunes, just to name a few.

Before you purchase foods that advertise whole-wheat or whole-grain, be sure to check the label to make sure there is a sufficient amount of fiber per serving.