World Diabetes Day: Cold drinks to white rice, five food items to avoid if you are diabetic

"Sugar, spice, and everything nice..”

So went the opening lines of one of the most popular animated series of the ‘90s. Sweet-tasting stuff has almost always been associated with everything nice and likeable. Eating and drinking sweet-tasting food items gives us a temporary high.


However, overindulgence in sweet drinks and food items can turn life rather sour and bitter in the long run. These edibles are usually overloaded with carbs and unhealthy fats that can increase our blood-sugar levels and cause several health problems later on.

Diabetes or having a predisposition to high levels of blood sugar is not a curable condition, but it can be kept in check if you watch what goes in your mouth. Here are a few food and drink items you need to steer clear of if you are diabetic or even pre-diabetic.

Sugary Drinks

Every bottle of Coca-Cola and every cup of cold latte coffee can cost you dearly if you are diabetic. And no, we are not talking about the price here.

Sugary drinks like soft/carbonated drinks, packaged fruit juices, and certain types of beverages tend to be overloaded with carbs. A 354 ml can of Pepsi has almost 40 grams of carbs. Moreover, these drinks are filled to the brim with fructose which is known to impair the body’s ability to produce insulin. Most studies suggest that there is a strong correlation between the consumption of sugary drinks and diabetes and related health conditions like fatty liver disease.

Moral of the story: Steer clear of sugary drinks. If you are having cravings for a drink opt for raw fruit juice, unsweetened iced tea, etc.

Packaged Snacks & Processed Foods

It is extremely tempting to reach for a packet of potato chips or butter popcorn while watching a film on the big screen or when you are craving an evening snack. However, we would suggest you not to, if you have been diagnosed with diabetes. Those might satisfy your taste buds for a short while but will end up giving you a health scare in the coming years.

Packaged snacks such as chips, pastries, cookies, etc are made with refined sugar, refined wheat flour, and trans fats. These also contain a lot of chemicals such as preservatives, colouring, and flavouring agents. These can increase blood sugar levels easily.

Keep a packet of dried fruits, and a bowl of hummus nearby if you experience snack cravings.

White Rice & Pasta

White rice is a staple favourite among most Asian households. However excessive consumption of white rice or pasta may increase the risk of incurring diabetes as they are high in carbohydrates, with little to no fibre. Fibre slows down the absorption of sugar in the bloodstream.


If possible, replace white rice with brown rice. However brown rice can be more expensive so you can try replacing rice with whole wheat products.

Honey, Maple Syrup

Many diabetic patients try to replace common sweeteners with alternatives like honey or maple syrup, in the hopes of making a healthier choice while still satisfying their sweet cravings. However recent research has shown that ‘organic sweeteners’ can also lead to a spike in blood sugar. Although they are not highly processed, they often contain high levels of sugar as well! Below are the carb counts of a 1-tablespoon serving of popular sweeteners according to a report by FoodData Central:

White sugar: 12.6 grams (37
Honey: 17.3 grams (38)
Agave nectar: 16 grams (39)
Maple syrup: 13.4 grams (40)

If you can’t do without your daily dose of sweet-tasting tea or coffee, you can opt for low-carb natural sweeteners such as stevia, xylitol, monk fruit sweetener, etc.

Dried Fruit & Fruit Juice

Dried fruits such as apricots and raisins and fruit juice have long been popular alternatives to regular snacks by those battling diabetes, or are more health conscious in general. However, research has shown that even these snacks are not completely ‘ guilt free when it comes to sugar levels and you have to consume these in moderation if you are diabetic.

Dried fruits have a higher concentration of nutrients but unfortunately, they tend to have a higher concentration of sugar as well. One cup (151 grams) of grapes contains 27.3 grams of carbs, including 1.4 grams of fiber. By contrast, 1 cup (145 grams) of raisins contains 115 grams of carbs, 5.4 of which come from fiber. So if you are diabetic, don’t overdose on dry fruits. Stick to fresh fruits such as apples and guava.

Fruit juice is often recommended to diabetic patients or those looking to lose weight. 8 ounces (250 mL) of soda and apple juice contain 22 and 24 grams of sugar, respectively. An equivalent serving of grape juice provides 35 grams of sugar.

So don’t overindulge in fruit juice. If you are thirsting for a non-water drink, go for homemade lemon juice. Just add a dash of lemon juice and pink salt to a glass of chilled water. Add in some ice cubes and mint leaves. This is a bonafide healthy drink with less than 1 gram of carbs. !