If you have diabetes, it is good to steer clear of certain kinds of foods. These foods aggravate the condition and cause either hyperglycemia (increased blood sugar spikes) or hypoglycemia (sharp decrease in blood sugar). Hypoglycemia is usually triggered by the diabetes treatments, not by the diabetic condition itself.

If you are a diabetic, but are already eating a diet of healthy foods, then your menu will change less drastically, or not at all. Diabetes patients, however, who are prone to eating unhealthy food, should consider revamping their whole diet routine. A physician along with a dietitian can compose a meal plan for diabetes patients.

Nutritionists generally agree in the types of food that make up a healthy diet, even though they may disagree on the ratios. Most consider that if your caloric intake consists of about 55-60% carbohydrates, about 20% from protein, and the remainder from fat - you are eating healthy. Of course, diabetic patients can eat foods that contain sugar, as long as it is in limited quantities, because sugar still provides calories convertible to energy that can be used by the body. Diabetic patients should have a daily cap of 60 grams of carbohydrates (2-5 choices), 1 choice of protein, and a limited amount of fat, as determined by an expert. However, diabetic patients should be careful not to add extra sugar to foods. That is the first thing to avoid - adding extra sugar.

Any carbohydrate food that you eat, will be converted to glucose. And, glucose will increase your blood sugar. But all carbohydrates are not converted to glucose at the same rate. Some carbohydrates are converted slowly while others are converted more quickly. The measure at which carbohydrates in food are converted to glucose is called the glycemic index, or GI.

The glycemic index (i.e., GI) of a particular food is rated on how much and how fast it increases the blood glucose levels in the body when it is eaten. If the food has an index of less than 53-55, it is considered to be a log GI food. Those with an index of 55-70 (intermediate glycemic index) are recommended most for diabetics. Foods that fall into this category are whole-grain cereals, whole-grain bread, pasta, and many fruits and vegetables. Foods with glycemic index above 70 or more (high glycemic index), like packaged cereals, candies, cakes, white bread, and sodas, should be avoided and replaced with foods with low and intermediate glycemic index to control blood glucose increase.

You should also make an effort to stay away from food items that have excessive amounts of low-density lipoproteins (LDLs), or 'bad fats'. Fats count as one of the major risk factors in developing type II diabetes mellitus. In fact, some studies have shown that LDLs contribute to insulin resistance.

Try to avoid foods with lots of excess fats. This would include certain parts of pork such as the marble and chicken dishes such as the skin. Many dieticians even go so far as to recommend removing all red meat from a diabetic's meal plan. Meat products with less fat, like beef and fish, are still allowed as long as they are cooked without additional fat. Instead of frying them, they could be baked, boiled, stewed, or steamed. Not all fats are bad, though; polyunsaturated fats and omega-3 fatty acids are known to aid in decreasing insulin resistance; they can be found in fish oil, soy foods, and dark green leafy vegetables.

In conclusion, there are a great number of foods you should stay away from if you have diabetes. But proper food selection can help you plan your diet without necessarily sacrificing taste and enjoyment.