A Type 2 Diabetes diagnosis requires changing your diet to better keep your blood sugar levels under control. Yet, for many newly diagnosed, altering those meal plans is a little confusing and frustrating. While most doctors will advise you to cut back the carbs and eat more veggies, there are so many foods out there. It’s hard to know what will help or hurt.

What to Put on Your Plate

The truth is, there is no standard meal plan for everyone. What works for another person may not work for you. Feel free to experiment a little with what you eat and always keep track of how it affects your blood glucose levels after eating.

The Carb Conundrum

So, you’ve probably been trained to avoid carbohydrates, especially sugar. That’s not entirely correct. According to the American Diabetes Association, most people need 9 servings of carbohydrates a day, even diabetics. However, this should be spaced throughout the day. It’s also better if you opt for complex carbs that digest more slowly. Think brown rice instead of white rice.

You’ll also want to limit your carbohydrate servings to one cup at each meal. There will undoubtedly be carbs in other foods you eat, but the mostly starch and carb-rich foods should be limited to about a quarter of your plate.

Non-Starchy Vegetables

When you cut back on carbs, you can replace them with non-starchy veggies. These are vegetables that don’t contain much starch, which is broken down into sugar in the body. Avoid things like potatoes, corn, and squash, unless you’re counting them as part of your carb serving per meal.

Frozen bagged or low-sodium canned veggies are convenient, and there are a plethora of options to try out. Consider green beans, broccoli, mushrooms, onions, peppers, and kale.

Fill at least half of your plate with non-starchy vegetables to ensure you don’t overdo it on protein, fat, and carbs. The veggies usually contain fiber that will help fill you up and keep you feeling full for longer.

Finally, the last quarter of your plate is available for protein. About a palm-sized serving at each meal is appropriate and provides plenty of protein for your daily needs.