1. Dietary principle: remember the "three balances" ⚖️

1️⃣ Balance between coarse and fine staple foods

✅

✅ Formula: Each meal's staple = 1/3 refined grains + 2/3 whole grains

✅ Whole grain choices: oats, brown rice, buckwheat, quinoa, corn

✅ Note: whole grains ≠ unlimited; total intake must still be controlled

2️⃣ Balance in nutritional pairing

✅ Meal structure: vegetables + protein + staple food

✅ Plate rule: 1/2 vegetables + 1/4 protein + 1/4 staple food

3️⃣ Balanced meal timing

✅ Regular meals: fixed times and portions, do not snack arbitrarily or skip meals

✅ Small frequent meals: three meals + two small snacks (mid-morning and afternoon snacks), for more stable blood glucose

2. Food selection "traffic lights"

Green light zone: eat with confidence, in appropriate amounts

Vegetables

Leafy greens: spinach, bok choy, lettuce (no limit)

Gourd and nightshade group: cucumber, tomato, winter melon, eggplant

Mushrooms and fungi: shiitake, enoki, wood ear mushrooms

Proteins

High-quality proteins: fish and shrimp, chicken (skinless), eggs, tofu

Dairy: unsweetened yogurt, plain milk (250 ml daily)

Staple foods

Low-GI staple foods: oatmeal, brown rice, whole wheat bread, buckwheat noodles

Tubers: sweet potato, Chinese yam (replace part of staple foods)

Yellow light zone: eat with control, pair wisely

Fruits

Low-sugar fruits: strawberries, blueberries, cherries, grapefruit, apples

Timing of consumption: between meals, when blood glucose is stable

Portion: about the size of a fist each time (approximately 150 g)

Nuts

Healthy choices: walnuts, almonds, cashews (unsalted/plain)

Portion: a small handful daily (approximately 10–15 g)

Red light zone: avoid or minimize consumption

High-sugar foods

Refined sugars: white sugar, brown sugar, honey, syrup

Desserts: cake, cookies, ice cream, chocolate

Sugary beverages: fruit juice, cola, milk tea, sweetened soy milk

High-fat foods

Fried foods: youtiao, potato chips, fried chicken

Fatty meats: pork belly, fatty beef, animal offal

Processed meats: sausages, bacon, luncheon meat

Refined staple foods

White congee (especially when cooked for a long time)

White bread, steamed buns (refined wheat flour)

Glutinous rice products: zongzi, niangao, tangyuan

3. "How to eat" is more important than "what to eat"

1️⃣ The order of eating matters

✅ Correct order: soup → vegetables → protein → staple food

✅ Scientific evidence: can reduce postprandial glucose peak by 30%

2️⃣ Choose the correct cooking methods

✅ Recommended: steaming, boiling, stewing, cold dressing, quick stir-frying

❌

❌ Avoid: deep-frying, pan-frying, braising, sweet-and-sour

3️⃣ Slow down the speed of eating

：20-30次

✅ Chew each mouthful: 20–30 times

✅ Meal time: no less than 20 minutes

✅ Benefit: Increases satiety, helps prevent overeating

4️⃣ Master snack/treatment-timing techniques

Times: 10:00 AM, 4:00 PM, before bed (if needed)

Choices: a small portion of fruit, a cup of yogurt, a few nuts

Function: Prevent hypoglycemia, reduce main meal intake

4. Sample daily three-meal menu

早餐（7:00-8:00）

Breakfast (7:00–8:00)

Oatmeal milk porridge (oats 30 g + milk 200 ml)

1 boiled egg

Cold dressed cucumber 100 g

：★★☆☆☆

Glycemic Index: ★★☆☆☆

☀️ 午餐（12:00-13:00）

☀️ Lunch (12:00–13:00)

Mixed grain rice (white rice + brown rice total 75 g)

Steamed fish pieces (fish 100 g)

Garlic Broccoli (200 g)

One bowl of Winter Melon Soup

：★★★☆☆

Glycemic index: ★★★☆☆

晚餐（18:00-19:00）

Dinner (18:00–19:00)

Buckwheat Noodles (dry weight 60 g)

Stir-fried chicken with wood ear mushrooms (chicken breast 80 g + wood ear mushrooms 50 g)

Stir-fried spinach (200 g)

Snack (optional)

Morning: 1/2 apple (about 75 g)

Afternoon: Unsweetened yogurt 100 g

Before bed: Milk 100 ml (omit if fasting blood glucose is elevated)

5. Tips for dining out ️

1️⃣ Tips for ordering dishes

Prefer dishes that are steamed, boiled, or stewed

Require sauces to be served separately

Avoid dishes that are "deep-fried," "braised in soy sauce," or "sweet and sour"

2️⃣ Eating techniques

Rinse off excess fat first with hot water

Choose coarse grains or a small portion of white rice as staple foods

Ask for a bowl of clear broth to drink first

3️⃣ Beverage choices

It's best to substitute tea for alcohol

Prefer red wine (≤100 ml)

Avoid beer, sweet wines, and cocktails

6. Dietary recommendations for special circumstances

1️⃣ When blood glucose is elevated

Temporarily reduce staple food intake by one-third

Increase vegetable intake

Avoid fruit and snacks

2️⃣ When hypoglycemia occurs (<3.9 mmol/L)

Consume immediately 15 g of fast-acting carbohydrate

Optional: 3–4 sugar cubes, half a cup of fruit juice, 1 tablespoon of honey

Recheck blood glucose after 15 minutes

3️⃣ When combined with hypertension

Strict salt restriction (<5 g/day)

Avoid pickled vegetables, sauces, and processed foods

Eat more high-potassium foods: bananas, potatoes, spinach

7. Major clarifications of dietary misconceptions

❌ Misconception 1: Skipping staple foods will lower blood sugar

Truth: Long-term avoidance of staple foods can lead to ketoacidosis; choose low-GI staples and control total intake

❌ Misconception 2: Sugar-free foods can be eaten freely

Truth: Sugar-free foods may contain large amounts of fats and carbohydrates and still need to be counted toward total calories

❌ Misconception 3: Eating more pumpkin and bitter melon lowers blood sugar

Truth: These foods cannot replace medication; they can only be part of a healthy diet

❌ Misconception 4: Vegetable oil can be consumed in large amounts

Truth: Vegetable oil is also fat; excessive intake similarly increases calorie consumption—no more than ≤25 g per day

Key points summary——

Diabetes diet is not about "what you can't eat," but about "learning how to eat." Master scientific principles and combine foods flexibly, and you can fully enjoy a diet that is both delicious and healthy!

Remember: even the strictest dietary plan cannot compare to your consistent healthy habits!