Research
Macro partitioning
Avoidance of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is recommended to reduce the risk of weight gain and worsening cardiometabolic risk profiles in people with diabetes.
Stop drinking sugar-sweetened beverages (soda, sweet tea, energy drinks, fruit drinks with added sugar). This helps prevent weight gain and improves heart health. If you miss the sweetness, you can substitute with non-nutritive sweeteners, but be mindful not to overcompensate with other foods.
WeakSupportsHIGH confidence
the 2013 guidelines specifically call for the avoidance of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs; sweetened with any caloric sweetener including sucrose and high fructose corn syrup) to reduce the risk for weight gain and worsening of cardiometabolic risk profile.
Why this rating
The evidence for this recommendation is described as 'abundant' from studies in individuals without diabetes.
Source
New Diabetes Nutrition Therapy Recommendations: What You Need to Know
Alison B. Evert et al. · Diabetes Spectrum · 2014
DOI 10.2337/diaspect.27.2.121
clinical_guidelineCited 14×
Read the paper DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10
More from this paper
- There is no single ideal macronutrient distribution or specific 'diabetes diet'; individualized eating patterns (Mediterranean, low-carb, low-fat, etc.) are all acceptable if they meet metabolic goals and personal preferences.Limited
- Diabetes nutrition therapy, delivered individually or in groups, significantly improves glycemic control (A1C reduction of 0.3-2%) and metabolic parameters in both type 1 and type 2 diabetes patients.Weak
- Moderate alcohol consumption (≤1 drink/day for women, ≤2 drinks/day for men) is acceptable for adults with diabetes, but requires education on the risk of delayed hypoglycemia, especially for those on insulin or secretagogues.Weak
Related findings · Macro partitioning
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- Trans fats should be completely eliminated from the diet, as they increase LDL cholesterol, decrease HDL cholesterol, and are directly associated with increased coronary risk.Strong
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