Nutrition briefing
Balanced blood sugar
Diet and lifestyle play a major part in controlling blood sugar levels. Below are practical suggestions to help you manage blood sugar more effectively, with food lists and ready-made meal ideas for the whole day.
Eating patterns that support blood sugar balance
Eat little and often
Small meals and snacks eaten at regular intervals keep your levels steady. Avoid skipping meals.
Go easy on simple carbs
Avoid large portions of simple carbohydrates such as sugar, juice, dried fruit, white flour and white potatoes.
Balance every plate
Combine complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and protein at each meal so energy is released slowly.
Examples of complex carbohydrates
- Whole grains: oats, barley, quinoa, whole wheat, brown rice, buckwheat
- 100% whole wheat or whole grain bread or tortilla wraps
- 100% whole grain crackers
- Legumes (beans) and lentils
- Vegetables: all varieties except starchy vegetables such as potatoes, green peas and corn
- Fruit: all kinds except dried fruit, juice and bananas. Limit fruit to no more than 4 pieces per day.
Examples of healthy fats
- Cold pressed oils: olive, canola, almond, sesame, flax
- Fresh raw seeds and nuts: pumpkin, almonds, hazelnuts, walnuts, cashew
- Nut butters: peanut, almond, cashew, sunflower seed
- Avocados
- Cold water fish: salmon, sardines, mackerel, herring, halibut, snapper
- Organic or grass fed cheeses and dairy products
- Flaxseeds
Examples of protein-rich foods
- Eggs (free-range, organic)
- Milk: organic grass fed cow, goat, soy or nut
- Nuts and seeds
- Legumes (beans) and lentils
- Plain yoghurt or quark (organic)
- Poultry and meats (grass-fed, organic)
- Wild caught fish
Foods that may cause unstable blood sugar
These foods and drinks tend to spike blood sugar quickly, then leave you flat. Keep them occasional rather than everyday.
- Sugar in all forms: fructose, high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, corn syrup, molasses, honey, rice syrup, maple syrup
- Soft drinks, fruit juices and energy drinks
- White flour and products made from it: bagels, scones, cookies, crackers
- White rice
- French fries, veggie chips and potato chips
- Breakfast cereal with less than 5g of fibre and more than 5 to 7g of sugar per serving
- Alcohol: wine, spirits, mixed drinks, beer
- Caffeine: coffee, tea, chocolate, cola, energy drinks
- Snack bars with less than 5g of fibre and more than 5 to 7g of sugar
Smart snacks and small meal ideas
Quick, balanced options to keep blood sugar steady between meals.
- 100% whole-grain cereal (hot or cold) topped with nuts and/or seeds, milk and fresh berries
- Scrambled eggs or deli meat with vegetables inside a low carb tortilla
- Brown rice topped with lemon tahini sauce or peanut sauce, cubed tofu and sautéed vegetables
- Bean soup with vegetables and whole grain toast
- Tofu, tempeh chicken or salmon burger on a whole-grain bun with lettuce, tomato and sprouts, with baked sweet potato fries and green salad
- Brown rice and black bean burrito with avocado, salsa and spinach
- Miso soup with cubes of tofu and chopped vegetables and brown rice
- Stir-fry of chopped vegetables, meat or fish over brown rice or quinoa
- Whole wheat spaghetti and tomato sauce with tempeh or ground meat, spinach and cannellini beans, with a green salad
- Baked salmon or meat of choice, quinoa or whole grain of choice and steamed vegetables
- Hummus with raw chopped vegetables or whole grain pita bread
- Organic cottage cheese with fresh fruit
- Whole-grain toast with nut butter (cashew, almond, peanut)
- Fresh fruit with nuts or cheese
- Sardines, smoked salmon or sliced deli meat on whole grain crackers with mustard and avocado (these may be high in sodium)
- Hard-boiled egg and a piece of fruit
- Edamame (soybeans in the pod)
- Protein bar with at least 5 grams of fibre and less than 7 to 10 grams of sugar
Other helpful ideas
Move regularly
Participate in regular physical activity and aim to maintain a healthy weight.
Drink with food
If you drink alcohol, do so in moderation and make sure to have it with a meal.
Plan ahead
Plan ahead for healthy meals and snacks so you are not caught short.
Carry a snack
Always carry a healthy snack with you to steady your blood sugar between meals.
Low glycemic load breakfast ideas
| Idea | What is in it |
|---|---|
| 1 | Steel-cut oatmeal with chopped apple, walnuts and coconut sugar or agave nectar |
| 2 | Fried eggs on a corn tortilla, with black beans, avocado and tomato salsa |
| 3 | Whole-grain organic toast with almond butter and fresh fruit |
| 4 | Whole-grain English muffin with ricotta cheese and tomato slices |
| 5 | Vegetable frittata with broccoli, spinach, zucchini and red peppers, with fresh fruit on the side |
| 6 | Plain yoghurt with blueberries, ground flax seeds and walnuts |
| 7 | Scrambled eggs, 1 slice whole grain toast and fresh fruit |
| 8 | Scrambled eggs inside a low carb tortilla with salsa and fresh fruit |
| 9 | Kasha pilaf with poached eggs and steamed vegetables |
Low glycemic load snack ideas
- Hummus with carrot and celery sticks
- Apple slices with almond butter
- Rye crisp crackers, turkey breast and mustard
- Mixed berry salad with walnuts
- Fresh fruit with ricotta or cottage cheese
- Popcorn
Low glycemic load lunch ideas
| Idea | What is in it |
|---|---|
| 1 | Tuna or chicken salad with egg, mayo, celery and relish on 1 slice toasted whole grain bread, small green salad, orange |
| 2 | Tomato soup with a dollop of sour cream and fresh herbs, toasted whole grain roll with butter, small green salad |
| 3 | Burrito with whole grain tortilla, black beans, cheese, chopped onion and tomato |
| 4 | Large mixed green salad with grilled salmon, vinaigrette dressing |
| 5 | Black bean or lentil soup, half a roast turkey sandwich on whole grain bread (mayo, lettuce, tomato), fresh berries |
| 6 | Turkey or soy burger patty without a bun, barley stew, celery and cucumber sticks |
| 7 | Broiled chicken breast, small baked sweet potato, stir-fried mixed veggies |
| 8 | Turkey chili, spinach salad (egg, mung bean sprouts, chopped red pepper, sliced mushrooms, sunflower seeds, vinaigrette dressing) |
Low glycemic load dinner ideas
| Idea | What is in it |
|---|---|
| 1 | Fish, quinoa with vegetables (carrots, onion, tomatoes, garlic), steamed broccoli |
| 2 | Grilled leg of lamb, brown rice, cucumber salad (cucumber, onion, radishes, vinegar, olive oil) |
| 3 | Roast turkey, mashed cauliflower, mixed green salad with olive oil, garlic and vinegar |
| 4 | Baked fish, steamed green beans with lentils, mixed green salad with olive oil, garlic, ginger and vinegar |
| 5 | Whole wheat spaghetti with chicken and vegetables (onion, garlic, asparagus, basil, olive oil) |
| 6 | Grilled salmon, lentils with browned onions, spinach salad with olive oil |
| 7 | Broiled chicken breast, baked pumpkin with olive oil, steamed green beans with mushrooms sautéed with garlic in olive oil |
| 8 | Tofu-vegetable stir fry (tofu, ginger, bok choy, celery, bean sprouts, broccoli, sesame oil, garlic, onion, tamari), mixed green salad |
| 9 | Stir-fried tofu with ginger broccoli (tofu, tamari, olive oil, ginger, garlic, broccoli florets, mushrooms, sesame oil, cayenne) |
| 10 | Mango salmon (salmon, tamari, ginger, sliced mango), barley, mixed green salad with olive oil, garlic and vinegar |
Frequently asked questions
How do you keep blood sugar stable through the day?
Steady blood sugar comes from eating small, balanced meals at regular intervals rather than large or skipped meals. Each meal should combine three building blocks: a complex carbohydrate, a healthy fat and a protein, in modest portions spread across the day. This combination slows the release of energy, avoiding the spikes and crashes that come from simple carbohydrates eaten alone. Eating little and often, and balancing every plate, is the core principle.
What should I eat to balance blood sugar?
Build meals around complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, legumes and non-starchy vegetables, healthy fats like nuts, seeds, avocado, cold-pressed oils and cold-water fish, and proteins such as eggs, fish, legumes, nuts, seeds and yoghurt. Fruit is best limited to around four pieces a day. The aim is a balanced plate at each meal so energy is released slowly and blood sugar stays steady.
What foods spike blood sugar and should be limited?
Foods that tend to spike blood sugar and are best limited include all added sugars, soft drinks and juice, white flour and white rice, and other refined carbohydrates, along with alcohol and caffeine. Snack bars with less than around 5 grams of fibre are also worth avoiding. Replacing these with balanced meals built from complex carbohydrates, healthy fats and protein helps keep energy and blood sugar more even through the day.
Reviewed by Rohan Smith, BHSc Nutritional Medicine · Elemental Health & Nutrition, Adelaide. Last reviewed 13 June 2026.
Important: This summary is general information, not personalised medical advice, diagnosis, or a treatment protocol. Speak with a qualified practitioner about your individual situation. Book a consultation →