When and how often should someone with type 2 diabetes eat? (2024)

Timing your meals and eating on a consistent schedule can help improve your blood sugar control.

You know that when it comes to managing type 2 diabetes, what you eat has a dramatic effect on your health. But it doeswhenyou eat it.

“Eating regular, balanced meals is critical on several levels,” he explainsVandana Sheth, RDN, CDCES, a Los Angeles-based dietitian who specializes in the treatment of prediabetes and diabetes.

From helping keep your blood sugar levels stable to regulating your body's internal clock, here's why meal timing is important with type 2 diabetes — and how to create a schedule that works for you.

Meal timing helps regulate blood sugar levels

As you probably know and have felt before, eating a fairly consistent meal plan helps keep your blood sugar levels stable and your energy levels up throughout the day.

Go too long between meals and you'll notice a noticeable drop in blood sugar, Sheth said.

Meanwhile, if you budget for one very large meal a day, you'll likely experience a very dramatic spike in blood sugar levels at the end of it and then a complete lack of energy for the rest of the day, she said.

While glucose levels often fall within approx90 minutesAfter eating a meal, the amount of time it takes for levels to return to normal varies from person to person. It also depends on whether you are taking blood sugar-lowering medications such as insulin, which can speed up the decline.

Regular meals help regulate your internal clock

Regularly scheduled meals are about more than high and low blood sugars.

When you eat that is also oneamplifies the signalto every cell in your body, which affects levels of inflammation, how quickly your body can replace old, dying cells with new, stronger cells, the health of your gut microbiome, and even your circadian clock.

Or rather, regular meals can be so good for your health because they support your circadian clock, he explainsDr. Anis Rehman, founder of District Endocrine, an endocrine practice in Northern Virginia.

A vast network of 24-hour cycles running in the background of every cell in the human body, circadian rhythms drive constant fluctuations in hormone levels, metabolism, and everything you do and think. They even affect how your body responds to medications.

Even your microbiota, the good bacteria that live in your intestines and areproveare integral to immune health is strongcircadian rhythmthey must follow for optimal functioning.

Meanwhile, circadian patterns are disruptedis believedcontribute to the development and progression of chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes.

Rehman explained that when you eat, it can affect the genes involved in setting circadian rhythms and metabolism.

How? A2019 surveysuggests it's related to something you already know well: insulin. Every time you eat, insulin is released and not only prompts the body to absorb blood sugar, but it also acts as a powerful timing signal throughout the body, the study authors explain.

Takeaway: The meal strategy that's good for your blood sugar is great for your overall body health.

Your Best Meal Plan for Type 2 Diabetes

While it would be helpful to give everyone a detailed schedule of when to eat, timing meals isn't that simple.

“Everyone is unique and it is important to identify what works best for each person in terms of meal timing and blood sugar management,” Sheth said.

Here are some tried-and-true meal guidelines to keep in mind:

How should someone with diabetes start the day?

Eat a big breakfast. Eating a large meal in the morning and smaller meals at lunch and dinner can promote weight loss, lower glucose levels and lower daily insulin doses in people with type 2 diabetes and obesity, according to a study.Review 2022.

For the best effects, make your breakfast a fairly hearty meal rich in blood sugar-regulating proteins, fiber and fats. Blood sugar levels tend to rise in the morning, along with cortisol levels, so a low-carb breakfast won't worsen the change, a registered dietitian saidAubrey Phelps.

How often should a person with diabetes eat?

As a general rule, you should try to minimize long breaks during the day without fuel, Sheth said, suggesting that 5-6 hours between meals is the maximum most people with diabetes should push.

Some, but not all, may even need to eat every 3-4 hours. hours for optimal blood sugar control, Phelps added.

Keep in mind that how often you eat will be a determining factor in your ideal snacking strategy.

How should a person with diabetes snack?

Sheth said she recommends her clients eat one to two snacks a day, but only as needed, depending on their lifestyle, activity level and how they are feeling.

While some people really benefit from snacking in terms of maintaining blood sugar, energy levels and overall satiety, she says, others do better and stick to three meals a day.

Ultimately, the most important part of snacking may be the intention behind it. Do you chat at 3 p.m.? because you are hungry and your blood sugar becomes low? Or just because you're bored at work?

Paying attention to blood sugar levels, such as with a continuous blood glucose monitor, can help you monitor what's happening to you, Phelps said.

What time of the day should someone with diabetes eat?

There is a wide variety of opinions about itintermittent fasting, or not eating for extended periods of time during the day – especially when it comes to optimal health in people with diabetes.

But the one thing most experts agree on is that fasting overnight (when your body is supposed to be sleeping) is helpful.

Try going 10-12 hours without eating every night, Sheth said. For example, if you eat breakfast at 8:30 AM every morning, this means you should limit your nightly meals and snacks between 8:30 AM and 10:30 PM. every night.

Take away food

When it comes to diabetes management, it's not just about what you eat, but also when you eat. And while there is no one-size-fits-all approach, a little trial and error can help you find a meal plan that works best for your health.

Always remember to talk to your endocrinologist before making any major changes to your dietmeal routine. Changing your meal routine may require you to adjust your medications and other aspects of your blood sugar management.