If you live with type 2 diabetes, you’re probably aware of the impact some foods have on your blood sugar. Diabetes doesn’t just impact blood sugar levels, it also increases your risk for hypertension (high blood pressure). The good news is that making simple, consistent changes to your diet can help you better manage diabetes while supporting your heart health.

The Diabetes Plate method is an easy, visual way to build balanced meals that support blood sugar and blood pressure. This method divides a plate into sections for nonstarchy vegetables, lean protein, and healthy carbohydrates (carbs). This naturally encourages you to eat more nutrients and fiber for better blood sugar and overall health.

Learn more about how the Diabetes Plate method can provide benefits for people with diabetes and high blood pressure, as well as some tips for getting started.

What Is the Diabetes Plate Method?

The Diabetes Plate involves using a plate to build a meal that’s well suited for people with diabetes. The goal is to make healthy meals easier to build, while having a balance of protein, vegetables, and carbohydrates.

The Diabetes Plate is a good starting point when it comes to figuring out portion sizes. You should use a 9-inch plate as the base. Your healthcare providers and dietitian can also help customize the portions that are right for you.

Nonstarchy Vegetables: Half Your Plate

In the Diabetes Plate method, half of your plate is filled with nutritious, low-carb vegetables. These are well suited for people with diabetes because they won’t raise your blood sugar levels too much. They’re also high in fiber, which is important for weight management, reducing blood sugar, and decreasing your risk for heart disease.

Many of the recommendations from the Diabetes Plate apply to both blood sugar and blood pressure regulation.

Some nonstarchy vegetables include:

• Leafy green vegetables such as chard, kale, and salad greens
• Peppers, including chiles and bell peppers
• Squashes, such as spaghetti squash, yellow squash, and zucchini
• Tomatoes and tomatillos
• Hearty vegetables, such as cauliflower, broccoli, and cabbage
• Crunchy vegetables, such as celery and carrots

When picking vegetables, choose a variety of colors to increase the amount of nutrients on your plate. Fresh, canned, dried, or frozen options are all OK.

Lean Proteins: Quarter of Your Plate

Protein is important for the structure of the body. It makes up muscle, hair, bone, and skin. However, some protein foods — especially those that come from animal products — often contain saturated fat, which can increase your risk of heart disease.

Lean proteins, however, are low in saturated fat, which makes them a great choice for people with high blood pressure and diabetes. For your Diabetes Plate, you should aim to cover a quarter of your plate with lean proteins.

Here are some lean proteins you can consider adding to your plate:

• Dairy, including low-fat cottage cheese and unsweetened low-fat yogurt
• Soy foods, such as tofu and edamame
• Fish, such as tuna and salmon, and shellfish, such as shrimp and lobster
• Poultry, such as eggs, chicken, and turkey
• Lean cuts of beef or pork

If you choose plant-based protein options, keep in mind that some may contain higher carbohydrates. Make sure to check the nutritional information.

Carbohydrates: Quarter of Your Plate

Carbohydrate foods impact blood sugar the most. That’s why the plate method can be beneficial. It’s an easy way to reduce your carbohydrate intake. In the Diabetes Plate method, a quarter of your plate is dedicated to carbohydrates.

The Diabetes Plate is a good starting point when it comes to figuring out portion sizes.

Here are some options to consider for the carbohydrates portion of your plate:

• Whole grains — Brown rice, quinoa, and oatmeal
• Starchy vegetables — Pumpkin, potatoes, and sweet potatoes
• Beans — Pinto beans, kidney beans, and black beans
• Dairy foods — Yogurt and milk or nondairy substitutes
• Fruits — Fresh, dried, or frozen fruits with no added sugar

Whole grains and beans are a great choice because they’re high in fiber. Fiber can help control blood sugar.

How the Diabetes Plate Method Supports Blood Pressure Control

Many of the recommendations from the Diabetes Plate apply to both blood sugar and blood pressure regulation. For heart health, it’s important to eat a balance of minimally processed vegetables, fruits, whole grains, lean proteins, low-fat dairy, and nuts and seeds — all of which are features of the Diabetes Plate.

The Diabetes Plate also recommends reducing saturated fats, sugary sweets, and beverages. Avoiding these foods also helps regulate blood pressure.

The Diabetes Plate also emphasizes dedicating half of each meal to fiber-rich vegetables or plant foods. Fiber is important for diabetes, weight management, and heart health.

Other Dietary Guidelines for Improved Blood Pressure

The Diabetes Plate provides a good foundation for healthy eating with high blood pressure. But it doesn’t cover all the aspects of meal-planning for high blood pressure.

In addition to the Diabetes Plate method, people with high blood pressure should also be aware of balancing potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium in their diet. This is a part of the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. The DASH diet was created to improve blood pressure and heart health.

One guideline of the DASH diet is to limit the amount of daily sodium you eat to no more than 2,300 milligrams. This is equal to roughly 1 teaspoon of table salt. Another version of the DASH diet recommends 1,500 milligrams. Check with your doctor to see which recommendation is better for you.

The guidelines also recommend choosing foods rich in protein and fiber and high in calcium, magnesium, and potassium. Here are some foods that are high in each of these minerals:

• Calcium — Leafy green vegetables, cheese, milk, fish with bones, and fortified bread or soy products
• Magnesium — Whole grains, spinach, nuts, seeds, and leafy greens
• Potassium — Fish, bananas, beans, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and potatoes

Sample Meals Using The Plate Method

Now that you know all of the individual components of the Diabetes Plate, you may be wondering how you’ll create a meal. Here are some examples of balanced meals that are suitable for both high blood pressure and diabetes:

• Grilled salmon, roasted broccoli, and quinoa with garlic powder, a bit of olive oil, and some black pepper
• Chicken stir-fry with mixed vegetables and brown rice, prepared with minimal oil and low-sodium soy sauce
• Greek yogurt bowl with berries, chia seeds, and some oats
• Lentils cooked with curry powder, served with a side of sauteed spinach and tomatoes
• Turkey lettuce wraps with avocado, shredded cabbage, and carrots, with a side of black beans

Tips for Making Small Changes

When it comes to meal planning for diabetes and high blood pressure, simple and consistent changes often work best. That’s why the Diabetes Plate method can be so helpful — it can make it a little easier to craft a healthy meal.

In addition to considering the Diabetes Plate method, people with high blood pressure should be aware of balancing potassium, sodium, calcium, and magnesium in their diet.

Here are some quick tips that might help you get started with healthy meal-planning:

• Use herbs, spices, lemon, or vinegar instead of salt.
• Choose low-sodium or no-salt-added versions of packaged foods.
• Cook at home instead of eating out to help reduce added salt or fat.
• Keep healthy staples on hand, like whole grains, beans, and frozen vegetables.
• Cut back on alcohol and caffeine to keep your blood pressure under control.

Before making any major changes to your diet, make sure to check in with your diabetes care team and a registered dietitian.

Join the Conversation

On DiabetesTeam, members share their experience with diabetes, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

Do you have recipes that fit into the Diabetes Plate and a heart healthy plan? Let others know in the comments below.