Best Foods Low in Protein for People with Diabetes

	By: Editors at DiabetesIQ	\|	Published: February 13, 2022	This DiabetesIQ content is fact-checked and expert-reviewed to ensure strict editorial guidelines. Our content is evidence-based and provides objective analysis while maintaining the highest editorial standards in accordance with our integrity policy.
Published: February 13, 2022
This DiabetesIQ content is fact-checked and expert-reviewed to ensure strict editorial guidelines. Our content is evidence-based and provides objective analysis while maintaining the highest editorial standards in accordance with our integrity policy.

Best Foods Low in Protein for People with Diabetes

Challenges of people with diabetes do not end with just blood glucose management issues. Undoubtedly, controlling blood sugar is crucial if you have diabetes, because if you do it poorly, a plethora of very serious health problems won’t make you wait long. If that is not sad enough, even if you manage your blood sugar levels fine, there is still a number of complications that are common for people with diabetes and that you still can develop over time.

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Among those complications are kidney disease and impaired liver function. Fortunately, similarly to many other diabetes-related issues, these problems can be solved with adjustments to you diet. In particular, turning to a low-protein diet may improve the situation. If you are on a low-protein diet, you protein consumption is reduced to 20 to 50 grams of protein per day or 4 to 8 percent of your daily calories, while the usual recommendation for an average person is to have at least 10 to 15 percent of their daily calories from protein.

Nevertheless, protein still plays a major role in your diet. Your body needs it for normal functioning, so going on a low-protein diet is a serious step that requires careful planning to avoid nutritional deficiencies and other health issues. Consult your diabetes management team prior to making any adjustments to your diet. They will be able to properly guide you to make sure that you eat healthy and appropriately to your condition.

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If it was determined that a low-protein diet is right for you, than your doctor or dietitian will recommend you what foods you should eat and what foods to reduce or avoid consumption of. Some of the most low-protein foods are any sort of fruits and vegetables except dry fruits, corn, peas, and beans. Avocado, olive oil, butter, mayonnaise, tea, and coffee (without dairy milk), as well as salad dressings, tomato sauces, spices, and herbs are also related to the low-protein group of foods. People on a low-protein diet can consume foods that have moderate protein content, such as bread, oats, rice, breakfast cereals, corn, and pasta. However, consumption of these foods should be limited and discussed with your doctor or nutritionist.

Although a low-protein diet brings some limitations in the kitchen, there are still plenty of tasty dishes you can cook. Here are some of our favorite ones.