No-Sugar Anti-Inflammatory Meal Plan for Diabetes

Research shows that people with type 2 diabetes have higher levels of inflammation in their bodies than those who don’t have diabetes. These chronic inflammatory signals can make it hard to keep your blood sugar levels stable and can contribute to complications down the road.

Eating the right balance of healthy fats, lean protein and complex carbohydrates is key to a good diabetes meal plan, but skipping added sugar and focusing on an anti-inflammatory diet may lead to even better outcomes. And while the anti-inflammatory diet might just sound like another fad, it’s actually very similar to the Mediterranean diet, which is an easy (and delicious!) diet to follow.

Read More: The Top 10 Anti-Inflammatory Foods for Diabetes

In this 7-day, no-sugar-added, anti-inflammatory meal plan, we focus on anti-inflammatory foods like fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, nuts and healthy fats while skipping refined carbohydrates, fried foods, red meat and added sugars—foods that are totally fine to enjoy, but can contribute to inflammation when we eat too much.

We set the calorie level at 1,500 calories, but also included modifications to for 1,200 and 2,000 calories per day, depending on your needs.

Best No-Added Sugar Anti-Inflammatory Foods List

• Berries
• Apples
• Stone Fruits: Cherries, Peaches, Apricots, Plums
• Grapes
• Citrus: Oranges, Grapefruit, Lemons, Limes
• Pomegranates
• Tomatoes
• Olive Oil
• Green Leafy Vegetables: Spinach, Kale, Chard
• Nuts and Nut Butters: Peanuts, Almonds, Walnuts, Pistachios
• Fatty Fish: Salmon, Tuna, Mackerel, Sardines
• Unsweetened Dairy, Kefir, Yogurt
• Beans
• Lentils
• Whole Grains
• Avocados
• Seeds

How to Meal-Prep Your Week of Meals:

1. Make Red Lentil Soup with Saffron to have for lunch on Days 2 through 5.

Day 1

Breakfast (272 calories)

A.M. Snack (139 calories)

• 1 clementine
• 8 walnut halves

Lunch (338 calories)

P.M. Snack (291 calories)

• 1 cup blueberries
• 1/4 cup roasted, unsalted almonds

Dinner (455 calories)

Daily Totals: 1,485 calories, 65g protein, 112g carbohydrates, 25g fiber, 92g fat, 1,659mg sodium

To make it 1,200 calories: Omit the P.M. snack.

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 large pear to breakfast, increase to 6 Tbsp. almonds at P.M snack and increase to a full English muffin at breakfast, full pita at lunch and a full sweet potato at dinner.

Day 2

Breakfast (310 calories)

• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup raspberries
• 3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts
• 2 Tbsp. pomegranate seeds

A.M. Snack (305 calories)

• 1 medium apple
• 2 Tbsp. natural peanut butter

Lunch (376 calories)

P.M. Snack (150 calories)

Dinner (378 calories)

Daily Totals: 1,518 calories, 107g protein, 140g carbohydrates, 29g fiber, 61g fat, 1,811 mg sodium

To make it 1,200 calories: Omit the A.M. snack.

To make it 2,000 calories: Increase to 1 1/2 cups yogurt and 1 cup raspberries at breakfast, increase to 3 Tbsp. peanut butter at A.M. snack and 1 1/2 cups edamame at P.M. snack, add 1 large banana to lunch.

Day 3

Breakfast (265 calories)

A.M. Snack (200 calories)

• 1 medium apple
• 1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter

Lunch (376 calories)

P.M. Snack (206 calories)

• 1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds

Dinner (447 calories)

Daily Totals: 1,493 calories, 78g protein, 148g carbohydrates, 30g fiber, 69g fat, 1599mg sodium

To make it 1,200 calories: Omit peanut butter at A.M. snack and omit P.M. snack.

To make it 2,000 calories: Increase to 3 Tbsp. peanut butter at A.M. snack, 2 slices baguette at lunch, and add 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt and 1 cup raspberries to breakfast.

Day 4

Breakfast (310 calories)

• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup raspberries
• 3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts
• 2 Tbsp. pomegranate seeds

A.M. Snack (241 calories)

• 1 clementine
• 1/4 cup roasted, unsalted almonds

Lunch (376 calories)

P.M. Snack (189 calories)

• 1 cup blackberries
• 8 walnut halves

Dinner (388 calories)

Daily Totals: 1,504 calories, 77g protein, 150g carbohydrates, 25g fiber, 73g fat, 1,392 mg sodium

To make it 1,200 calories: Omit almonds at A.M. snack and omit walnuts at P.M. snack.

To make it 2,000 calories: Increase to 1 1/2 cups yogurt, 1 cup raspberries and 4 Tbsp. chopped walnuts at breakfast, increase to 1/2 cup almonds at A.M. snack, 1 1/2 cups blueberries at P.M. snack and 2 slices baguette at lunch.

Day 5

Breakfast (358 calories)

A.M. Snack (82 calories)

• 1/2 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup raspberries

Lunch (376 calories)

P.M. Snack (94 calories)

• 1/4 cup blackberries
• 6 walnut halves

Dinner (599 calories)

Daily Totals: 1,508 calories, 78g protein, 139g carbohydrates, 26g fiber, 74g fat, 1583mg sodium

To make it 1,200 calories: Omit A.M. and P.M snack, omit baguette at lunch.

To make it 2,000 calories: Increase to 2 clementines at breakfast, 1 cup yogurt and 1 cup raspberries at A.M. snack, 2 slices baguette at lunch, 1 cup blackberries and 1/2 cup walnuts at P.M. snack.

Day 6

Breakfast (310 calories)

• 1 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup raspberries
• 3 Tbsp. chopped walnuts
• 2 Tbsp. pomegranate seeds

A.M. Snack (101 calories)

Lunch (456 calories)

P.M. Snack (227 calories)

• 1/4 cup blueberries
• 1/4 cup unsalted dry-roasted almonds

Dinner (398 calories)

Daily Totals: 1,493 calories, 76g protein, 129g carbohydrates, 30g fiber, 80g fat, 1241mg sodium

To make it 1,200 calories: Omit peanut butter at lunch and almonds at P.M. snack.

To make it 2,000 calories: Increase to 1 1/2 cups yogurt, 1 cup raspberries and 4 Tbsp. chopped walnuts at breakfast, add 3/4 cup edamame in pods to A.M. snack, and increase to 3 Tbsp. peanut butter at lunch.

Day 7

Breakfast (338 calories)

A.M. Snack (140 calories)

• 1 medium orange
• 6 walnut halves

Lunch (361 calories)

P.M. Snack (291 calories)

• 1 cup blueberries
• 1/4 cup roasted, unsalted almonds

Dinner (375 calories)

Daily Totals: 1,505 calories, 69g protein, 135g carbohydrates, 29g fiber, 82g fat, 1,209 mg sodium

To make it 1,200 calories: Omit P.M. snack.

To make it 2,000 calories: Add 1 slice sprouted-wheat toast with 1 Tbsp. natural peanut butter to breakfast, increase to 20 walnuts at A.M. snack, add 1 large banana to lunch, and increase to 1 whole avocado at dinner.