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Diabetes, a condition in which your body blood sugar (or glucose) is too high, currently affects 11% of the American population, increasing the risk of heart attack, stroke, coronary disease and atherosclerosis. As Cleveland clinic Explain: "It develops when your pancreas does not make enough insulin or everything, or when your body does not correctly respond to the effects of insulin."

Although diabetes can be caused by genetics or certain drugs, it can also be caused by the lack of physical activity or obesity - which makes food that you eat extremely important.

"Foods that increase the risk of diabetes tend to be sweet, ultra-transformed, low in fiber and rich in refined carbohydrates or unhealthy fats", "," Shikha broker , MD, doctor at Mochi health , tell Best life . "In short, these are foods that have a high glycemic index (GI), which is a measure of the speed with which a food will cause blood sugar."

"When blood sugar remains high for a long time, it can make your body less sensitive to insulin, which can in turn lead to insulin resistance, alias type 2 diabetes," she adds.

In front, listen to the broker and other experts on the worst delinquents with regard to foods that increase your risk of diabetes, some of which may surprise you.

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"All forms of potatoes are not created equal with regard to diabetes," says Avery Zenker , RD, a dietitian recorded at Myhealthteam .

A study Posted this month in the journal Bmj noted that the consumption of three or more portions per week of fries was associated with a risk of type 2 diabetes higher by 20%. The same was not true for baked potatoes, boiled or puree.

"Fries tend to be rich in fat, carbohydrates and sodium, while being low in fiber, protein and micronutrients," notes Zenker. "This is a perfect storm for metabolic health problems, such as type 2 diabetes and factors that contribute to its risk, such as obesity, inflammation and disturbed intestinal health."

"Additives such as dextrosis, a Falling of Fall in industrial oils heated and cooled on several occasions, and the formation of compounds like acrylamide all contribute to oxidative stress and resistance to insulin over time," she adds.

However, potatoes in their natural form are a good source of vitamin C, potassium and vitamin B6, Julia Zumpano , a dietitian recorded at the Cleveland Clinic, said The Washington Post . And if you leave the skin on, they have a decent amount of fibers.

White rice is the basis of so many types of cooking, but to reduce the risk of diabetes, you will want to consider exchanging it for brown rice.

With other refined carbohydrates such as white bread, pastries and bagels, Zenker refers to white rice like a "naked carbohydrate".

"Naked carbohydrates are sources of carbohydrates that have no other nutritional qualities that help slow the response to glucose, such as fibers and proteins," she explains. "They are absorbed quickly and broken down into sugar, causing high blood sugar peaks and more steep drops."

"This is particularly harmful when associated with a sedentary lifestyle, as exercise can considerably improve the response to glucose after eating carbohydrates," she continues. "The frequent consumption of refined carbohydrates contributes to resistance to insulin over time."

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You probably know that soda And fruit juices are filled with sugar. But a drink loaded with sugar that tends to sneak in unteashed is one of the many funny coffee concocts available today.

For example, Eat this, not that! recently revealed the sugar content of many popular coffee drinks . An icy white chocolate moca from Starbucks contains 66 grams of medium -sized sugar. Even more surprising, a medium -sized frozen coffee with a moca whirlwind has 129 grams of sugar!

To put this in perspective, the American Heart Association (AHA) recommends that men do not consume more than 36 grams of sugar per day and that women do not exceed 25 grams.

In general, sugary drinks (SSB) are the category from which Americans consume the most sugar, and they are most closely linked to diabetes.

"A large meta-analysis Prospective cohort studies have revealed that each additional 250 ml (around 8 OZ), the portion per day of SSBs increased the risk of diabetes by 21%, "said the broker." This link has remained significant even after adjustment for the body mass index, which means that the effect is not explained by weight gain alone. ""

"A review in 2025 in Nature Medicine has also reaffirmed that the usual consumption of SSB contributes directly to obesity and metabolic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, "she adds.

For decades, granola bars were marketed as a healthy and traveling snack or breakfast. But in most cases, they have a high GI and are made with added sugars and refined cereals, explains the broker.

"Without enough fiber or protein to balance carbohydrates and sugar, they can always lead to the same swings in blood sugar as more obvious food snacks," she notes.

Instead, she suggests making your own granola bars at home or looking for those without additives made with whole grains, nuts and seeds.

Like granola bars, most commercially cereals On the shelves of grocery stores, the healthy foods they claim to be.

"Even cereals that look healthy and are marketed only as such contain a lot of added sugar and very few fibers," said the broker. "A bowl of cereals in the morning can cause a sharp increase in blood sugar, followed by a clear drop, which can lead to more hunger and snack shortly after."

In relation: Eating this daily sweet treat can reduce the risk of diabetes by 27%, the new research shows .

Hot -dogs, cold cuts, bacon, sausages and ham are all considered as transformed meats - and they are all associated with a significantly increased risk of developing diabetes and obesity.

"The processed meats contain high quantities of saturated fats, sodium, preservatives (such as nitrates / nitrites) and hemical iron," explains Zenker. "These factors can contribute to the risk of diabetes by increasing inflammation, aggravating insulin resistance, altering the function of pancreatic beta cells (cells that produce insulin) and contributing to weight gain."

At this stage, the broker indicates a 2017 study published in the European Journal of Epidemiology This revealed that the consumption of 50 grams per day of transformed meat was linked to an increased risk of 37% of type 2 diabetes.

"The authors have concluded that the relationship seems dependent on the dose, which means that the more you eat, the more the risk," notes Zenker.

For the context, a hot dog is between 45 and 60 grams, while 50 grams of bacon are only two or three slices.

There is nothing like pouring your teeth into a juicy steak, but it doesn't matter how much red meat should be mainly limited (if it is not completely avoided) in a healthy diet.

Like transformed meats, red meat in the form of beef, pork or lamb tends to be rich in saturated fats and heir iron.

"One of the reasons why saturated fats are a concern is that it contributes to excess fat in the liver, which is a common condition that increases the risk of diabetes," said Zenker. "The excess intake of saturated fat is also linked to increased resistance to insulin, inflammation and grease gain, in particular visceral fat . ""

A 2023 study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that eating only two portions of red meat per week increases the risk of diabetes. In addition, the researchers concluded that those who ate the redest meat had a risk of 62% higher to develop type 2 diabetes compared to those who eaten the least.

Fries are no exception: all fried foods, including fried chicken, donuts and fries, have a risk of diabetes.

"" The data suggest The fact that eating fried food as little as once a week increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, "said Zenker." The consumption of fries 4 to 6 times a week was linked to an increased risk of 39% and 7 times or more per week was linked to an increased risk of diabetes of 55%. ""

Why is this the case? She explains: “Fried foods increase the risk of diabetes because the frying process can create harmful compounds such as end advanced glycation products (ages) and trans fats, which promotes inflammation and alters insulin sensitivity. They are also rich in calories and often replace foods rich in nutrients.

"Fried foods are also generally lacking in fibers, which helps reduce the impact of blood sugar and improves the health of intestinal microbiomas so as to reduce inflammation and support glucose control," she adds.